CEUTA — The Spanish government has declared the entire autonomous city of Ceuta a permanent festival zone, ordering the immediate construction of a twelve-kilometre welcome arch that will stretch from the border to the city centre and remain lit day and night.
The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration confirmed that the arch will be made of reinforced concrete and painted in the colours of every flag of every nation whose citizens have ever set foot in Ceuta. «We are not solving the migration crisis,» said a ministry spokesperson. «We are celebrating it. The arch is just the beginning.»
Under the new plan, all residents and visitors will be required to participate in a nightly parade along the arch, carrying mobile phones provided free of charge by the central government. WiFi passwords will be distributed by a joint Spanish-Moroccan committee every morning at dawn, and the city's schools will replace their curriculum with a mandatory course on how to welcome newcomers with traditional mint tea and churros.
The mayor of Ceuta has been appointed Festival Director and given the power to declare any street a «hospitality zone» at any time. «We have moved beyond politics,» the mayor said. «We are now a fiesta. The only rule is that no one may leave until they have danced.»
Morocco has agreed to supply the mint tea and to send a delegation of musicians to perform at the opening ceremony, which will last for three weeks. The Spanish Interior Minister, who visited Ceuta this week, was seen being carried through the streets on a decorated police van, waving to crowds and shouting «Viva la fiesta!» through a megaphone.
Construction of the arch is expected to be completed by Friday. The first parade will begin at sunset, and attendance is mandatory for all government officials.