The saying goes that it is a sign of good breeding to be grateful. That is why various countries celebrate their national holidays with military parades like the one organized today in Madrid.
The Armed Forces are an institution that exists in almost every country, tasked with ensuring the security and independence of the nation. Our military personnel take enormous risks, even taking their own lives, in service to the nation, and we owe them gratitude for that. The least we can do is give them a leading role in the National Holiday. In this, I insist, we are not alone. Without being exhaustive, I will limit myself to citing a few examples, based in Europe:
Belgium: National Day is celebrated on July 21 with a military parade in Brussels.
Bulgaria: it celebrates its national day, Liberation Day, every March 3 with a military parade.
AMX-30B2 tanks of the Cypriot National Guard at the Cyprus Independence Day military parade in Nicosia, October 1, 2015 (Photo: Katia Christodoulou/EPA)
Cyprus: Celebrates its Independence Day every October 1st with a military parade in Nicosia.
Croatia celebrates its independence day every October 8th with a military parade in Zagreb.
Spain: Every October 12th, a parade is held for National Holiday. Around May 31st, 2025, the Armed Forces Day parade is held.
Estonia: cada 24 de febrero celebra el día de su independencia de Rusia con una parada militar en distintas ciudades cada año.
Estonian soldiers at the Estonian Independence Day parade on February 24, 2015 in Narva (Photo: Ülo Josing/ERR)
France: Its national day is July 14 and it is celebrated with a military parade along the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
Finland: Its national day is December 6, Independence Day, and it is celebrated with a military parade that rotates annually through different cities.
Georgia celebrates its Independence Day on May 26 with a military parade in Tbilisi.
Greece: Its national holiday is March 25th, Independence Day, and it is celebrated with a military parade in Athens. These parades have continued to be organized even after Syriza was in power (You can see this year's here). It should be remembered that Greece is one of the NATO countries that spends the most on defense in relation to its GDP, something that has not changed under Syriza.
Leopard 1 tanks of the Greek Army during the Greek Independence Day military parade on March 25, 2016 in Athens (Photo: Ministerio de Defensa de Grecia)
Hungary: Its national day is August 20, St. Stephen's Day, and is celebrated with a military parade in Budapest's Kossuth Square.
Ireland: Its national day is March 17, St. Patrick's Day, and it is celebrated with a military parade in Dublin.
Italy: Its national day is June 2, the Festa della Repubblica, and is celebrated with a large military parade in Rome.
Latvia: celebrates its Independence Day every February 18 with a military parade in Riga.
Australian and New Zealand soldiers marching on Bastille Day in Paris, July 14, 2016, in tribute to their compatriots who fought in France during World War I. (Photo: Benoit Tessier/Reuters)
Lithuania: celebrates Independence Day every February 16 with a civic-military parade in Vilnius.
Luxembourg: The national day is on June 23 and is celebrated with a military parade in which the Grand Duke reviews his small army (less than 1,000 soldiers).
Moldova: Every August 27, Moldova celebrates the anniversary of its independence from the USSR with a military parade in Chisinau.
Norway: celebrates its national day on May 17, Constitution Day, with a civic-military parade in Oslo.
Poland: Its national day is on November 11, the anniversary of the country's restoration in 1918, and is celebrated with a military parade in Warsaw's Pilsudski Square.
Polish soldiers at the military parade in Warsaw's Pilsudski Square on November 11, 2013, Poland's National Day (Photo: Ministerio de Defensa de Polonia)
Portugal: Its national day is June 10, known as the Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities, and is celebrated with a military parade in Lisbon.
Romania: celebrates its national day on December 1 with a military parade in Bucharest.
Russia: Its national day is June 12, and it is celebrated in Moscow with a civic-military parade that includes soldiers dressed in clothing from different eras.
Sweden: Its national day is June 6, and it is celebrated with a military parade in Stockholm.
Switzerland: Its national day is August 1st and it is celebrated annually with a colorful civic-military parade in Zurich.
Ukraine celebrates its Independence Day every August 24 with a military parade in kyiv.
It could also be added, leaving the Old Continent, that one of our main allies, the United States, celebrates its national holiday on July 4th with a civic-military parade in Washington DC. In view of these examples, I wonder if some people think that all these countries are "Francoist" and if their proposals that Spain eliminate the military parade on October 12th, as if we should be ashamed of our military, might not have more to do with the blatant Hispanophobia displayed by certain separatist and far-left parties.
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