Muy buenas noches. 

The Crown Princess and I have been looking forward to this evening, this gala dinner in the heart of Mexico City in such a beautiful and historical setting.

We have already spent two very exciting days in Mexico and have had the opportunity to participate in many events that clearly show the good relationship between our two countries. 

We are touched by the warm and friendly way in with which we have been received and very impressed by what we have seen here in Mexico City. 

Señoras y Señores, all of you gathered here tonight, represent the many different and diverse links between Denmark and Mexico; between our governments, private sectors and communities. Sometimes it is difficult to envisage the interdependence of the modern world, and we tend to think that countries are widely apart. But we are all intertwined, often in ways that we do not grasp until we are actually confronted with them. 

When our children in Denmark play with Lego blocks, few realize that many of them were actually proudly produced here in Mexico. And many people in Mexico probably do not realise the Danish origin of some of the ingredients in the Bimbo bread they have for breakfast, or the medicine that helps them deal with health issues.

The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said that “Of all enemies, perhaps habit is the sneakiest. It is so sneaky that it never lets itself be seen”. In the cultural meeting between Denmark and Mexico we have a golden opportunity to overcome that enemy. We have the chance to look at ourselves from a different perspective, to challenge our habits, and to grasp new opportunities we did not see before.

Some say that whilst Danes always talk about the weather when they meet with friends, Mexicans talk about food. And I can understand why: the Mexican cuisine is highly praised and on the list of UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage. During the last couple of days, we have had the good fortune to taste many specialities from different regions of Mexico and I am delighted that tonight, we bring together the best of the New Mexican and the New Nordic cuisine to entice and tempt our taste buds – challenging our habits.

Dear friends of Denmark, Dear Friends of Mexico.....Amigas y amigos.  

Please join me in a toast to the friendship, cooperation and trust between our two countries.

Salud.