After the rehearsal, Chueca acknowledged that work is still continuing "until the very last minute" to ensure everything is perfectly coordinated. The mayor arrives confident in Zaragoza’s chances and is clear about one of the arguments she wants to put before the jury: the particular climate of the Aragonese capital. "Zaragoza lives in the middle of a desert. We are an oasis in the middle of a desert," she argued. It is a city accustomed to living with extreme heat, cold and the difficulties posed by an adverse climate, but which, in her view, has managed to maintain a good quality of life.
That is precisely one of the messages Zaragoza will take to the jury this afternoon: it is not starting from scratch. The experience accumulated over decades, with Expo 2008 as one of its major turning points and its subsequent commitment to moving toward climate neutrality by 2030, is part of the bid’s narrative. "Zaragoza is leading the way because we have already been living with and adapting to this situation for a long time," Chueca said. Now the city must convince the jury in a presentation that will last 40 minutes.
THE PRESENTATION WILL TAKE PLACE AT A HISTORIC PORTUGUESE VENUE
The Zaragoza delegation with the Z it will present during its defense of the bid. Photo: Guillermo Pemán
The setting will be far from ordinary. At 6:10 p.m., the Zaragoza delegation will enter the Paço dos Duques de Bragança, one of Guimarães’ major historic buildings. The palace, built in the 15th century for the dukes of Braganza, dominates the upper part of the city and retains the monumental character of a former noble residence. After centuries of neglect, it was rebuilt in the 20th century and now houses a museum. It will be within its walls that Zaragoza will present its bid to the international jury. Forty minutes to explain why the city deserves to take the next step and become European Green Capital 2028.
After that, all that will remain is to wait. The decision will be announced tomorrow, Thursday evening, during a ceremony beginning at 8:00 p.m. in Guimarães. Zaragoza reaches this final stage with more than 150 organizations having sent letters of support and with backing from institutions and figures including the president of Aragon, Jorge Azcón, the commissioner of Expo 2008 and the Spanish Government, whose support came through a letter from the Spanish government delegate in Aragon, Fernando Beltrán.
