Forest of Remembrance - Inauguration

Inauguration

Their Majesties King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia presided over the dedication ceremony, which took place on 11 March 2005. They had the honour of being the first to place flowers at the memorial. Their bouquet of white flowers bore the message: "In memory of all the victims of terrorism".

Their Royal Highnesses Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias, the President of the Government of Spain (i.e. the Prime Minister) José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and political representatives of all the parties took part in the inauguration, as well as some chiefs of state and world leaders like the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the King of Morocco Mohammed VI, the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, the President of Senegal Abdoulaye Wade, the President of Mauritania Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, the Prime Minister of Poland Marek Belka, the President of Portugal Jorge Sampaio, the Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, the foreign policy chief of the European Union Javier Solana, the President of the European Parliament Josep Borrell and the ambassadors of the sixteen countries that lost citizens in the attacks.

At the request of the victims' families, no speeches were delivered during the ceremony. However, a 17-year-old cellist performed "El Cant dels Ocells", in Catalan, ("The Song of the Birds") by Pau Casals.