The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Sunday that President Arroyo will hold a bilateral meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero during her visit to Spain on April 15, where she will also receive the Premio Internacional Don Quixote de la Mancha from Spanish King Juan Carlos I for promoting Spanish language in the Philippines.

“While in Madrid, President Arroyo will have bilateral talks with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who is currently holding the European Union's (EU) rotating presidency,” the DFA disclosed in a statement. The EU is composed of 27 member states.

The DFA added that the Chief Executive will receive Mr. Tomas Pascual, the president of Grupo Leche Pascual, a Spanish food conglomerate which is planning to enter the Philippine market and establish a regional base for its Asian operations.

President Arroyo will be proceeding to Spain from her attendance to the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) on April 12 and 13 in Washington DC, USA, where is will be joining 43 other world leaders invited by US President Obama in discussions to develop steps to secure vulnerable nuclear materials; combat nuclear smuggling; and deter, detect and disrupt attempts at nuclear terrorism.

The awarding ceremonies of the prestigious Premio Internacional Don Quixote de la Mancha will be held at the Palacio de la Zarzuela, the principal residence of the Spanish monarch. President Arroyo is also slated to have a private meeting with the King and attend a lunch with members of the Royal Family.

The Premio Internacional Don Quixote de la Mancha or the International Award of Don Quijote de La Mancha — institutional category will be awarded to President Arroyo for her outstanding institutional work, particularly the initiative of promoting the teaching and learning of the Spanish language in the Philippines.