To be Andalusian or to feel Andalusian is, among many other aspects, to be proud to belong to a land rich in its past and present and promising for its future. It is to be part of a region that every February 28th celebrates its autonomy, obtained by a majority in the 1980 referendum. Mijas, as an Andalusian town, celebrated yesterday, Wednesday, the day of the community, the day when we bring out the white and green colours and show our belonging to a people who know how to work as well as to celebrate. 

The Andalusia Park in Las Lagunas was the setting chosen once again this year for the celebration of the event organised by the Mijas Town Hall on the occasion of the 44th anniversary of the Day of Andalusia. The event was attended by the authorities, representatives of the municipal corporation, the security forces such as the Local Police and Guardia Civil, as well as the Mijas based singer Melody, who wanted to share this day with the many residents who also attended the event. 

The mayoress of Mijas, Ana Mata (PP), in her speech, echoed some of the words written by two great authors from Malaga, Manuel Alcántara and María Victoria Atienza, highlighting one idea: "The Andalusian will always be Andalusian". "All of us who had families who had to leave, but today are in other parts of the world, will always carry our land, Andalusia, in our hearts. I believe that as Andalusians we have to claim and feel proud to be Andalusian, that no one should trample on us or break the equality we all have as Spaniards", said Mata, who added that "we have to continue working so that the values of equality and freedom are present in our daily lives and, therefore, feel proud and claim what is ours, because we are not going to enter into those divisions that sometimes they want us to enter into. Therefore, this day serves to celebrate and to decide that Andalusians are equal to the rest of the regions of Spain and that by being more Andalusian, we are all more Spanish". 

The mayoress was in charge of raising the white and green flag alongside the singer Melody, an artist who says she is very proud to be Andalusian and who has always carried Andalusia as her flag. She stated: "for me it is an honour to be here and to share with so many people, all Andalusians, and that this beautiful tradition of feeling proud of where we come from should not be lost. It is a tradition that cannot be lost, to enjoy our day, and to vindicate all that we have in our land that is so great, in art, in gastronomy, in all aspects...". For her part, Mata pointed out that "we have also had a great Andalusian artist who has reached international levels, she was recognised at the Grammys, and is a woman who has made her way in culture, in art, as a presenter, and we are proud that she is living this day with us". 

Art, culture and folklore 

This year's celebration included performances by the Berni and Feli Gabriel dance groups from the Open University in Mijas, as well as the groups from the Musical-Cultural Association "Coros y Danzas de Mijas". Meanwhile, the Mijas Music Band, directed by Francisco Valcárcel, gave a concert at the end of the event with some of the most important pieces by Andalusian and typical Andalusian composers. 

From the government team they highlight the culture, art and folklore that these groups keep alive as an important part of Mijas and Andalusia, "I think the day could not have gone better, having been able to enjoy the dance groups Berni and Feli, the Choirs and Dances and, above all, to see the people happy and enjoying the day and feeling proud to be Andalusian", said the councillor for Festivities, Silvia Marín (PP). 

Evaluations 

On the Day of Andalusia, the PP Municipal Group wanted to stress that the community is not only a land with a rich past and a cheerful character, but also of hard-working people who strive to keep moving forward. "Andalusia has a great future and it is about all of us rowing in the same direction, it is not about going against Spain but going with Spain and I think the mayoress has explained it very well, it is about all of us moving forward together and with the same objective: to improve the quality of life of the people", said the Partido Popular councillor Mario Bravo.  For his part, the spokesman for Por Mi Pueblo, a partner of the government team, also highlighted the massive turnout and the participation of the Mijas groups, "culture makes the people somehow linked to the traditions, to the popular expression that embraces its flag and our statutes that give us that strength as a community and that Mijas always lives very intensely", said Maldonado. 

From the opposition, the councillor of the PSOE Municipal Group Josele González said that "it is a pride to see so many neighbours, groups, associations that have wanted to join us in this act, above all, to claim something as important as the pride of being Andalusian", to which he added: "above all, we always claim, every February the 28th, the protagonism that each of the Andalusians who have had the good fortune to be born in this land deserve". Meanwhile José Carlos Martín, spokesman for the Ciudadanos Municipal Group, stressed: "we must remember where we come from, where we are and where we are going. The Day of Andalusia is the day on which we celebrate our history, our culture, our traditions, our roots... and that Andalusia is a land that belongs to everyone".

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