That the Parliament notes that 20 November 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Spanish dictatorship led by Francisco Franco; congratulates the Spanish, Basque and Catalonian peoples on the subsequent restoration of democracy and democratic government, and the ongoing efforts to confront the legacy of the Falangist dictatorship; applauds what it sees as the vital educational and commemorative work of the International Brigade Memorial Trust (IBMT) to preserve the memory and spirit of volunteers from Britain and Ireland who fought against fascism during the Spanish Civil War, more than 500 of whom died in Spain and Catalonia, including over 120 from Scotland, and recognises the role of the Madrid-based Asociación de Amigos de las Brigadas Internacionales (AABI) and Amical de les Brigades Internacionals de Catalunya in preserving their memory, and of the Asociación para la Recuperación de la Memoria Histórica (ARMH) in Cuenca Province, which maintains the memorial in Tarancón to the 39 Scots volunteers who fell at the Battle of Jarama.
Supported by:
Colin Beattie, Katy Clark, Bob Doris, Jamie Hepburn, Bill Kidd, John Mason, Kevin Stewart