València has concluded the XX International Symposium on Fireworks, which brought together more than 500 participants from 42 countries to exchange knowledge and experiences in the field. The event wrapped up with a fireworks display by Pirotecnia Igual at the Paseo de la Alameda, in front of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía.
During the final session, València's mayor, María José Catalá, highlighted that this edition was the "largest and most significant" to date. She expressed gratitude to the organisers, the International Symposium on Fireworks Society and the Spanish Association of Pyrotechnics (AEPIRO), for choosing València as the "world capital of gunpowder".
Catalá also noted that the symposium included activities open to the public in various locations around the city, such as the Jardín del Túria and the Paseo de la Alameda. She remarked that these activities combined fireworks with music, which she described as the city's "third official language". "Fireworks and music are two hallmarks of València, and when they come together, the city conveys something that is hard to express in words, but can be felt when gazing at our sky," she stated.
Recalling that València previously hosted the symposium in 2003, Catalá asserted that the city, with its rich history and culture, is a natural venue for such gatherings. She also emphasised the economic impact of the fireworks sector, which generates over 50,000 jobs in Spain. "Most of these companies are micro-enterprises that invest more than 4% of their revenue in R&D, and one in four Spanish pyrotechnic companies is based in the Comunitat Valenciana, where this activity merges industrial aspects with cultural and traditional ties," she concluded.
