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In 2011, Russia and Spain plan to boost their bilateral relations in the political, economic, cultural, humanitarian and educational ambits: it will be the Year of Russia in Spain and of Spain in Russia, also known as the Dual Year. Inaugurated on the 25^th of February in St. Petersburg by King Juan Carlos of Spain and the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, this initiative was initially agreed on during the meeting between the mentioned Russian President and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero back in September 2009.

The events program will mainly feature activities of a cultural nature, with the Novosibirsk ballet company touring in Spain and the Spanish National Dance Company visiting Russia; the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg featuring an exhibition of paintings from the famous Madrid's El Prado museum and the the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts exhibiting works by famous Spanish painters Joan Miró and by one of the most controversial artists of the twentieth century, Salvador Dalí.

Spain will be the guest of honour at both the Moscow International Book Fair and the Moscow International Tourism Fair. Russia, in turn, will organize an exhibition in Spain about new technologies. The Russian and Spanish university deans will meet to discuss the development prospects of scientific cooperation between Russia and Spain. The traditional St. Petersburg Economic Forum will be held in June and again Spain will be present as guest of honour. A representative delegation headed by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is expected to attend this event.

All in all, a total of 350 cultural, sporting, scientific and economic events will be held in 2011 under the Year of Spain in Russia and Russia in Spain. According to the organizing committee co-chairman of the Russian side, the Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov, the planned events will contribute to bring together the Russian and Spanish people and will stimulate the development of bilateral relations in on political, economic and other levels.

Cold Russia has historically always warmed to the Spanish way of life and is attracted to all things Spanish: its music, the Spanish guitar, wine, good food, temperament, passion, footwear, furniture, bulls, women, artists, flamenco, El Prado, Madrid, Granada, etc.. There is very much a large demand for Spanish products in Russia. Spain expects the arrival of some 600 thousand Russian tourists this year, and increase of 100 thousand on the total number that visited the country last year.