MIRADAS AL EXTERIOR_07_EN

> diplomacy madrid hosts the fifth conference of Ambassadors

> economy camper footware a lifestyle

> the interview rafael canogar: "i have sought a universal language"

miradas al exterior

> foreign affairs spain's embassy in india -).)34%2)/ $% !35.4/3 %84%2)/2%3 9 $% #//0%2!#) .

GOBIERNO DE ESPAÑA -).)34%2)/ $% !35.4/3 %84%2)/2%3 9 $% #//0%2!#) .

MINISTERIO DE ASUNTOS EXTERIORES Y DE COOPERACIÓN

July-September 2008 N˚7. 3º quarter www.maec.es -).)34%2)/ $% !35.4/3 %84%2)/2%3 9 $% #//0%2!#) .

An informAtive diplomAtic publicAtion of the ministry of foreign AffAirs And cooperAtion

Together with the United Nations, Spain participates in conflict prevention and in the civil aspects of reconstruction

SPAIN IN THE

PEACEKEEPING MISSION

Analysis > ufi ufi, spaniards in international organizations

 editorial

Spanish foreign policy in peacekeeping missions and operations Ángel Lossada

secretary of state for foreign affairs

Spain's foreign policy is based on the defense of the universal values we all share as responsible members of an international community, a community in which our country has been able to establish, and be recognized for, its unique position, its credibility and its own perspective within a complex and ever-changing world order. Our aim is to develop a foreign policy in which the name of Spain becomes synonymous with justice, humanity and solidarity in every corner of the world, and a synonym for commitment to building peace and fostering development and stability.

The threats to security and world peace we face today are different in kind from those we confronted in the past. Although recent events in Georgia have shown that the traditional threats still remain, it is undeniable that the level of violence between nations and the likelihood of overt war between them has diminished substantially, partly as a result of the efforts of the international community to find solutions to conflicts through mediation and negotiation and, above all, due to the substantial increase in the number of Peacekeeping Operations over the last few decades aimed at consolidating peace processes and managing crises in postconflict situations.



YOUR mailbox.

Miradas al exterior is an open forum and welcomes your suggestions and comments: opinion.miradas@mae.es

Political violence and armed struggle persist, but are increasingly targeted at civilian populations. Nine out of every ten deaths in such conflicts are of civilian victims, sometimes giving rise to grave humanitarian crises. The violence arises both from governments (as we saw in Kosovo in the 1990s) and from non-state actors, who have burst onto the international scene with their own agendas and initiatives: militias, terrorists, guerrillas, criminal organizations, etc. The terrorist attacks set off in the wake of 9/11, such as those of 3/11/2004 in Spain, which still weigh heavily on our memories, have involved an escalation of instability and violence hitherto unknown, and have brought about a paradigm shift in our perception of security, with the sudden emergence of so-called “asymmetrical threats”, as well as the means and instruments for countering them.

In this age of globalization, distant threats (Afghanistan) may be as important for our security as those close at hand. Since these are not purely military threats, they cannot be confronted solely by military means, but rather with a combination of more complex approaches with a global reach (political, diplomatic, humanitarian, and reconstructive). These are the emerging threats which involve new challenges and commitments for our Peacekeeping Forces and Missions.

A top priority in the new international security agenda is the fight against international terrorism, organized crime and arms proliferation, challenges which require

global strategies and solutions. We could say the same about such phenomena as failed states, regional conflicts, poverty, and environmental degradation.

The whole international community, as well as our own country, must be ready to confront these new types of crises and respond in areas touching on their human consequences (refugees and displaced persons), economic reconstruction, the building of institutional capacity within nations, the promotion of human rights, methods for stabilizing and strengthening security forces, demobilization and disarmament, and the list goes on. All of these efforts must adopt a global perspective and utilize increasingly complex means involving military, civil and development aid components within the framework of Peacekeeping Operations. A good example of this is the ISAF Mission in Afghanistan. Spain, in addition to its military presence, has also been recognized for the model work of the Provincial Reconstruction Team that we are heading up in Badghis Province, with a major contribution from AECID. Within a broader vision of security and freedom, the concept of “development” is key to a system of collective security based on prevention. The nexus between security and development must be firmly rooted in respect for human rights, which is the keystone for the legality and legitimacy of nations' and the international community's treatment of individuals, and should lead us to a more encompassing notion of security, one which transcends the security of individual nations and addresses the security of the human race as a whole. We must create secure environments whose inhabitants are able to progress, which safeguard their right to live free of poverty, without fear and with dignity, and where their human rights cannot be violated with impunity.

On the other hand, we must acknowledge that the underlying causes of instability

Editorial Board. President: Undersecretary of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. First deputy chair: Director General for Foreign Communication. Second deputy chair: Technical Secretary General. Members: Cabinet Chiefs of the Secretary of State Department of Foreign Affairs, the Secretary of State Department for Cooperation, Secretary of State Department for the European Union, Secretary of State Department for Latin America, and the Cabinet of the Secretary General of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and development (AECID).

miradas al exterior

● editorial

are complex and may be rooted diverse causes such as regime change, the dismembering of states, and climate change.

As have seen during the Darfur crisis, the underlying cause of the outbreak of war between a Muslim government and a Christian population is actually a conflict between farmers and nomadic herders over scarce water supplies, involving four neighboring African states. Spain has contributed two transport planes and around 100 troops to the European Union's PESD mission in Chad (EUFOR), whose goal is to provide military support to the United Nations Mission (MINURCAT) by protecting civilians and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid and by creating secure environments and providing protection for United Nations personnel.

For all these reasons, Spain's foreign policy is designed to promote effective multilateralism, or in other words, the development of a stronger and more secure global society, with more effective institutions and an international order based on international law, which will provide us with the necessary means to act when its standards are violated, as a responsible and supportive member of an international community which must remain vigilant and ready to act in the face of states which, in many cases, lack even minimal resources for protecting their citizens and their territories.

Effective multilateralism must begin with the strengthening the role of the United Nations, which is the embodiment of the principles of international legality and legitimacy and the place where the instruments of international cooperation must be forged in the context of a unified vision of our collective security.

A commitment to multilateralism also involves taking an active part in the efforts of regional organizations dealing with situations of crisis and instability, such as the European Union, NATO, OSCE, the

EDITORIAL OFFICE.

African Union, and others. No country alone can ensure its own security and international peace, other than through a collective, collaborative and decisive effort.

Spain is currently the ninth largest contributor to the United Nations Peace Keeping Missions, and under this mandate 1,185 of our troops, along with those of other countries, form part of the FINUL mission in Lebanon, Spain being the third largest contributor out of a total of 26 countries. Our forces have been joined by those of El Salvador. We are heading the MONUC mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where General Villegas, who was appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations in August, is directing the largest and most complex operation to date. We continue to take part in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), along with the civil guard and police force, yet another example of combined action and cooperation with Latin American countries, where we work actively with local police forces.

As a member of NATO, and under the mandate of the United Nations Security Council, we are taking part in two major missions: ISAF (with nearly 800 troops) and KFOR (with around 630 troops).

ISAF is currently the greatest military challenge faced by the Alliance. Spain makes an major contribution to ISAF in terms of personnel and resources, while at the same time promoting a political strategy which goes well beyond military presence and seeks to reinforce governability, reconstruction and viability in Afghanistan, encouraging the Afghans to take over responsibility for their own security and development. Spain is committed to providing 150 million euros in development aid to Afghanistan by 2010 under the terms of the London Conference of 2006 and the latest Paris Conference held in June 2008.

Management: Julio Albi. Editor-in-Chief: José Bodas. Art Director and Editor: Javier Hernández.

Contributors to this issue: David Merino, Luis Sánchez, Jacobo García, Ángel Zorita, Virginia Castrejana, Alexandra Issacovitch.

Address: Dirección General de Comunicación Exterior. Serrano Galvache, 26. 28033 MADRID. Nº 7. 3rd Quarter 2008. NIPO: 501-07-002-0. Marketing, Printing and Distribution: www.4ccomunicacion.com

Spain has deployed 323 troops and 30 civil guards within EUFOR-ALTHEA in Bosnia-Herzegovina under the European Community's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). We are also working on the coordination and timely launch of a CFSP operation against piracy in Somalia, in application of Resolution 1816 of the United Nations Security Council passed in June of last year, to protect shipping and humanitarian conveys using these waters. And we must not overlook the recent deployment of an Observer Mission in Georgia to which Spain contributed 10 civil guards.

Peace Missions have been in existence for 60 years, and for 20 of these Spain has taken part. Peacekeeping Operations and Peace Missions now form an essential part of our foreign and cooperation policy.

We have approved a National Plan for the Prevention of Violent Conflict, and the modalities of foreign action are now in place, enabling us to improve institutional coordination both nationally and in conjunction with international organizations. The Plan will be coordinated by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. The Spanish Agency for International Cooperation has approved a Peace Building Strategy, while Spain's Master Development Plan reflects this priority and the contribution made by development agencies and programs to assuring international peace and security, in areas such as promoting human rights and the processes of democratization and institution building.

In a speech made at the Prado Museum on June 16 to an audience including former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the Spanish Prime Minister, outlining Spain's main foreign policy objectives, stressed that building peace is one of the greatest challenges for international governance, and hence Spain's actions abroad must demonstrate its commitment to facing this challenge.

A publication of the Directorate General of Foreign Communication for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAEC).

Total or partial reproduction prohibited without the express consent of the editor. Foreign Perspectives is not responsible for the editorial content nor for the opinions expressed by the authors.

3

 foreign affairs Since the end of the Cold War, and particularly over the last few years, efforts have been made to achieve the highest possible level of accomplishment of the primary objective pursued by the United Nations, that is, "to maintain international peace and security" (Chapter 1, Article 1, UN Charter). With this proposal, they are using the vast experience already accumulated to mark out and tailor a set of actions and approaches with which to end conflicts. From its original focus on military measures, which continue to be essential, it is now centering on a broader range of issues that bring prevention into play, and pay special attention to civilian aspects of postconflict reconstruction.

SPAIN'S ROLE IN PEACE MISSIONS

miradas al exterior peace missions

BY: A. Spiegelberg de Ortueta. PHOTOS : EFE

● The first step is the prevention aspect as recognized by the United Nations Charter, which dedicates its sixth chapter to "Peaceful Settlement of Disputes". Here, the causes of the conflict are analyzed and mechanisms are put in place to resolve them. Next comes the phase of re-

● foreign affairs

sponding to the violent dispute, and here traditional peace-building and peacekeeping operations entailing the use of some kind of force are of central importance. Third, there is the set of measures taken to deal with the underlying reasons for the violent crisis in which reconstruction, in its broadest sense, is imperative.

The guiding notion behind this action is to find an end to the conflict and close the dangerous cycle of events that could cause it to erupt again.

This global focus has led to increasingly frequent action directed, on the one hand, towards the prevention of violent conflict, and on the other hand, to postconflict consolidation and reconstruction missions, which now stand side by side with traditional peace-building and peace-keeping missions.

Our country is at the front lines of these developments and is active in all of the above-mentioned activities, both within the United Nations and acting jointly with regional organizations such as NATO,

5

6

miradas al exterior peace missions

● foreign affairs

OSCe and the eu itself, in accordance with Chapter Viii of the uN Charter. We will go on to summarize these developments, focusing on the most novel aspect of this activity, whose single objective is the one that is mentioned repeatedly: to achieve international peace and security.

● Violent conflict prevention on an international scale the emphasis on prevention dates back to the end of the Cold War, when the uN system opened itself up to new points of view. the 1992 report "An agenda for peace, preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peace-keeping" by the Secretary general is particularly significant, as is the follow-up 1995 report that points out: "there is no doubt it is better to prevent conflicts using early warning mechanisms, discreet diplomacy and, in certain situations, preventative troop deployment, rather than carrying out large-scale political-military operations in an attempt to resolve conflicts once they have already broken out”. the Brahimi report to the Committee for peacekeeping Operations in 2000 constitutes another important step forward.

With the Millennium Summit, prevention has come to occupy a central place that is also recognized in specific resolutions by the general Assembly, such as 55/281 of August 13, 2001 and 57/337 of July 18, 2003, and resolution 1366 by the Security Council (2001) on the prevention of armed conflicts. The follow-up summit in 2005 confirmed this tendency, focusing on the culture of prevention rather than the culture of confrontation.

On a regional level, more specifically within the eu, the european Council in gothenburg approved the eu program for the Prevention of Violent Conflicts in June 2001. its preamble states that: “the prevention of violent conflict is a central issue for the european union. it led to the first steps being taken towards European integration and continues to be an inherent part of the expansion process, which will project the common values of security, freedom, justice and prosperity from

The Former Prime Minister Felipe González talks with the Former Mexican Interior Minister, Jorge Castañeda, at the conference on “Current Challenges to Peace and Democratic Consoldation" on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the El Salvador Peace Accords, held in Madrid in 2007. EFE

an increasingly united continent”. in terms of the gothenburg program, it is worth highlighting the consideration of conflict prevention as one of the principal objectives of the eu's foreign relations within the framework of the progressive development of a european Security and defense policy.

● The National Plan for International Conflict Prevention. the National plan for International Violent Conflict Prevention. As a member of the eu we take part in the application of the gothenburg program. However, Spain's commitment to defending international peace and security meant taking a more active role, and so, during the Spanish presidency our National plan for international Violent Conflict Prevention was approved on January 22, 2002. this plan provided the tools needed to strengthen Spain's foreign action and to improve institutional coordination at both a national level and that of international

Since the beginning of the year, the United Nations' PKOs managed more than 20 operations made up of 130,000 people

Organizations. As is highlighted in the introduction to our National plan of Action for Violent Conflict Prevention: “Our country has a long and fruitful historic tradition in this area, having been a point of encounter and coexistence for different cultures, and in its recent history having experienced a process of transition based on political dialogue, the consolidation of democratic institutions and the strengthening of civil society. the projection of these values will contribute to Spain occupying an important role in the development of a culture of prevention of violent conflicts”.

A principal element of the plan is the early warning system based, to a great extent, on gathering information related to situations that could lead to armed conflict and application of the specific instructions for analyzing risk indicators. these indicators are divided into democratic, economic and social categories. it is a matter of obtaining precise and focused information. Our embassies that are asked to provide information are encouraged not only to fill out a particular form, but also to make suggestions they believe to be useful. the early warning system is gradually being completed and perfected, but the most important aspect is the fact that it is followed by the early response measures best suited to the situation, whether political or cooperative in nature.

● The mechanisms for conflict solution. there are various political measures that imply different levels of involvement: negotiation, investigation, mediation, reconciliation, monitoring, and legal agreements, all of which require the involvement of dedicated professionals. it is best for the principal negotiator to be regularly advised by specialists in different areas. the action also takes different forms. these can be bilateral and multilateral on a regional level (eu, OSCe), and on a general level with the united Nations, for example forming part of the group of Friends in a particular peace process. A combination of each of these mechanisms could be also be used, depending on the case. An indispensable condition

miradas al exterior peace missions

● foreign affairs

● Prevention and Development Cooperation. Both the law on international development Cooperation, which considers prevention to be a priority, and in particular the 20052008 Master plan, have strengthened cooperation-based measures linked to conflict prevention. It is within this framework that specific quick-impact programs directed at prevention are carried out, such as the defense of human rights, democratization and the administration of justice, to name but a few.

In countries with Technical Offices for Cooperation, the programs can be carried out directly. in other cases, there are alternatives such as collaboration with uN agencies, funds and programs within the framework of cooperation mechanisms that have already been established.

military, police, civil guard, and civilian presence. Spanish cooperation also offered sizeable support to the application of the peace Accords through technical and financial assistance.

Operations becomes particularly crucial. in its last session, the uN undersecretary general for pKOs provided figures showing that in January 2008 the pKO department was managing 20 operations, its authorized staff was 130,000 strong and included the military, police and civilians, and that its budget for 2007-8 was $6.65 billion. debates have made manifest the growing scope and complexity of these missions. A prominent factor in the eu's position is the favorable reception it gave to the department of pKO document "peacekeeping Operations: principles and guidelines" and the report by the Secretary general on the role of the uN in support of reform in the security sector. it became even clearer that, as far as the eu was concerned, security was an essential prerequisite for the establishment of the rule of law and the promotion and defense of Human Rights in post-conflict zones. It is apparent that the eu also pays special attention to the protection of civilians.

● The El Salvador and Guatemala models. though we have made separate mention of the political aspects and those pertaining to cooperation in prevention efforts, in practice these elements become one during peace processes. in turn, prevention is closely linked to measures for assuring the peace. this was the case, for example, with the peace processes in el Salvador and guatemala, in which Spain played an essential role. these countries continue to be a primary point of reference for future action. in both processes, the prevention phase was the determining one. Spain took part in negotiations for the peace Accords at the behest of the different sides, both independently and in support of regional and uN initiatives through its participation in the groups of Friends for the peace process. Afterwards, while the accords were being applied, Spain made a sizeable contribution to the uN peace Missions (ONuCA - united Nations Observer group in Central America, ONuSAl - united Nations Observer Mission in el Salvador, MINUGUA - United Nations Verification Mission in guatemala) in the form of a

● Peace-keeping and peace-building operations (PKOs). though the focus of this article is on new peace initiatives and missions, the traditional pKOs must not be forgotten, not the least because today they receive considerable Spanish support.

Spain is the ninth largest financial provider for uN missions. in missions such as FiNul, we have the third largest troop presence, and in application of Chapter Viii of the uN Charter, we provide a very significant number of troops for EU missions, such as euFOr-AltHeA in BosniaHerzegovina, and KFOr in Kosovo and iSAF in Afghanistan for NAtO. the police and Civil guard also do a noteworthy job in peace missions such as MiNuStAH in Haiti. it is also important to highlight our presence in the european gendarmerie Force placed at the disposition of the international Community and that work is still being carried out to perfect these missions, both within regional organizations and in the uN. in light of this aim to update and perfect the missions, the task carried out by the uN Committee for peacekeeping

● Peace Consolidation Missions.

Continuing with the ideas considered above, the civil nature of many conflicts means that the mandates given to missions need to be multi-dimensional. it comes down to a matter of solving the deep-rooted causes of conflicts in order to reach a lasting peace, of searching for a national reconciliation that allows the State to meet its obligations to the people, and so the responsibility of establishing viable States falls first and foremost with the authorities in that area. this means the content of the mandates given to these missions is becoming highly varied: re-establishing citizen security, administering justice, strengthening institutions, promoting human rights and strengthening the economy.

Spain has defended this change of course of the missions and the need to rely on mandates that duly reflect the measures that must be taken. planning for civil missions is increasingly important. For this reason, there is increasing collaboration with the interior Ministry, which has a assigned a commander from the Civil guard to the MAeC in the pKO unit.

of each of these actions is to have been invited by those on both sides of the conflict to participate in the peace process.

Agents from the National Police and the Civil Guard on observation missions walk through Rafah in the Palestinian Territories. EFE

7

8

miradas al exterior peace missions

â—? foreign affairs

Students in the Dessaix Baptiste Music School in Jacmel, in Southeast HaitĂ­, where AECID conducts various work programs. EFE

On a regional level, we are active in many diverse Peace Consolidation Missions with the OSCE, NATO and the EU. MINUSTAH stands out from our other UN Projects.

The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH): Worthy of special mention is the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), established

by Security Council Resolution 1524 (2004) as a paradigm that reveals the nature of this new generation of missions.

The number of the mandate's objectives is a faithful reflection of the multifaceted content of these missions: the creation and maintenance of a stable and secure environment; reform of the Haitian National Police through disarmament, demilitarization and reintegration; democratization, which entails not only supporting the political process but also national dialogue and reconciliation, as well as good democratic governance and the extension of the State's authority throughout the territory; institutional reinforcement and administration of justice; and contributions to the country's social and economic development. Furthermore, there is a need to ensure that all of this is carried out within the framework of promoting and protecting human rights, especially those of women and children.

These are truly ambitious tasks that require maximum effort.

With the aim of facilitating the fulfillment of the mandate, and to render the action taken by the international community in Haiti more effective, the resolution established a Core Group led by the Special Representative and made up of the various interested parties, including financial institutions.

Other forums for convergence are also being planned. As such, ECOSOC has a working group that focuses on the Haiti region. Similarly, the donor community coordinates its efforts in meetings like that held in Washington in 2004 and the successive follow-up meetings, such as the International Conference for the social and economic development of Haiti held in Madrid on November 30, 2006.

Spain makes a significant contribution to each of these coordination forums and is active in MINUSTAH, not only in sectors such as policing, but also in others such as Justice Administration, which is led by

Peacebuilding missions contain elements of development cooperation which must continue

a Spaniard. Meanwhile, bilateral cooperation continues to grow, as demonstrated by the recent high-profile visits to the country.

â—? Peace Consolidation Missions.

These missions for reconstruction, though long-term by nature, cannot continue indefinitely and must have exit strategies.

It was therefore most fortunate that the 2005 Summit saw the creation of the UN Commission for the Consolidation of Peace, which guarantees as a priority the transition from the end of the mission to a normalized situation capable of moving towards sustainable development. As far as Spain is concerned, this commission must meet two fundamental objectives: it must continue to focus political attention on post-conflict territories and guarantee coordinated reconstruction. For this reason they are supporting the Commission's new activities and offering funding.

It must also be remembered that peace consolidation missions contain clear development cooperation elements which must show continuity. This is why the SECI and the AECID are contributing progressively to this common goal. This is evidenced by the 2005-2008 Master Plan and by Spanish Cooperation's development strategy for peace-building.

miradas al exterior peace missions

Spanish defense policy and peace missions Luis Cuesta

secretary general for defense policy

This year we are celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Spanish Armed Forces' participation in peace missions. Throughout this period, Spanish defense policy has made clear its commitment to the universal values enshrined in the United Nations Charter in respect of human life and rights, and to a strengthening of peaceful relationships and effective cooperation between all nations on earth, as laid out in our Constitution.

Over these years the range of tasks carried out by our Armed Forces has grown. No longer do they simply defend our national borders, but they also work to extend peace beyond our territory through new foreign missions whose purpose is to project stability. It is not in vain that our ultimate aim continues to be that of making a contribution to an international system that is increasingly just, peaceful and secure and that is capable of dealing with both the old and the new threats to security in the globalized world in which we live.

Articulating and strengthening the role played by Spain in the concert of peace-loving nations has been no easy task. In fact, these new missions have

developed in parallel with other, equally important processes, such as the modernization of our legislation and the professionalization of our Armed Forces.

The catalyst for this grand process of transformation and change within our Armed Forces has been precisely their participation in peace missions outside of our borders.

Such missions drive a process of continuous adaptation to a constantly evolving strategic situation, both in terms of the way our Defense is organized and in terms of our military capabilities themselves.

The summary analysis of the legislation and directives for National Defense over the last few years highlights this undeniable restructuring of the Armed Forces that has taken place over the last two decades.

We have progressed from a territorial concept of defense, as set forth in Organic Law 6/80, to Organic Law 5/2005 for National Defense which, twenty five years later, embraces a new concept of missions for the Armed Forces, encompassing both the traditional forms of defense operations and other security-related missions that grow out of our international commitments.

Furthermore, the new law lends to these foreign operations a dual legitimacy: one is external,

embodied in a scrupulous respect for the principles laid out in the UN Charter and International Law conventions; while the other is internal, given that these new missions must have the express authorization of the Spanish people as provided through Parliament.

The various National Defense Directives (including the one currently in place since 2004) have in turn demonstrated a clear determination that the Armed Forces are to play an increasingly important role in the State's foreign policy in the promotion of peace, security and stability in our world.

In this regard, we can distinguish three significant stages in the evolution of Spain's contribution to peace missions.

The first stage coincides with the participation of observers and small military units as UN observers in Angola, Namibia and Central America, as well as in other humanitarian support missions such as that offered to Kurdish refugees from Iraq at the beginning of the 1990s with operation Provide Comfort, among others.

The wars in the Balkans gave rise to the second stage, in which our military led peacebuilding missions with NATO, the EU and other missions led by the OSCE. Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo continues to be a main area of activity for our troops, who are working to achieve permanent stability in the region.

The third stage came about as a consequence of the attacks on September 11, 2001. Afghanistan and Lebanon are the areas where the most demanding reconstruction and humanitarian aid missions are being carried out by our Armed Forces, who

â—? foreign affairs

9

are working together with other allied and friendly nations.

Over these four decades, more than 100,000 Spanish soldiers have taken part in 59 peace and humanitarian aid missions in over 30 countries on four continents. It is thought that the amount invested in peace operations by Spain totals more than 4 billion Euros. During the last legislature alone (20042008), the cost of operations is estimated at around 1.4 billion euros, with more than 75,000 people and 24,000 tons of material having been transported to five different theaters of operations. However, the greatest cost has undoubtedly been that paid by human lives.

146 members of the military lost their lives while carrying out their duty during these missions; they gave their lives so that others may live in peace and with progress. I would like to take this opportunity to offer a sincere commemoration of these people who defended peace and international stability.

All of these efforts have always had overwhelming support from Spanish society, which continues to value and appreciate the work carried out by our Armed Forces for humanitarian ends, national reconstruction and in civil emergencies.

We must, therefore, take pride in having travelled this road together, transforming Spain into a country that makes one of the largest contributions to peacekeeping and international security. Through these peace missions, and those we will carry out in the future, we respect international law and encourage others to do the same, always helping to make effective multilateralism a reality in our global world.

10

miradas al exterior peace missions

● foreign affairs

Meeting in Madrid of the Panel of Experts in Justice Administration in post-conflict situations

● Civilian participation in peace missions. the very nature of peace consolidation and post-conflict reconstruction missions involves a growing demand for civilian experts. the multi-faceted nature of such activities requires the participation of practically all sectors of the Administration. While the military and members of the State Security Forces and Corps have already participated in peace missions, and stable systems exist for funding and pre-mission training, the recent increase in participation by civilian experts now requires special attention. this presents the challenge of marshalling immense internal and international coordination. The first issues that have had to be resolved are the selection and identification of candidates, their training, and funding their participation. ● The selection of civilian experts. the united Nations has its own system for selection, training and funding. the MAEC's Unit for International Officials posts the vacancies, as is normal, and monitors the applications and carries out support work. regional bodies such as the OSCe and eu, on the other hand, basically use a system of renowned national experts. the idea is that the country that presents its own candidates must cover the main costs if they are chosen. First, possible candidates must be identified. In the EU, the Civilian Capabilities Conferences,

which have been held annually since 2004 in order to get to know the possible offerings from Member States, have been very useful to Spain because they have made it possible to raise awareness of these issues throughout its Administration. As a result, we are already attaining excellent positions in certain fields, as with the Civil response teams (Crt).

● The Spanish panel of experts in Justice Administration in post-conflict situations. So then, if it is in our interest to participate in all aspects of the peace consolidation missions, it is equally important to begin to establish priorities. given the experience of recent years, it can be concluded that one sector in which our country would be particularly able to specialize in is that of Justice Administration in post-conflict situations.

And so a panel of experts composed of judges, public prosecutors, law clerks, government lawyers, property registrars, coroners, prison officers and advocates was created with the aim of improving our participation in consolidation missions and to advise Spanish delegations to various forums. in order provide impetus the role played by the panel, a Magistrate has been designated to be assigned to the MAeC's pKO unit.

Other panels could well follow in the footsteps of this one, working in areas such as Civil Administration or human rights.

● Training civilians to take part in peace missions. Once the civilian experts have been chosen, it is necessary to give them highly practical training for when they join the missions. though the united Nations has always been the benchmark in this field, the EU training in civilian crisis management has proved incredibly useful to us, in particular our participation in the project launched in this area by the european Commission in 2001. in 2002 we organized a conference in Madrid to establish common training modules in rule of law and Civil Administration. the courses organized in this field by the PKO Unit, particularly those dedicated to Justice Administration in post-conflict situations, are now fully established. this experience is allowing us to carry out this training in Spain using a new methodology and a group of trainers with a great deal of experience in these areas.

Similarly, there are the courses organized by the pKO unit in collaboration with bodies such as the iNAp, the Judicial Studies Center and the general Council of the Judicial Branch. Since 2007, the pKO unit has been teaching these courses in iberoAmerica as part of the AeCid training program. the diplomatic School is currently responsible for this.

Arturo Spiegelberg is the PKO Ambassador

advertisement

12

miradas al exterior

5th conference of ambassadors ● foreign affairs

The 5th Conference of Ambassadors in Madrid from September 8 through 11 brought together 130 of Spain's Heads of Mission abroad. This biannual event enables Spain's diplomatic representatives to discuss various aspects of Spanish foreign policy, focusing on priorities as well as on the normal functioning of diplomatic and consular services.

Madrid welcomes the 5th Conference of Ambassadors BY: JAVIER HERNÁNDEZ. PHOTOS : EFE, JAVIER HERNÁNDEZ AND JAVwIER FERNÁNDEZ

● The AECID headquarters was the venue chosen for the inauguration of the proceedings of the 5th Conference of Ambassadors, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation with the theme of ‘Public Diplomacy and Foreign Policy’. “Successful public diplomacy must be based on a wide acceptance of the values and ideas that the State represents, and its citizens' identification with them.

Spain's assets in this regard are a tolerant and public-spirited people, a bridge between cultures bequeathed to us by history and our geographical position,” stated Miguel Ángel Moratinos. In his opening address he reviewed the principal foreign policy thrusts in different regions of the world in some detail, along with the subjects of international governance, multilateralism, the fight against hunger and the Foreign Policy Law, all of which are of “of priority interest”. In his speech he highlighted

Spain's future Presidency of the EU as a “truly significant opportunity to develop our full potential and to safeguard Europe's future as well as our own”.

After the address by Miguel Ángel Moratinos, the proceedings on September 8 continued with meetings involving the First Vice-Prime Minister, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, and the Second Vice-Prime Miniter, Pedro Solbes, and a reception given by the Prime Minister in the Moncloa Palace. José Luis Rodríguez

miradas al exterior

5th conference of ambassadors ● foreign affairs

From top to bottom: Inaugural session at AECID headquarters presided by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, with members of the Ministry Directorate.

The press conference where Barcelona's candidacy to be headquarters of the Mediterranean Union was announced.

The Ambassadors arrive at the Cervantes for the round table on Public Diplomacy.

Zapatero sought to emphasize that our ambassadors should extol the strength of the Spanish economy, convinced that the future of Spain's economic growth lies increasingly beyond its own boundaries. Spain is now the third largest investor in the world, after the United States and France. For this reason, he emphasized, our ambassadors must strive to support Spanish businesses abroad and help them find new areas of investment.

The first day's itinerary continued with a dinner given by the Mayor of Madrid, Alberto Ruíz-Gallardón, and speeches by the Secretary of State for Latin America, Trinidad Jiménez and the Secretary of State for the European Union, Diego López Garrido.

The working day was brought to a close by the presentation of Barcelona's candidacy for the headquarters of the Mediterranean Union by the Mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Hereu. The modernistic Palau de Pedralbes would house the headquarters.

Miguel Ángel Moratinos defended Spain's candidacy to host the Mediterranean Union, with the aim of promoting continued dialogue within the region.

The gala dinner in the renovated Viana Palace was presided over by the Prince and Princess of Asturias. His Royal Highness Felipe de Borbón thanked all the ambassadors for the “loyalty, preparation and goodwill you demonstrate in your daily work in the service of Spain and the Spanish people”.

13

14

miradas al exterior

5th conference of ambassadors ● foreign affairs

On September 9, the ambassadors and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation traveled to Zaragoza where they were met by the President of the Government of Aragón, Marcelino Iglesias, and other members of his Government. Miguel Ángel Moratinos emphasized his Ministry's support for Aragón and the defense of its interests as “an autonomous community taking an active part in cross-border affairs and which has always sought to transcend the barrier of the Pyrenees”.

After this, the delegates made an official visit to the site of the Zaragoza International Exposition accompanied by the Mayor, Juan Alberto Belloch, where they had an opportunity to examine some of the outstanding pavilions in greater detail.

Sessions on Wednesday began with a visit to the Senate for further speeches by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ángel Losada, the Minister for Industry,

Miguel Ángel Moratinos: “Spain's Presidency of the EU will be a significant opportunity for us to develop all our potential” Trade and Tourism, Miguel Sebastián, the Minister of Defense, Carme Chacón, and the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Soraya Rodríguez.

During the afternoon there were various activities at the Cervantes Institute, where directors of the Institute and of Casa América, Casa Asia, Casa Árabe, Casa África and Casa Sefarad-Israel had the opportunity to describe their work and their aims to the ambassadors. Within the main hall of the Cervantes Institute an exhibition of a selection of recent work, publications, videos and leaflets bore witness to the excellent work carried out by these

institutions. The day ended with a round table on “Public Diplomacy and Foreign Policy” featuring Lluis Bassets, Antonio Casado, Pilar Cernuda, Angel Expósito, Fernando Jáuregui and Darío Valcarcel.

On Thursday, September 11, the Ambassadors were able to listen to speeches by the Minister of the Interior, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, the Minister of Justice, Mariano Fernández Bermejo, the Minister of Labor and Immigration, Celestino Corbacho and the Secretary-General for Consular Affairs and Migration, Javier Elorza.

The closing session of the 5th Conference of Ambassadors took place in the Royal Palace where their Royal Majesties gave a reception for the 130 ambassadors. King Juan Carlos encouraged the Heads of Diplomatic Mission to “carry on working with hope, perseverance and pride to project Spain abroad as a great and friendly Nation committed to the values of peace, democracy and human rights”.

From top to bottom and left to right: The Prime Minister at the reception in the Moncloa Palace. Miguel Ángel Moratinos introduces the panel of journalists who took part in the round table. The Mayor of Madrid's reception in the Sabatini Gardens. Gala Dinner in the gardens of the Viana Palace. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Asturias arriving at the Viana Palace.

miradas al exterior

5th conference of ambassadors ● foreign affairs

15

Spain, a diplomacy that embraces the world Mª Jesús Figa

deputy secretary of the Ministry of foreign affairs and cooperation

The traditional idea that diplomacy happens behind the scenes, or is carried on secretly in elegant salons, is fine in historical novels but has little to do with reality. In a globalized world, the foreign service of a modern State should be a dynamic instrument which projects a country's true image and can relate to a multitude of actors in a complex international context.

Today, in addition to relations between states, which continue to be maintained through official channels, the notion of “public diplomacy” has gained currency. This new kind of activity enables the State's citizens to become more involved in its actions abroad, and can explain more fully what our country stands for to citizens of other countries.

The 130 ambassadors and permanent representatives to international organizations who make up Spain's foreign service met in Madrid during the second week of September for the purpose of coordinating, updating and improving the work of its embassies and foreign missions. If we imagine the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation as the nucleus of a central nervous system, this meeting was about exer-

cising and strengthening its extensions, the arms and hands which allow us to carry out our activities throughout the world.

The theme of the 5th Conference of Ambassadors was “Public Diplomacy and Foreign Policy” because, as the Prime Minister pointed out in his speech at the Prado Museum on June 16, our presence in the world should be based on a firm strategy which reflects not just Government priorities but also the ideas and values of other public agencies and actors within civil society, enabling our foreign policy to reflect the views of society as a whole.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, speaking to this theme, emphasized that foreign policy is State policy placed at the service of its citizens, sensitive to the interests of public and private agents with a presence abroad, and based on defending the underlying values of Spanish society: peace and security, democracy and human rights, sustainable development, social justice and solidarity with the most underprivileged.

Throughout the Conference there was much emphasis on the importance of Spain's upcoming Presidency of the European Union in 2010, both as an organizational challenge and as an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to the

countries of Europe and the rest of the world our commitment to these values, and the priority aims of our foreign policy were spelled out as follows: strengthening global governance mechanisms, contributing to the eradication of poverty through Official Development Aid comprising 0.7 % of GNP by 2012, and expanding our presence in regions which are priority areas for Spain. Another essential objective is to enable the foreign ser vice to provide better assistance and protection to Spanish citizens abroad.

The Conference of Ambassadors reviewed the instruments of public diplomacy available to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation: the Cervantes Institute and the “Casas” (“Houses”) which embody the good relations we have with some of our privileged partners: Casa de América, Casa Árabe, Casa Africa, Casa Asia, and Casa Sefarad-Israel. During the conference a number of distinguished journalists contributed to a round table discussion.

The Ambassadors had the opportunity to hear and gain a better understanding of the positions of the Government and of deputies and senators representing different parliamentary groups. They also visited the Zaragoza International Exposition, where they met with the President of Aragón and the city's Mayor.

Spain's Autonomous Communities and Municipalities have an increasingly high profile abroad, and the Ministr y of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, through its Embassies and Consulates, does all it can to promote their interests. To this end, one of the Conference objectives was to increase awareness of autonomous and local governments as an important part of Spain's reality today.

In this regard, the ambassadors will be working very hard over the next few months to support Madrid's bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games and Barcelona's candidacy for headquarters of the Mediterranean Union.

Finally, the Ambassadors took part in celebrating Aid Worker Day on September 8, a day when the whole of Spanish society recognizes the efforts of the individuals and NonGovernmental Organizations who work so hard to implement Spain's Aid for Development Program.

Spain has experienced a process of political, economic and social modernization which many see as a shining example.

Spain should project an international image as a modern, pluralist and open State. Spanish diplomacy may be a means of unleashing all this potential energy to work and a means of displaying Spain's rich reality to the world.

16

miradas al exterior unit of international officials

â—? foreign affairs

The policy of promoting a Spanish presence in international organizations and institutions (OOIIs) was conceived and developed as part of a broader framework, namely Spain's multilateral and foreign policy. This policy is one of the defining elements of multilateral policy for all "mature states", as can be seen in other countries in our surrounding area. In order for Spain to develop its role and position in the world, new boundaries had to be crossed in Spanish foreign policy, both geographically and conceptually, and multilateral policy had to become a special priority. In the globalized world in which we live, international organizations and institutions are key players in the dynamics that affect us all; being able to have our professionals in these OOIIs is very appealing for a country like Spain.

miradas al exterior unit of international officials

BY: Alexandra Issacovitch

● There are three key elements to Spain's presence in international organizations: the presence of Spanish people, the involvement of companies, advisory bodies, NGOs and other entities in Spain in carrying out projects and supplying these organizations, and the use of the Spanish language. Until now, an effort has already been made in the policy of mandatory and voluntary contributions made to OOIIs, which is being reflected in the increased inclusion of Spanish citizens.

Spain began with a historical shortfall as a result of its delay in joining interna-

tional organizations and institutions, with the single exception of the European Union, where the inclusion of Spanish officials in the EU was negotiated within the framework of the Treaty of Accession.

From 2003 onward, with the passing of the Action Plan for the Promotion of Spanish Presence in International Organizations and Institutions, Spain has equaled or even bettered the effort made by other European countries in its surrounding area. The promotion of the presence of Spaniards has been adopted at all levels by the authorities and institutions within the Spanish state, providing political impetus and becoming part of different agendas. Horizontally it

● foreign affairs

17

has a triple network structure, with the Unit of International Officials as a point of intersection, coordination and impetus, made up of the General Subdirectorates with multilateral authority and the Subdirectorate of Personnel within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAEC); the Spanish diplomatic delegations with multilateral authority (key to this effort); and by the area-specific ministries and state institutions with prominence in the multilateral arena.

● A joint effort among several state institutions. As we have already mentioned, the effort to promote the presence of Spaniards in international orga-

ufi Spaniards in International Organizations and Institutions

18

miradas al exterior unit of international officials

â—? foreign affairs

The effort to promote the presence of Spaniards in international organizations corresponds to several state institutions nizations corresponds to several state institutions. In any case, within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, in addition to the Unit of International Officials (UFI), we must also highlight the programs of the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AECID) and the Office of Human Rights (OSCE and EU election observation programs), as well as the responsibility of the Spanish Ambassador at Large for Peacekeeping. Other ministries in charge of promoting this in their corresponding areas are as follows: Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, Defense, Justice, Interior, Industry, Tourism and Commerce, the Treasury (including the ICEX (Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade), Education, Social Policy and Sport, Work and Immigration, Health and Consumer Affairs, Public Administration, and Equality.

Promoting the presence of Spaniards in OOIIs must be understood not only as a quantitative but also a qualitative objective. It does not just a matter of having a large number of Spaniards overall, but also at the right levels and in the positions and fields of interest. Some of the

Spaniards who are currently in high level positions in the OOII are there because they have been advancing their professional careers there for a decade or longer, getting in through various selection and recruitment processes, with diverse profiles, but always supporting and believing in the policies of these institutions.

Many others are there as a result of this policy to promote the presence of Spaniards in OOIIs. Spain has representatives in political, elective, and high executive positions in many of the organizations it belongs to.

On the other hand, the effort and policies developed to promote the presence of Spaniards in OOIIs must at all times be based on the independence of international public officials. In the globalized world in which we live, OOIIs are called upon to play an ever-increasing role. Thus, the involvement of Spanish citizens--and along with them, the standards and shared values of our society--is a strengthening factor for Spain's international position, and it is in our national interest for Spanish foreign policy to support it.

There is an increasing interest among Spanish society to work in OOIIs. This means, above all, that it is a demanding professional career choice that requires strong general preparation and a good level of specialization, as well as an excellent knowledge of English. Applicants' motivations are highly varied: on the one hand, people like the idea of serving important causes (commitment to peace, human rights, development, and the

Some programs managed directly by the Spanish government PROGRAM FOR SECONDED PERSONNEL AT THE OSCE

UFI/MAEC

YP PROGRAM (YOUNG PROFESSIONALS)

AECI

UNV PROGRAM (UNITED NATIONS VOLUNTEERS)

AECI

EXPERTS IN EU DELEGATIONS:

AECI

EU SECONDED NATIONAL EXPERTS PROGRAM:

SECRETARY OF STATE EU/

MAEC

ICEX SCHOLARSHIPS

ICEX

YOUNG VOLUNTEERS PROGRAM:

INJUVE/AECI/

IFIS PROGRAMS

INEM

(MULTILATERAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS):

MINISTRY OF THE

TREASURY

France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Germany are examples of countries in our region with policies to promote their citizens fight against poverty). Others are drawn by the prestige associated with being an international public official. Sometimes people are attracted by the salaries (at the expense of personal sacrifice, moving abroad, living far away from family members and the unusual lifestyle that international officials lead). Others are attracted by the opportunity to travel, see different cultures, or work in multicultural settings. Whatever the reason or motivation, choosing to have a career in the multilateral arena translates into a personal attitude of commitment and dedication. All of this requires a choice that affects all aspects of one's life; a different working environment, constant geographic mobility; costs of expatriation, living conditions that are not always comfortable and, in some cases, potential risks.

Also, the selection processes for OOIIs are very different from those in Spain at a national level. Therefore, this policy of promoting the presence of Spaniards in OOIIs is of vital importance and also involves the collection of a large amount of specific information on the topic, found on the MAEC website, as well as vitally important training elements (See the "Professional Opportunities in OOIIs" section at www.maec.es).

The Action Plan for Promoting the Presence of Spaniards in International Organizations and Institutions has the following objectives: "Increasing the presence of experts of Spanish nationality in international organizations and institutions is essential for defending and promoting Spanish interests..." , "active policies are required that permanently encourage the presence of Spaniards, especially young people..." and "it is necessary to strengthen the tracking and support of Spaniards who provide their services in these organizations".

miradas al exterior unit of international officials

â—? foreign affairs

19

We promote the presence of Spaniards in International Organizations Jorge Montealegre

director of the unit of international officials

Since 2003, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAEC) has had a systematic policy of promoting the presence of Spaniards in International Organizations (OOII). The success of this initiative is dependent upon on the involvement of all state institutions and actors, as well as Spanish society. In short, it is about recognizing OOIIs as key players in shaping the international dynamics that affect us all and of providing an opportunity through the MAEC to those with the vocation of providing service and helping citizens, as well as being an instrument to improve Spain's international presence, particularly in OOIIs. This policy has involved and continues to involve different programs and activities promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation: developing and implementing an Action Plan for Promoting the Presence of Spaniards in International Organizations and Institutions, setting up a Unit of International Officials (UFI) responsible for advancing the fulfillment of the Plan and for coordinating existing efforts, developing a website that provides information on

working for International Organizations and existing vacancies, and providing potential applicants that have registered at the website with specific information on these vacancies.

This policy is being implemented in the following areas.

On the one hand, it is a policy to provide information on professional opportunities offered by international organizations, through the ministry's website (www.maec.es). Likewise, the UFI has published the following publications: the Guide for Applicants to OOII Positions, the Guide on Internships and Professional Training Programs at OOIIs, the Guide on Professional Opportunities in Peace Missions and the Guide on Professional Opportunities for Translators and Interpreters in OOIIs. On the other hand, it is a training policy that includes promoting OOIIs as a professional opportunity through prominent educational programs--from universities and the academic sphere to the training of officials--as well as the organization of specific courses for applicants. Most noteworthy are the online courses on 'Professional Orientation at OOIIs' and the course specifically geared towards preparation for the EU competitions for personnel.

It is also important to develop

a network that includes all the relevant state organizations and players, as well as Spanish society, to promote the presence of Spaniards in OOIIs, including the Spanish embassies accredited by OOIIs. Also worthy of mention is the policy of promoting Spanish applications and establishing contacts with prominent negotiators in OOIIs, a well as encouraging the use of the Spanish government's designated funds and programs to promote the presence of Spaniards in OOIIs. The MAEC website contains a section entitled "Professional Opportunities in International Organizations". This section aims to provide information on the leading international organizations and institutions from a practical and interactive perspective, as well as the current vacancies, open competitions, entrance examinations or other professional opportunities that they offer, with advice on how to prepare for these as well as other useful guidelines.

The interactive nature of the website enables people interested in having a career in OOIIs to acquire information in real time on the existing vacancies that are suited to their profile. Those who register with the site receive weekly e-mails with information on the vacancies that are

best suited to their profile or professional experience. This information service, which currently has more than 34,000 Spanish subscribers, sends out 9,000 e-mails with information on vacancies and professional opportunities at OOIIs. Depending on the information they require, Spanish citizens can find out about current vacancies in international organizations based on different criteria. It also allows them to get more specific information on those vacancies that are not only in line with their own preferences, but also their profile and professional experience.

It also includes the option to directly contact the Spanish Permanent Representation to the European Union to get information on the opportunities and requirements for starting a career in the various EU institutions.

In short, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation aims to provide, through the UFI and its corresponding Action Plan, a public service that meets the demands of Spanish society that have arisen from its growing interest in this field and the need for international exposure. This initiative is having a certain degree of success, as illustrated by the following figures: in 2003 there were 3,190 Spaniards working for OOIIs; by end of 2007 this number had increased to 5,417.

 foreign action in brief ROYAL PALACE

The King of Spain is the most respected leader in Ibero-America ■ His Majesty King Juan Carlos is the most respected leader in all of Ibero-America, achieving particularly high popularity levels in countries such as Portugal and Colombia, where they exceed 66 percent, according to data presented by the Ibero-American Governability Barometer for 2008.

Following behind him are Brazilian President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva, Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.

DEMOCRATIC REP. OF THE CONGO

A Spanish general heads the UN's biggest mission ■ In September, Spanish general Vicente Díaz de Villegas became the new commander of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). With a force deployed of some 18,500 troops (16,669 soldiers, 714 military observers and 1,063 police from 57 countries), this is the UN's largest and most important mission.

Díaz de Villegas, who has extensive experience from the NATO missions in BosniaHerzegovina and Kosovo, was proposed by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and appointed by the organization's Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. The organization has decided that Díaz de Villegas possesses the most suitable profile to take command of this peacekeeping operation, after is-

suing a request on June 4 for proposals for candidates from various countries, including Spain.

BAN-KI-MOON'S VISIT

The UN highlights Spanish leadership on equality policy ■ The United Nations Secretary General, who visited Spain on September 2, applauded Spanish “leadership” on gender-equality policies, especially within the context of the Millennium Goals. His visit coincided with the awarding of two decorations from the Danish Ambassador to Spain to the Spanish Minister for Equality, Bibiana Aído, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miguel Ángel Moratinos.

The awards are in the shape of a torch and symbolize the Millennium Development Goals related to Gender Equality. The Danish Government plans to award up to one hundred torches to individuals, organizations, governments and institutions committed to equality between men and women.

SIXTH PLACE FOR MOST DONATIONS

Spain becomes even more involved in the fight against AIDS ■ Spain will double its contribution to the United Nations Agency for the fight against AIDS (UNAIDS), by contributing more than ten million euros. With this move, Spain becomes the sixth most generous country in donations, behind only the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, Sweden and Norway. Out of these funds, three million will go to financing research into a vaccine, which is the longterm approach to stopping the spread of the disease that now affects 33 million people; and 1.5 million will be for microbicides, the short-term option for protection against infection.

Spain already became involved last year in financing projects that are attempting to find a vaccine, and has now become one of only 11 countries contributing resources, according to data from the International AIDS

Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero greets the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, prior to their meeting in Moncloa Palace. EFE/

Vaccine Initiative. In all, the Government plans to spend more than 400 million euros by 2012 in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The announcement was made by First Vice Prime Minister María Teresa Fernández de la Vega during the 17th International AIDS Conference held in Mexico City.

ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION

Spain will have a National Plan on Human Rights by year end

■ First Vice President María Teresa Fernández de la Vega announced in August that Spain would have a plan ready before December 15 to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights: a plan which will bring together and update the basic rights recognized by Spain.

The Plan - on which seven ministers have been working and to which several NGOs specializing in the field have contributed - will include, among other protective tools, an attorney general's office especially assigned to the prosecution of race crimes.

The project will also include a comprehensive program to combat trafficking in human beings, both for sexual and labor purposes.

Spain will also co-finance, together with the UN, the celebration in New York of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which will include a concert by "Orquesta de las Tres Culturas", conducted by Daniel Barenboim, winner of the Prince of Asturias Award for Concord in 2002.

miradas al exterior news

EUROPARL TV

The European Parliament introduces a television channel ■ In mid-September, the European Parliament introduced a new channel to bring current events closer to the public: Europarl TV, an online television channel, available at the website www.europarltv.europa.eu, which broadcasts in 22 of the 23 official languages of the European Union. The channel seeks to bring the current events of the member countries in real time to any person with internet access, in order to provide coverage of the huge range of activities of the European organization. The project, initiated by one of the vice presidents of the European Parliament, the Spanish Eurodeputy Alejo Vidal-Quadras, has an annual budget of 9 million euros and a staff of 70 people.

43 COUNTRIES PARTICIPATE

Barcelona aspires to be the headquarters for the Mediterranean Union

■ Spain proposed the candidature of Barcelona as secretariat headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean (UPM) at the European summit in Paris on July 13, where the French Presidency of the Union presented the new initiative to relaunch Euro-Mediterranean relations. Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero launched the candidature of the Catalonian capital during his speech at the summit before the leaders of more than 43 countries of Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

The Union for the Mediterranean seeks to revitalize the Barcelona Process, launched in 1995, which has been the cornerstone of cooperation between the countries of the region in recent years. In Paris, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Angel Moratinos, defended “the political, geographical and historical legitimacy of Barcelona, which holds the best resume for the job”. For Spain, the Paris summit marked the beginning of the transition of the process to the Union, which preserves the legacy of the Euro-Mediterranean Association.

27 European Union member states participate in the “Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean”, in addition to Albania, Algeria, Bosnia, Croatia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Mauritania, Monaco, Montenegro, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. In all, there are 43 European and Mediterranean countries seeking to promote a balance between the two shores with the aid of Euro-Mediterranean policies.

INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS

The safety of troops abroad is a priority for Defense ■ The Minister of Defense, Carme Chacón, affirmed that the safety of troops on international missions “is and will continue to be the number one priority of the Government”, during the demonstration of the new “Lince” armored vehicles at the headquarters of the Paratrooper Brigade (BRIPAC), held in Madrid in September. The new armored vehicles have been deployed

● foreign affairs

María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, accompanied by Health Minister Bernat Soria, and the Secretary of State for Latin America, Trinidad Jiménez, at the Spanish Embassy in Mexico. EFE

OFFICIAL TOUR

María Teresa Fernández de la Vega visits Latin America ■ From August 2 through 12, the First Vice Prime Minister of the Government, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, made an official trip to Latin America, where she visited Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and El Salvador, accompanied by the Secretary of State for Latin America, Trinidad Jiménez, and by the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Soraya Rodríguez, to reaffirm Spain's desire to strengthen ties with the region.

During her meetings with Latin American leaders, the Vice Prime Minister explained the Spanish initiative of voting reciprocity for immigrants in municipal elections. She also presented several Spanish International Cooperation Agency (AECID) programs centered on equality, education, water treatment and the fight against poverty, among other issues. The Vice Prime Minister thanked the President of Mexico, Felipe

Calderón, for his support in the fight against terrorism and organized crime and conveyed the satisfaction of Spanish business people based in Mexico. In the Dominican Republic, she met with President Leonel Fernández and presided over a ceremony at the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), where she announced that Spain would contribute another 4.5 million euros in aid towards gender equality. In Haiti, she met with President René Preval, with the aim of continuing to encourage bilateral relations between the two countries based on development cooperation, collaboration in policing and Spanish investment. In El Salvador, she met with President Elías Antonio Saca, with whom she discussed the Ibero-American Summit to be held in El Salvador in October, among other matters.

21

22

miradas al exterior news

● foreign affairs

in Afghanistan over the last few weeks.

The Minister emphasized that the new armored vehicles, “which are large capacity and suitable for the area of operations of the Spanish mission, increase the safety of the soldiers and enable them to complete tasks such as transporting food and water to zones in need.” In all, there are 17 new mineresistant armored vehicles.

The new “Linces” feature the most advanced security and armament systems (inhibitors, radios, armaments, antidisturbance devices), and have been specially designed to withstand improvised explosive devices.

This renovation is a part of the Armored Vehicle Updating Plan, which involves the

acquisition, in three phases, of 395 squadron vehicles and 180 platoon vehicles (575 in all) at a cost of 321 million euros.

YEAR 2010

Spain, Belgium and Hungary present their priorities for the EU Presidency ■ In September, Spain, Belgium and Hungary outlined what were to be their priorities for the joint presidency of the European Union that the three countries will begin to hold on January 1, 2010 (Spain will be responsible for the first six months) and that will center mainly on the “social dimension”, the “energy dimension and the fight against climate change”.

Secretary of State for the European Union, Diego López Garrido. EFE

The Secretary of State for the European Union, Diego López Garrido, said that the three countries share a desire to “promote the European identity” and to give to their joint presidency “an essentially social dimension”, exploring the “Social Europe” and giving special emphasis to issues such as education,

gender equality and the fight against poverty.

The other major focus will be the “energy dimension” in light of the challenge Europe faces in the supply of energy and “the fight against climate change”, explained López Garrido, who added that they would also tackle institutional and economic issues. They also consider the neighborhood policy to be a priority. In this regard, after recognizing that Croatia may enter the Union during the joint presidency, the Secretary of State called for “the development of the Southern dimension, which needs to be balanced with the Eastern dimension of the neighborhood policy”. In this regard, he made special mention of the Union for the Mediterranean.

DIPLOMACY

Diplomatic Corps Business Program created

DIPLOMATIC SCHOOL

The King and Queen deliver postings to new graduates ■ On September 18, their Majesties the King and Queen delivered postings to the 47 new diplomats - 14 of them women - who comprise the largest group of new graduates to date. King Juan Carlos called upon them to dedicate themselves “to the defense of peace, democracy and human rights, which are the hallmark of today's Spain”. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, reminded them that they would be the diplomats of the 21st century, and that “by working for a more just world, you will create a safer world.”

■ Members of the Diplomatic Corps will be able to undertake study internships in companies to obtain an in-depth knowledge of the business activities that contribute to Spanish commercial expansion in the world, thanks to the new Diplomatic Corps Business Program promoted by the Circle of Entrepreneurs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

At the same time, this program gives employers and company directors the opportunity to learn about the complexities involved in the work of the members of the diplomatic corps, in Spain's economic and business relations with other countries.

This new program forms part of the collaborative activities

miradas al exterior news

of the Circle of Entrepreneurs with different groups to promote interaction between the community and the business world.

DIPLOMACY

Special Ambassador appointed to negotiate immigrant vote

OFFICIAL TOUR

Foreign Minister travels to Middle East to declare Spain's support for the peace process ■ The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, toured the Middle East from September 12 through 17 to declare support for, and Spanish contribution to, the relaunching of the peace process in the region. The tour took him to Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.

The aim of the tour was to support and encourage the parties to achieve full, fair and lasting peace through their negotiations. During the trip, the Minister discussed the conversations between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas: “they are extremely positive; the two sides have a very good base for reaching an agreement”.

He also took the opportunity to announce a tour through the region by Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero before the end of the year.

In Egypt, he reviewed the bilateral agenda with Egyptian authorities and met with the Secretary General

of the Arab League, Amr Moussa. He then traveled through the Palestinian territories and met with the chief authorities of the West Bank. During his stay in Israel, he had contact with Israeli authorities and with representatives of the main political forces. These meetings reflected the huge importance that Spain places on the relaunching of the peace process initiated in Annapolis.

In Jordan, Spain's chief diplomat met with the country's authorities and highlighted the “excellent tone of bilateral relations.” In Lebanon, he reiterated Spain's firm commitment to the stabilization of the country, where more than 1,000 Spanish soldiers are posted as part of the United Nations mission. In addition to meeting with the chief Lebanese authorities, the foreign minister also visited the Spanish Miguel de Cervantes base.

The final leg of the tour was Damascus, where the Minister reiterated the fundamental role of Syria in the peace process and in the Arab and Mediterranean world.

■ The Council of Ministers appointed Gonzalo de Benito Secades in August as Special Ambassador to negotiate reciprocity agreements with the countries of origin of immigrants so that they are able to vote in Spanish municipal elections. This is another step in the Government's commitment to enable immigrants residing legally in Spain to exercise this right. According to the Constitution, this decision requires reciprocity in the countries of origin of the foreigners; an Ambassadorat-Large has therefore been appointed to negotiate with the countries of origin for them to permit Spanish emigrants to vote as well.

Gonzalo de Benito was born in Madrid in 1951, and has been a diplomat since 1979.

Among other responsibilities, he has been Deputy Director General of Aliens, Refugees and Passports and Deputy Director General of Personnel Abroad, as well as Spanish Ambassador to Peru and also to Switzerland.

INTERNATIONAL PROFILE

Spain to have a commission on public diplomacy

■ During its current term, the Government will create a commission on public diplomacy, presided over by Prime

● foreign affairs

23

Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and charged with the task of analyzing Spain's international profile. Forming part of the commission will be members of the Government, civil society, the media, and cultural and business sectors; the commission will work each year in analyzing Spain's profile in all areas and to propose future courses of action.

MEETING IN PARIS

The first EU-Central Asia Forum reinforces cooperation on security issues ■ The 1st European UnionCentral Asia Forum, held in Paris on September 18, has led to the opening up of new areas of our cooperation with the countries of Central Asia, the challenges to security in issues related to terrorism, the fight against trafficking in drugs and human beings, and on energy and environmental issues. The Forum, which brought together the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, confirmed the commitment of the European Union in Central Asia, one year after the adoption in June 2007 of a European Union strategy for the countries of the region: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

In attendance were the Ministers of the countries of Central Asia, the European Union, European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the Secretary General of the Council and High Representative for the CFSP, Javier Solana, as well as Foreign Affairs Ministers from the candidate countries to the

24

miradas al exterior news

● foreign affairs

SPAIN-U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Antonio Camuñas, new president

The Prime Minister speaks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation during the General Assembly. EFE

63RD UNITED NATIONS ASSEMBLY

Spain leads the fight against hunger at the UN General Assembly ■ Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero focused his speech before the United Nations General Assembly on September 25 on the defense of human rights, the fight against hunger and poverty as the first of the Millennium Goals, and reform of the international financial system. His speech formed part of the General Debate of the 63rd regular period sessions of the United Nations General Assembly held from September 20 through 27.

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero called for a universal moratorium on the death penalty by 2015 as a first step towards achieving its abolition. He also spoke of the financial crisis, stressing that the rich nations must not hide behind their economic problems to avoid compliance with the UN Mil-

lennium Development Goals.

He pointed out the efforts made in Spain, which in the last four years has become the nation that has most increased its official development aid, and reaffirmed his commitment to reach the goal of 0.7% of GDP by 2012.

In this context, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, who held numerous meetings with his counterparts from different countries, announced “a new contribution by Spain of 200 million to the UNDP-Spain Fund”, bringing the total contributions of our country since creating this fund two years ago to 528 million. The main objectives of this Fund are to work towards the achievement of the Millennium Goals and the development of a more effective UN. The Minister was confident

European Union (FYROM, Croatia and Turkey) and international and regional organizations. Afghanistan attended the Forum as an observer, by virtue of its geographical proximity and the

problems that it shares with the countries of the region.

The participants adopted a common declaration to strengthen political dialogue and regional stability, reinforce the fight against

that by 2010 there will be 15 countries involved in the project, which has already been joined by United Kingdom and Norway.

The Prime Minister also attended a meeting held by the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to analyze the financial crisis, at which Spain, the United Kingdom and Brazil proposed the creation of an organization charged with supervising and controlling financial markets. Another of the Prime Minister's economic meetings was with U.S. business people with interests in Spain, to whom he explained the solidity of the Spanish financial system and the Spanish economy's capacity for growth.

Among other events, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was the host of the 3rd Ibero-American Evening, and presided over the debate table at the High-Level Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals. He also met with numerous heads of state and civil society representatives.

terrorism, develop their cooperation to stabilize and reconstruct Afghanistan, combat illegal trafficking together, and strengthen their cooperation on energy, water and the environment.

■ Madrid entrepreneur Antonio Camuñas has recently been chosen as president of the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the main organization charged with watching over economic relations between the two countries. Antonio Camuñas has maintained close ties with the United States and with the Chamber of Commerce throughout his career, and was the body's general director in 1985. The appointment of Antonio Camuñas takes place at a key moment, with the imminent changing of the guard at the White House. According to the new president of the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, "the Chamber will undertake extraordinary efforts to facilitate direct and fluid relations with U.S. companies and authorities, and will thus increase the number of cooperation and investment initiatives, a task which takes on special importance in economic circumstances as adverse as the current ones."

AWARD

Japan presents an award to the Diplomatic School of Spain ■ On September 25, Japan awarded the Diploma of the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Diplomatic School of Spain. The Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, María Jesús Figa, and the Director of the Diplomatic School, Ignacio Sagaz, received this distinction from the Japanese Ambassador to

miradas al exterior news

Spain, Motohide Yoshikawa.

The chief of the Japanese diplomatic mission – who was once a student at the Spanish Diplomatic School - expressed his extreme pleasure and satisfaction with the awarding of this prize. Yoshikawa highlighted the work of the Diplomatic School as a bridge linking Japanese and Spanish diplomats, and its contribution to the strengthening of relations between Japan and Spain.

MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION

The Alliance of Civilizations signs an agreement with the Council of Europe ■ The High Representative of the UN Secretary General’s Office for the Alliance of Civilizations, Jorge Sampaio, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Terry Davis, signed a memorandum in September to devel-

op their cooperation through the exchange of information.

The agreement centers on the promotion and protection of democracy, human rights and the primacy of law, equality, and societies characterized by solidarity and freedom from discrimination. The agreement also attributes importance to cultural diversity, intercultural and religious dialogue, cultural exchanges, the reinforcement of civic and democratic participation and the promotion of civil society. Both parties will develop activities centered on the four main thematic areas of the Alliance of Civilizations: education, youth, media and migration.

ECONOMY

Spain becomes the eighth biggest country in attraction of capital ■ In 2007, Spain rose from tenth to eighth place on the

list of countries that attract the largest volume of foreign investment, according to the World Investment Report 2008 published by the United Nations. In total, Spain received 53,585,000,000 U.S. dollars in direct foreign investment, almost double what it received the year before (and 3% of the total global flow), boosted by the purchase of Endesa by the Italian company Enel. In the opposite direction, Spanish companies invested 119,650,000,000 abroad, 19.3% more than in 2006, which was a record year, and 6% of the total of the global flow.

Among other transactions, 2008 saw the purchase of the Dutch bank ABN Amro - the largest transaction in world banking history - by a consortium in which Banco Santander participated.

According to the report from the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD),

● foreign affairs

25

2007 was a record year for foreign investment transaction flows, reaching 1.8 trillion dollars - 30% more than the previous year. For 2008, however, UNCTAD forecasts a 10% drop in investment flow compared to 2007, in a context of financial crisis, credit shortages and weak business profits. In the first half of 2008, the value of cross-border mergers and acquisitions was 29% lower than in the second half of 2007. Nevertheless, in spite of the current downturn, UNCTAD predicts a recovery in foreign investment in the medium term and identifies the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and the United States as the main beneficiaries. In 2007, the 10 countries with the highest levels of foreign investment were the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, the Netherlands, China, Hong Kong, Spain, Russia and Germany.

IN EL SALVADOR

Spain participates in the 4th Ibero- American Parliamentary Forum

Overview of the opening of the 4th Ibero-American Parliamentary Forum in the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador. EFE

■ A Spanish parliamentary delegation, headed by the President of the Congress of Deputies, José Bono, traveled to El Salvador to participate in the 4th Ibero-American Parliamentary Forum, which took place on September 11 and 12 in San Salvador. The central theme of the IberoAmerican Parliamentary Forum was Youth and Development, and the meeting took the form of several working tables that examined, among

other issues, the effects and benefits of new technologies, the participation of culture in politics and in the Parliaments, and problems related to access to employment and professional training. During their stay in El Salvador, the Spanish members of parliament visited a water project being implemented by the Spanish NGO Engineers without Frontiers in the Salvadoran department of Libertad.

 spain abroad

INDIA

A

miradas al exterior spanish embassy in india

The Republic of India is the second most populous nation in the world and the largest democracy on the planet, with 1.15 billion inhabitants who speak more than 1,200 different languages and dialects. According to its Constitution, India is a socialist and secular state - there is no official religion which ceased to be a British colony in 1947. Today, India is a Union made up of 28 states and 7 territories.

the largest democracy on the planet

BY: miradas al exterior. PHotos : arcHive and emBassY

● Spain recognized the republic of india as a sovereign state following its independence in 1947, although full diplomatic relations were not established until november 7, 1956. since then, there have been a number of moments worthy of note. the first was the visit of their majesties King Juan carlos and Queen sofia to india in January 1982, at the invitation of President sanjiva reddy. this visit, the first made by a spanish Head of state to the indian subcontinent, focused basically on the strengthening of bilateral relations and the exchange of viewpoints. six years later, the indian prime minister, rajiv Ghandi, made an official visit to spain, invited by Prime minister Felipe González. during his stay in our country, Ghandi held a range of different meetings, their common thread being the shared desire to increase business and cultural relations. His visit was the first made to spain by an indian Head of state. at the beginning of February 1993, spanish Prime minister Felipe González made an official visit to india. He was accompanied by a large delegation of spanish entrepreneurs. the aim of this trip included, in addition to a rapprochement in political relations, the promotion of business relations at a time of great interest due to the economic liberalization that the country was undergoing. the signing of several bilateral agreements resulted from this visit. the Prince of asturias, don Felipe de

● spain abroad

Borbón, also traveled to india in February 2001 to open the 14th international engineering and technology Fair (ietF 2001 or expo india 2001) in new delhi, one of the most prestigious fairs in asia, in which 150 spanish companies took part. don Felipe encouraged entrepreneurs in both countries to increase exchanges. in 2004, casa de la india was opened in valladolid, an initiative of the University of valladolid and the indian embassy in spain, with the support of the authorities of both nations. on February 24, 2005, casa de la india hosted the 1st spain-india meeting of experts, with the collaboration of the spanish agency for international cooperation and casa asia. at this meeting, the bases were established for greater mutual understanding through initiatives of cooperation in the cultural, educational, economic, parliamentary and political spheres. since that same year, the casa de la india in valladolid has hosted the spain-india Forum, an opportunity for dialogue with the purpose of developing specific proposals for the drafting of a joint action plan. this initiative provides a platform for dialogue and cooperation between the two countries. the Forum is a meeting point for diplomats, entrepreneurs, economists, academics, journalists, aid workers, cultural workers and other social agents. the meeting is organized to cover various spheres, such as economic, social and academic fields, and the areas of culture, geostrategy and international relations, with the aim of developing information

> india facts Capital: New Delhi Area: 3.2 million km².

Population: 1.15 billion inhabitants (2007).

Currency: Rupee. Exchange rate: 1 euro = 57.55 rupees (January, 2008) Languages: Hindi, English, 17 regional languages recognized by the Constitution, of which the most widely-spoken are: Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu and Gujarati.

Population density: 330.7 inhabitants per km2 (2006) Urban population (% of total): 27.8 (2007)

27

Working population (mill.)/Economic activity rate% (2007) 460.5/73.2 Fertility rate: 3.07 (2000-2005) Raw infant mortality rate (2000-2007) 67.6 Life expectancy: 62.9 years (2007) Literacy rate: 61% (2007) GDP: 911.8 billion dollars (2006-2007) Per capita income: 825 U.S. dollars (2006-2007) HDI (numerical value/global ranking): (2005) 0.619/128

28

miradas al exterior spanish embassy in india

● spain abroad

Images of the Spanish Embassy in India.

and mutual understanding. meanwhile, in response to the initiative to strengthen relations with india established at the eU-india summit held in the Hague on november 8, 2004, the action Plan for asia and the Pacific 2005-2008 made india one of the priority countries for spanish foreign action in asia. Bilateral relations with india have been limited to date, and the new action Plan has presented new proposals for that country, considered to be one of the main emerging markets given its demographic weight, strong economic growth and technological development. in July 2008, Prime minister José luis rodríguez Zapatero made an official visit to india with the aim of encouraging bilateral relations and opening up channels for spanish investment. at the meetings with the country's prime minister, manmohan singh, the indian leader stressed the growing importance of latin america for indian investments and the possibility of working together with spain to “explore economic opportunities” in that region, commenting that

“some indian companies have begun to use spain as a base for the launching of operations in latin america.”

● Economic relations. india's largest business partner is the european Union, which receives one fifth of all indian exports. meanwhile, spanish exports to india reached a total value of 750 million euros in 2007 (a 48% increase over the previous year), with the machinery, organic chemical products and plastics sectors being of particular importance. the value of imports from india was over 1.8 billion euros, with the main imported products being clothing and clothing accessories, organic chemical products, manufactured leather goods and fuels. in 2006, spanish investments in india totaled 55.8 million euros, while indian investments in spain had a value of over 7.7 million euros. several spanish companies and banks have a presence on the indian subcontinent, including BBva, Banco sabadell, abengoa, aldeasa, dragados, duro Felguera, indra and navantia.

“In India, very little is known about Spain” A SPANIARD IN INDIA Nerea Vázquez García works for the Spanish Embassy in New Delhi

— What basic features characterize the Spaniards who live and work in India?

— it is a highly diverse community at every level; it is made up of employees of spanish companies, missionaries, aid workers, students, government officials, journalists and travelers spending time here who have chosen to make india their second home.

— How integrated into the local community are the Spaniards here?

— as the spanish community is mostly located in the large cities, which are very cosmopolitan, they are highly integrated. However, it is inevitable that certain normal difficulties will arise when you are in a situation where you have to adapt

to a different culture, with a language that few spaniards are familiar with, as well as a different way of working and infrastructures that in some cases are inadequate. these small problems get solved thanks to the open, multicultural and integrating character of india.

— How do the people of India view the contribution of Spaniards?

What opinion do they have of us?

And of Spain?

— We can't get carried away here. in general, very little is known about spain. if we step outside certain intellectual circles, most of the population views us as they do any Westerner; in general they associate us with anglo-saxon culture.

But there is a gradually growing circle of people who see spain as a

modern European country with first class companies and a high cultural standing. contributing to this growing recognition at the popular level are things such as winning the european soccer cup and the medals won at the olympic Games.

— What advice would you give Spaniards who want to travel to India?

— to come with an open mind that will help you to face the problems presented by living in a society that is very different and difficult, but also highly diverse, rich and dynamic. and to take the necessary precautions in terms of health and basic hygiene. otherwise, it is quite a safe country, without serious problems of crime or violence that would affect foreigners.

miradas al exterior spanish embassy in india

● foreign affairs

29

Spain and India strengthen relations

Ion de la Riva

ambassador of spain to india

The more than fifty years of diplomatic relations between the Republic of India and the Kingdom of Spain have been excessively marked by a certain listlessness, although they have always been highly positive. This is especially so since the year 2000, when the Government of Spain implemented the so-called "Asia-Pacific Framework Plan” which, four years later in 2004, would become the “Asia-Pacific Action Plan”. Since then, in the political sphere, relations between Spain and India have begun to take on a heightened importance, given the latter's status as the largest democracy in the world and its growing role at regional and international levels. In the last legislature, a notable effort was made to take advantage of the huge potential for cooperation and understanding offered by relations between the two countries. We can now state that the two nations, so different and so distant geographically, are engaged in a common dynamic aimed at strengthening relations.

The Spanish Embassy in India, located in a magnificent building in the historic district of New Delhi - the city chosen by the English to be the capital of this huge country - is currently immersed in a restructuring process with which it is hoped it will be able to take on the challenge of consolidating this new initiative of bilateral relations between the two countries. It is an initiative called for by various economic, educational and cultural sectors in Spain, who have begun to view India as an ideal location for the expansion of their businesses and, at the same time, a place to promote tourism to our country.

In this context, a major administrative effort is being made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation with an increase in the number of staff at the Embassy in New Delhi, and with the opening of a new Consulate General, a Tourism Office and an Economics and Trade Office in Mumbai (India's most populous city and its primary economic and business center), which until recently was served from New Delhi. With the most recent changes taken on, it has become possible to provide faster and more direct personalized attention both to Spanish

citizens and to Indians who require our services.

Meanwhile, with the aim of improving customer service, a consular “fast track” system has been created to reduce the long queues that we see every day outside the building.

An outsourcer has also been contracted in order to speed up and improve the collection and delivery of documentation. At the same time, the Census of Residents Abroad (CERA) is being updated, to ensure that Spanish citizens residing in the Republic of India can exercise their rights with full guarantees.

Finally, an event of particular significance is the imminent opening of the Cervantes Institute of New Delhi, which will occupy a large building in the heart of the city, and which, in addition to covering the growing demand for Spanish language studies, will provide the opportunity of having a first-class cultural center for the presentation of diverse aspects of Spanish culture (at present largely unknown to Indians), which may soon make it a reference point of Spanish culture and language in India. All of these initiatives will contribute to strengthening Spain's image, creating a new vision and facilitating all

kinds of exchanges.

It should be noted that all this work is being done in compliance with the directives of the Asia-Pacific Action Plan, a plan which, together with the Integral Market Development Plan - specifically for India prepared by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism to strengthen business relations and direct investments, seeks to raise the level of bilateral relations.

In short, the Spanish Embassy is engaged in a dynamic process of updating its services, increasing its staff and adapting its facilities. Important visits from top officials, parliamentarians and other prominent figures, together with the organization of economic and cultural events (investor forums, music and film festivals, and events such as the "Spain-India Forum"), and the services provided to Spaniards in areas as wide-ranging as adoptions, establishment of companies and educational exchanges, constitute the main work of official and hired staff at the Spanish Embassy in the Republic of India. It is a highly motivated team, conscious of the importance of the work they carry out on behalf of Spain.

30

miradas al exterior spanish economy abroad

â—? spain abroad

camper

it's a lifestyle Camper is the living history of a family company and a large family of work partners who, over more than a century and four generations, have dedicated their time to the footwear industry. The Camper style is not a specific shoe; it's a lifestyle, a way of thinking and a very special contribution to footwear design.

miradas al exterior spanish economy abroad

BY: miradas al exterior. PHOTOS : archive

● Camper came into existence in 1975, but to understand the values of responsibility, commitment and quality that characterize a family company like Camper, it is necessary to go back 120 years. In 1877, cobbler craftsman Antonio Fluxá set sail for England to learn about new industrial manufacturing methods.

On his return, he brought together a group of craftspeople from the Inca region (Mallorca) and introduced the first shoe making machines, a symbol of modernity that would transmit the manufacture of quality products and the shoemaking trade to future generations, without ever losing the love of the profession.

Lorenzo Fluxá, Antonio's son, was born into a tradition of shoe making, and inherited the delight and enthusiasm for this small object, always in pairs, that keeps our feet on the ground. In his work, he continued the tradition with close attention to quality while developing industrial production. All this was happening in the midst of historic and social changes, of new styles, and new concepts. With the solid backing of a century-long tradition, Lorenzo Fluxá created the Camper firm in 1975. In 1981, the first Camper store was opened in Barcelona, a concept that revolutionized the traditional world of footwear, incorporating graphic elements and a functional display by sizes. In 1992, the international expansion of the brand began, with the opening of subsidiaries in the main European fashion centers (United Kingdom, France and Italy). Today, Camper is the top company in the industry in Spain, having been in business without interruption for four generations.

The Camper firm was awarded the National Design Award in 1988, the highest official recognition given to outstanding companies and professionals for their contributions in this field. This award, issued each year by the Ministry of Industry and Energy and the BCD (Barcelona Design Center) Foundation, acknowledges a tradition rather than a specific image.

It recognizes and values an organization, with methods and attitudes that have enabled it to achieve great results over time.

For Camper, this award provided the en-

● spain abroad

Main global footwear exporters Figures in millions of dollars from most recent data published in 2005.

Source WTO

Spain 2,189

Brazil 1,979

Romania 1,589

Germany 2,421

Belgium 2,522

China 19,052

Hong Kong 6,144 Italy 8,859

Development of the Spanish footwear export sector Figures in millions of pairs. Source WTO

136,8

126,8 108,5

2002

2003

2004

96,4

2005

94,6

2006

101,6

2007

couragement and recognition to continue walking the world with imagination, offering diversity for a diverse public.

Camper was born in the Mediterranean in the sense that it is a space of cultural integration and diversity

● Camper products. Camper is not a specific shoe. Camper is a way of walking.

Their shoes cannot be understood without an awareness of their origins and tradition.

Camper was born on the Mediterranean, in the sense that it is a space of cultural integration and diversity and, furthermore, with a shoemaking tradition that from the beginning has combined design with functionality. Their shoes are, as a result, a link between their origins and tradition and the urban reality of their market; they evoke

31

32

miradas al exterior spanish economy abroad

● spain abroad

the stable values of the rural Mediterranean world - comfort, long life, simplicity and incorporate these into the urban world through a sophisticated casual style, a meticulous design, a philosophy with a touch of irony and, above all, imagination. They bring together comfort and imagination, tradition and modernity, technology and aesthetics. Camper offers a diverse range of products that are the direct result of a focus on creativity.

The first shoe model marketed by Camper in 1975 was the "Camaleón". With this shoe, the ‘casual’ philosophy was introduced to Spain, and from that moment came a feverish storm of creativity that consolidated the brand. In 1981, the Runner was born; their first sports shoe, it became the urban shoe par excellence, combining the urban aesthetic with the comfort of a sneaker. One year later, the Bachelor revolutionized ‘the lace-up shoe’, giving it a rubber sole. In the mid-80s, the most modern youth chose the Palmera/ Spiral (1983) while the most warlike took to wearing the Kenboot (1984). 1988 saw the birth of the Twins, with their assymmetrical and complementary style, and two years later the Industrial was released with its steel-tipped design, a precursor to the styles of today. In 1992, the Brothers were born, shoes that were versatile, reliable and countercultural. One year later, the Terra model recalled the company's Mallorca roots. Just when all seemed calm, in 1995 the Mix was launched, with futuristic engineering and a high-tech image. And in that same year, Camper paid tribute to sports, introducing the retro style with the "Pelotas" model.

The company's new collection of shoes - the "Together" concept - was the result of

A family dream camper department of communication

The first shoe model marketed was the ‘Camaleón’, in 1975, which introduced Spain to the ‘casual’ footwear philosophy Camper's interest in art, design and architecture, and with the intention of giving free expression and interpretation of the brand to a designer, and to create a limited edition of stores in the top cities and regions of the world. The Together project has also been extended to footwear design with collections designed in collaboration with Jaime Hayón, Alfredo Häberli, María Blaisse and Bernard Wilhelm, in addition to other projects with artists such as "Locus Barcelona Ciudad de Creadores", created in 2004, through which the Locus shoe has been transformed by industrial and graphic designers, illustrators and artists such

Camper is the result of a dream, of a tradition, of a family that has been making shoes for more than 130 years. Its origins date back to the year 1877, when Antonio Fluxà opened the first modern shoe factory on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

Camper was born in 1975 when Lorenzo Fluxà, Antonio Fluxà's

as Nani Marquina, America Sanchez, Chu Uroz, Lievore Altherr Molina, Philip Stanton and Catalina Estrada, among others.

In the spring/summer of 2007, the first collection of children's shoes was launched - Camper For Kids - created to symbolize the lighter side of the Camper spirit, while adhering to the principles of fashion, quality and functionality, with the collaboration of Javier Mariscal in their graphic design. In the fall/winter of 2008, the first collection for babies comes onto the market, and in spring/summer of 2009 the first collection for toddlers.

In the last few years, adapting to the new needs of the market, Camper has been expanding and diversifying. In 2005, Casa Camper was opened in Barcelona; a state-of-the-art hotel with an ecological focus, a 100% Camper project, created together with Vinçon, Fernando Amat and Jordi Tió.

In 2008, Camper has invested in gastronomic innovation, in association in this case with Albert Raurich, head chef of “El Bulli” from 1999 to 2007, and the driving force behind the “dos palillos” restaurant, a new concept that seeks to unify the philosophy of Spanish "tapas" with the appetizers of Asian cuisine, in a setting divided into two highly differentiated and counterposed spaces: a typical Spanish bar, through which customers can enter a refined Asian bar. The interior design is the work of Fernando Amat of Vinçon, the architecture is by Jordi Tió and the graphic design is by America Sánchez.

● Camper Stores. In 1981, Camper opened its first store in Barcelona. After seven years of marketing its products in multi-brand shoe stores, the shoes need-

grandson, reinvented and modernized the way to make shoes. With the knowledge of two generations of cobbler craftsmen, Lorenzo Fluxà combined traditional methods with new aesthetic ideas to design products based on creativity and comfort.

In Mallorca, Camper means rural worker, and this is no mere coincidence. Camper shoes are created by people who coexist with their environment, the countryside, but who design shoes with an eye to the people who are going to use them, who live mainly in urban centers.

Camper is inspired by the

miradas al exterior spanish economy abroad

ed a different setting. To this end, Camper developed a revolutionary concept for its own store: a self-service shoe store, displaying all the models and sizes in public view. But the new stores were not only conceptual displays or posters decorating the space with irony; the stores became a window through which the company could see and be seen.

When Camper began its international expansion, it observed that all the stores of all the brands in all the shopping districts in all the cities of the world were the same. From this observation arose the idea of making each Camper store different, with its own personality. Today, each store is a reflection of the spirit of the Mediterranean, of its ambiguity between culture and austerity, of its peacefulness, dynamism, optimism, light, nature, imagination, tradition… but on entering you don't see Mallorca, you only breathe it. And all are a reflection of the duality of Camper, of its contradiction: they aren't luxury, they aren't cheap, they aren't European, they aren't American, they aren't Asian... they are Camper. In this way, these spaces have collectively become the most important asset of the brand, as they faithfully convey its values and its image to the customer.

Following this store concept, Camper continues to innovate and create different and special spaces: the New York store, located in Soho, with its runway of shoes and its characteristic Mallorcan spirit, is one of Camper's flagship stores, as is the Milan store on the street Monte Napoleone, inspired by Japanese culture, and of course the two London stores, on Floral Street and Bond street, where we find shoes on display in banquet-style in

values of the Mediterranean, giving a touch of irony and fun to its designs.

Camper is more than a company and more than a simple business. It is a team of people driven by creativity. It is an open house built day by day by work partners who have become friends.

Today, Camper has 54 stores of which 33 are in the main world capitals the first case, and stuck directly onto the wall with velcro in the second. Since 1981, Camper has opened 54 stores around the world (21 of them in Spain). People strolling through cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Milan, Berlin, London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney or Hong Kong can enjoy a unique Camper space, where they can move to a slower pace and take in the air of the Mediterranean .

● Camper projects. During the second half of the 80s, Camper was one of the first Spanish companies to launch sponsorship campaigns as a means of promotion. Their shoes evoked a tropical ‘all terrain’ world

Designers, artists, illustrators, interior designers and publicists.

A lot of feet, hands and heads without which Camper would not have been able to be Camper.

Today, 33 years after its founding, Camper has a presence in more than 50 countries. Camper shoes can be found in more

● spain abroad

33

in an era when adventure sports were becoming increasingly popular. The first creation was the Red Raiders Team which participated in the Paris-Dakar Rally. Then came the participation in sailing regattas, whose more Mediterranean character fit better with the philosophy of the product and the company.

By the beginning of the 90s, the desire to raise the cultural profile of the product and humanize the message became increasingly evident, leading Camper to gradually abandon sports sponsorship and begin taking actions focused within a strictly cultural context. Thus, in the spring of 1994, at the Pilar & Joan Miró Foundation in Palma de Mallorca, the ‘Artists' Used Shoes and Artists' Studios' exhibition took place. More than a hundred pairs of shoes of different artists made up the collection, among them the shoes of Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró and Eduardo Chillida.

Alongside the shoes were photos of the artists' studios, helping viewers to locate themselves in the ‘workplace geography’ of each artist.

January 2001 saw the opening, at the FAD in Barcelona, of the exhibition ‘Shoes and Indigenous Art’. The exhibition was conceived as a tribute to the cultural diversity of indigenous peoples and their fight to preserve their identity and traditions.

With advice from the Watu Indigenous Action organization, Camper traveled around the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania to meet with the peoples of thirty different cultures, for the purpose of having them teach us how to walk. The exhibition displayed the result of this experience in the form of shoes, color, light, craftwork, art and, above all, a way of understanding life.

than 3,800 multi-brand stores in Europe, Asia, the Americas, Australia and South Africa.

Currently there are more than 200 Camper stores, of which 31 are in Spain, while the rest are found in the most important cities around the world, including London, Paris, Rome, Milan, New York, San Francisco, Cape

Town, Hong Kong, Sydney, Tokyo, Sao Paolo, Dubai, Santiago de Chile, Zagreb, Bangkok, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, Istanbul, Shangai, Belgrade, Mexico City, Athens, Tel Aviv, Singapore…

More than 3.5 million pairs of shoes are sold each year with a total sales volume of 200 million euros.

30

miradas al exterior spanish economy abroad

â—? spain abroad

camper

it's a lifestyle Camper is the living history of a family company and a large family of work partners who, over more than a century and four generations, have dedicated their time to the footwear industry. The Camper style is not a specific shoe; it's a lifestyle, a way of thinking and a very special contribution to footwear design.

miradas al exterior spanish economy abroad

BY: miradas al exterior. PHOTOS : archive

● Camper came into existence in 1975, but to understand the values of responsibility, commitment and quality that characterize a family company like Camper, it is necessary to go back 120 years. In 1877, cobbler craftsman Antonio Fluxá set sail for England to learn about new industrial manufacturing methods.

On his return, he brought together a group of craftspeople from the Inca region (Mallorca) and introduced the first shoe making machines, a symbol of modernity that would transmit the manufacture of quality products and the shoemaking trade to future generations, without ever losing the love of the profession.

Lorenzo Fluxá, Antonio's son, was born into a tradition of shoe making, and inherited the delight and enthusiasm for this small object, always in pairs, that keeps our feet on the ground. In his work, he continued the tradition with close attention to quality while developing industrial production. All this was happening in the midst of historic and social changes, of new styles, and new concepts. With the solid backing of a century-long tradition, Lorenzo Fluxá created the Camper firm in 1975. In 1981, the first Camper store was opened in Barcelona, a concept that revolutionized the traditional world of footwear, incorporating graphic elements and a functional display by sizes. In 1992, the international expansion of the brand began, with the opening of subsidiaries in the main European fashion centers (United Kingdom, France and Italy). Today, Camper is the top company in the industry in Spain, having been in business without interruption for four generations.

The Camper firm was awarded the National Design Award in 1988, the highest official recognition given to outstanding companies and professionals for their contributions in this field. This award, issued each year by the Ministry of Industry and Energy and the BCD (Barcelona Design Center) Foundation, acknowledges a tradition rather than a specific image.

It recognizes and values an organization, with methods and attitudes that have enabled it to achieve great results over time.

For Camper, this award provided the en-

● spain abroad

Main global footwear exporters Figures in millions of dollars from most recent data published in 2005.

Source WTO

Spain 2,189

Brazil 1,979

Romania 1,589

Germany 2,421

Belgium 2,522

China 19,052

Hong Kong 6,144 Italy 8,859

Development of the Spanish footwear export sector Figures in millions of pairs. Source WTO

136,8

126,8 108,5

2002

2003

2004

96,4

2005

94,6

2006

101,6

2007

couragement and recognition to continue walking the world with imagination, offering diversity for a diverse public.

Camper was born in the Mediterranean in the sense that it is a space of cultural integration and diversity

● Camper products. Camper is not a specific shoe. Camper is a way of walking.

Their shoes cannot be understood without an awareness of their origins and tradition.

Camper was born on the Mediterranean, in the sense that it is a space of cultural integration and diversity and, furthermore, with a shoemaking tradition that from the beginning has combined design with functionality. Their shoes are, as a result, a link between their origins and tradition and the urban reality of their market; they evoke

31

32

miradas al exterior spanish economy abroad

● spain abroad

the stable values of the rural Mediterranean world - comfort, long life, simplicity and incorporate these into the urban world through a sophisticated casual style, a meticulous design, a philosophy with a touch of irony and, above all, imagination. They bring together comfort and imagination, tradition and modernity, technology and aesthetics. Camper offers a diverse range of products that are the direct result of a focus on creativity.

The first shoe model marketed by Camper in 1975 was the "Camaleón". With this shoe, the ‘casual’ philosophy was introduced to Spain, and from that moment came a feverish storm of creativity that consolidated the brand. In 1981, the Runner was born; their first sports shoe, it became the urban shoe par excellence, combining the urban aesthetic with the comfort of a sneaker. One year later, the Bachelor revolutionized ‘the lace-up shoe’, giving it a rubber sole. In the mid-80s, the most modern youth chose the Palmera/ Spiral (1983) while the most warlike took to wearing the Kenboot (1984). 1988 saw the birth of the Twins, with their assymmetrical and complementary style, and two years later the Industrial was released with its steel-tipped design, a precursor to the styles of today. In 1992, the Brothers were born, shoes that were versatile, reliable and countercultural. One year later, the Terra model recalled the company's Mallorca roots. Just when all seemed calm, in 1995 the Mix was launched, with futuristic engineering and a high-tech image. And in that same year, Camper paid tribute to sports, introducing the retro style with the "Pelotas" model.

The company's new collection of shoes - the "Together" concept - was the result of

A family dream camper department of communication

The first shoe model marketed was the ‘Camaleón’, in 1975, which introduced Spain to the ‘casual’ footwear philosophy Camper's interest in art, design and architecture, and with the intention of giving free expression and interpretation of the brand to a designer, and to create a limited edition of stores in the top cities and regions of the world. The Together project has also been extended to footwear design with collections designed in collaboration with Jaime Hayón, Alfredo Häberli, María Blaisse and Bernard Wilhelm, in addition to other projects with artists such as "Locus Barcelona Ciudad de Creadores", created in 2004, through which the Locus shoe has been transformed by industrial and graphic designers, illustrators and artists such

Camper is the result of a dream, of a tradition, of a family that has been making shoes for more than 130 years. Its origins date back to the year 1877, when Antonio Fluxà opened the first modern shoe factory on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

Camper was born in 1975 when Lorenzo Fluxà, Antonio Fluxà's

as Nani Marquina, America Sanchez, Chu Uroz, Lievore Altherr Molina, Philip Stanton and Catalina Estrada, among others.

In the spring/summer of 2007, the first collection of children's shoes was launched - Camper For Kids - created to symbolize the lighter side of the Camper spirit, while adhering to the principles of fashion, quality and functionality, with the collaboration of Javier Mariscal in their graphic design. In the fall/winter of 2008, the first collection for babies comes onto the market, and in spring/summer of 2009 the first collection for toddlers.

In the last few years, adapting to the new needs of the market, Camper has been expanding and diversifying. In 2005, Casa Camper was opened in Barcelona; a state-of-the-art hotel with an ecological focus, a 100% Camper project, created together with Vinçon, Fernando Amat and Jordi Tió.

In 2008, Camper has invested in gastronomic innovation, in association in this case with Albert Raurich, head chef of “El Bulli” from 1999 to 2007, and the driving force behind the “dos palillos” restaurant, a new concept that seeks to unify the philosophy of Spanish "tapas" with the appetizers of Asian cuisine, in a setting divided into two highly differentiated and counterposed spaces: a typical Spanish bar, through which customers can enter a refined Asian bar. The interior design is the work of Fernando Amat of Vinçon, the architecture is by Jordi Tió and the graphic design is by America Sánchez.

● Camper Stores. In 1981, Camper opened its first store in Barcelona. After seven years of marketing its products in multi-brand shoe stores, the shoes need-

grandson, reinvented and modernized the way to make shoes. With the knowledge of two generations of cobbler craftsmen, Lorenzo Fluxà combined traditional methods with new aesthetic ideas to design products based on creativity and comfort.

In Mallorca, Camper means rural worker, and this is no mere coincidence. Camper shoes are created by people who coexist with their environment, the countryside, but who design shoes with an eye to the people who are going to use them, who live mainly in urban centers.

Camper is inspired by the

miradas al exterior spanish economy abroad

ed a different setting. To this end, Camper developed a revolutionary concept for its own store: a self-service shoe store, displaying all the models and sizes in public view. But the new stores were not only conceptual displays or posters decorating the space with irony; the stores became a window through which the company could see and be seen.

When Camper began its international expansion, it observed that all the stores of all the brands in all the shopping districts in all the cities of the world were the same. From this observation arose the idea of making each Camper store different, with its own personality. Today, each store is a reflection of the spirit of the Mediterranean, of its ambiguity between culture and austerity, of its peacefulness, dynamism, optimism, light, nature, imagination, tradition… but on entering you don't see Mallorca, you only breathe it. And all are a reflection of the duality of Camper, of its contradiction: they aren't luxury, they aren't cheap, they aren't European, they aren't American, they aren't Asian... they are Camper. In this way, these spaces have collectively become the most important asset of the brand, as they faithfully convey its values and its image to the customer.

Following this store concept, Camper continues to innovate and create different and special spaces: the New York store, located in Soho, with its runway of shoes and its characteristic Mallorcan spirit, is one of Camper's flagship stores, as is the Milan store on the street Monte Napoleone, inspired by Japanese culture, and of course the two London stores, on Floral Street and Bond street, where we find shoes on display in banquet-style in

values of the Mediterranean, giving a touch of irony and fun to its designs.

Camper is more than a company and more than a simple business. It is a team of people driven by creativity. It is an open house built day by day by work partners who have become friends.

Today, Camper has 54 stores of which 33 are in the main world capitals the first case, and stuck directly onto the wall with velcro in the second. Since 1981, Camper has opened 54 stores around the world (21 of them in Spain). People strolling through cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Milan, Berlin, London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney or Hong Kong can enjoy a unique Camper space, where they can move to a slower pace and take in the air of the Mediterranean .

● Camper projects. During the second half of the 80s, Camper was one of the first Spanish companies to launch sponsorship campaigns as a means of promotion. Their shoes evoked a tropical ‘all terrain’ world

Designers, artists, illustrators, interior designers and publicists.

A lot of feet, hands and heads without which Camper would not have been able to be Camper.

Today, 33 years after its founding, Camper has a presence in more than 50 countries. Camper shoes can be found in more

● spain abroad

33

in an era when adventure sports were becoming increasingly popular. The first creation was the Red Raiders Team which participated in the Paris-Dakar Rally. Then came the participation in sailing regattas, whose more Mediterranean character fit better with the philosophy of the product and the company.

By the beginning of the 90s, the desire to raise the cultural profile of the product and humanize the message became increasingly evident, leading Camper to gradually abandon sports sponsorship and begin taking actions focused within a strictly cultural context. Thus, in the spring of 1994, at the Pilar & Joan Miró Foundation in Palma de Mallorca, the ‘Artists' Used Shoes and Artists' Studios' exhibition took place. More than a hundred pairs of shoes of different artists made up the collection, among them the shoes of Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró and Eduardo Chillida.

Alongside the shoes were photos of the artists' studios, helping viewers to locate themselves in the ‘workplace geography’ of each artist.

January 2001 saw the opening, at the FAD in Barcelona, of the exhibition ‘Shoes and Indigenous Art’. The exhibition was conceived as a tribute to the cultural diversity of indigenous peoples and their fight to preserve their identity and traditions.

With advice from the Watu Indigenous Action organization, Camper traveled around the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania to meet with the peoples of thirty different cultures, for the purpose of having them teach us how to walk. The exhibition displayed the result of this experience in the form of shoes, color, light, craftwork, art and, above all, a way of understanding life.

than 3,800 multi-brand stores in Europe, Asia, the Americas, Australia and South Africa.

Currently there are more than 200 Camper stores, of which 31 are in Spain, while the rest are found in the most important cities around the world, including London, Paris, Rome, Milan, New York, San Francisco, Cape

Town, Hong Kong, Sydney, Tokyo, Sao Paolo, Dubai, Santiago de Chile, Zagreb, Bangkok, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, Istanbul, Shangai, Belgrade, Mexico City, Athens, Tel Aviv, Singapore…

More than 3.5 million pairs of shoes are sold each year with a total sales volume of 200 million euros.

 discover spain 2016 could become a magical year for Spain, recapturing the purest style of what happened in 1992 when Spain hosted the Olympic Games in Barcelona, the Universal Exposition in Seville and the European City of Culture, which again went to Madrid this year. Although the Spanish capital will have to wait until October of next year to be confirmed as the Olympic Host City, what's for certain is that in 2016, one of Spain's cities will be the European Capital of Culture.

2016 the European Capital of Culture will be Spanish BY: DAVID MERINO. PHOTOS : tourspain and efe

● To date, the Spanish cities that have announced they are going to bid are Alcalá de Henares, Burgos, Cáceres, Córdoba, Cuenca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Málaga, Pamplona, San Sebastián, Segovia, Tarragona, Tenerife, Valencia and Zaragoza, as well as a joint bid from the Asturian cities of Avilés, Gijón and Oviedo. ● Waiting for a plane. In Brussels it is said that the idea of the European City of Culture (later to be known as the European Capital of Culture) came about in 1985 from a conversation between the then culture ministers of Greece and France (Melina Mercouri and Jack Lang), while waiting for a flight at the Athens Airport. The polis par excellence of the Ancient World, whose exile was

worse than death in classical times, shortly thereafter became the first European City of Culture. It would be followed by Florence, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Glasgow, Dublin and Madrid, among others. Santiago de Compostela also had a turn in 2000. One year previously, the Culture Ministers of the European Union had integrated the event into the Community Framework, as well as renaming it as the European Capital of Culture. Each year it is currently assigned to two Member States, one veteran state and one that has recently joined. In 2016 it will be Spain and Poland.

● Which city will win the Melina Mercouri? Melina Mercouri was born in 1920 in Athens and in 1981 she became the first female Minister of Culture in Greece. Four years later she proposed the creation of a

miradas al exterior european capital of culture

â—? discover spain

35

CĂłrdoba, a World Heritage Site, is basing its bid on being a city where three cultures coexisted. Image of the Mosque.

36

miradas al exterior european capital of culture

european capitals of culture

● discover spain

1985 Athens. Greece.

1986 Florence. Italy.

"European City of Culture" to the Council of the European Union, which is currently one of the most successful European initiatives.

Her commitment to politics came from her family; her grandfather had been the mayor of Athens and her father a member of the Greek Parliament. When the military dictatorship of the 1970s revoked her Greek citizenship, she responded: “I was born Greek and I'll die Greek”.

Few challenges were beyond her. In addition to being a politician she was an actress and a singer. She was nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes. She was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for “Never on Sunday”. In addition to making several records, she did vocals to the music for the Greek production "A Streetcar Named Desire", in which she also played the dreamer, Blanche Dubois. From 2010 onwards, the financial contribution made by the European Union to subsidize the European Capital of Culture will come to an end, to be replaced by the Melina Mercouri Prize, with the subsidy increasing to 1.5 million euros.

The European Capital of Culture seeks to highlight the richness and diversity of European cultures, as well as their shared aspects, in order to promote greater understanding between Europeans and a sense of belonging to the same community. This, precisely, is one of the

15 Spanish cities competing Alcalá de Henares > Presents itself as the host city of a university with five centuries of history and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

2016 will witness the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the death of the most famous person from Alcalá de Henares. Miguel de Cer-

most highly regarded values held by the European Union when considering a bid.

Another is having great popular support, especially among people living in the city.

Because of this, many Spanish cities have set up websites and take part in various Internet-based social networking sites to garner as much support as possible.

The official announcement for 2016 will be made public in Spain in 2009 and interested cities may present their bids until October of the following year. Then, a committee made up of the seven members of the European Institutions and six others appointed by the State will evaluate the bids and present a short list of candidates. The cities that make it past this initial selection process will have nine additional months to complete their cultural programs. The winner will be announced at the end of 2011.

1988 Berlin. Germany.

1989 Paris. France.

1990 Glasgow. United Kingdom.

1991 Dublin. Ireland.

1992 Madrid. Spain.

1993 Antwerp. Belgium.

1994 Lisbon. Portugal.

1995 Luxembourg. Luxembourg.

1996 Copenhagen. Denmark.

1997 Thessaloniki. Greece.

1998 Stockholm. Sweden.

1999 Weimar. Germany.

2000 Avignon. France; Bergen. Norway; Bologna. Italy; Brussels. Belgium.

Krakow. Poland; Helsinki. Finland; Prague. Czech Republic; Reykjavik.

Iceland; Santiago de C. Spain.

2001 Porto. Portugal; Rotterdam.

Holland.

2002 Bruges. Belgium; Salamanca. Spain.

● A "prize" that transforms the city.

Several studies have shown that becoming the European Capital of Culture can serve as a catalyst for cultural development and urban transformation. The number of tourists increases by an average of 15%. In the case of the Irish city of Cork, which won in 2005, tourism increased by 25% during the first three months of its capitalhood. It also managed to attract lots of investment and expand its airport.

For 2008, Liverpool is (together with

vantes and the publication of the second part of Don Quijote.

Avilés-Gijón-Oviedo > Asturias has announced a triple bid from three cities that in many ways exist as a single city: “the day-to-day life in these cities is 600,000 people travelling from one city to another, which complement each other”. Several monuments in Oviedo are World Heritage Sites.

Burgos > Its trump

1987 Amsterdam. Holland.

card is based on the city's greatest scientific discovery in recent years: archeological sites in the Atapuerca World Heritage Site.

Its proposal seeks to undertake a discourse on human evolution, and the role of man in cities and the life of the planet.

Cáceres > This city's bid highlights the commitment of all Extremadurans to the project and the wealth of its cultural legacy: the city's Arab wall, its countless

2003 Graz. Austria.

2004 Lille. France; Genoa. Italy.

2005 Cork. Ireland.

2006 Patras. Greece.

2007 Luxembourg and the. Luxembourg

region; Sibiu. Romania.

2008 Liverpool. United Kingdom;

Stavanger. Norway.

2009 Linz. Austria; Vilna. Lithuania.

2010 Essen. Germany; Pécs. Hungary;

Istanbul. Turkey.

2011 Turku. Finland; Tallinn. Estonia.

palaces, its cuisine and wines. It is also a World Heritage Site.

Córdoba > Presents itself as Colonia Patricia and the Omeyan Capital where three cultures lived together and contributed with their respective legacies to Renaissance and Baroque Europe. It is a World Heritage Site.

Cuenca > This World Heritage Site highlights its character as a "landscaped city", where vernacular architecture

has fused with the surroundings. Its bid is the strategic backing of economic, social and cultural development, based on sustainability.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The goal of the city council is for its time as European Capital of Culture to be the turning point of its plan to transport the Recinto Ferial to the surroundings of the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium, thus involving important cultural figures and business people.

Las Palmas, Cáceres, Segovia and San Sebastián are competing to become the European Capital of Culture in 2016.

Pamplona > Twinned with Toruń, the favorite Polish city to share the Capital of Culture crown with a Spanish city in 2016, this city in Navarra has prestigious

universities, a lengthy history, and is internationally renowned for its San fermín festival.

San Sebastián > The priority of this city is to be an area where lively and free-thinking projects can unfold. Its bid will work towards achieving peace.

It highlights its transborder position where three languages are spoken: Basque, Spanish and french.

Segovia > Presents culture as a key area

● discover spain

37

eURopean month oF cULtURe

the Norwegian city of Stavanger) the European Capital of Culture. A study carried out by the university of Liverpool has shown that, in addition to increasing visitor numbers, being the cultural capital has also brought with it an increase in the employment rate far above the national average. In sectors such as architecture and engineering the increase was 138%. This research also highlights the importance of other values such as image abroad. In the ten days leading up to the event, there were four times as many positive articles written about the city in the British press. The transformation has been particularly noticeable in cities with an industrial tradition such as Glasgow in Scotland or Lille in france, which took advantage of this great event to redirect their economies towards the service sector, especially through culture.

The last European Capital of Culture in Spain was Salamanca in 2002. In addition to promoting the creation of new cultural infrastructure such as the Liceo Theatre, the Performing Arts Center, the Salamanca Arts Center and the Santo Domingo Exhibition Hall, being the cultural capital generated wealth, according to data from the university of Barcelona, of over 550 million euros in Castilla y León and another 250 million in the rest of Spain.

Málaga > Highlights its thousand-year-old cultural heritage and its basic essence as a city that has welcomed communities since it was founded by the Phoenicians 3000 years ago. The city council is going to create seven new museums to strengthen its bid.

miradas al exterior european capital of culture

In 1990, the European Union launched the European Month of Culture, very similar to the Capital of Culture but shorter, and aimed, above all, at European countries that don't belong to the club of European countries governed by pluralistic democratic systems based on the Rule of Law. The last European Month of Culture was held in 2001 in Basel (Switzerland) and Riga. The Council does not rule out bringing back the European Month of Culture in the future.

the paLmeR RepoRt Research led by the European Commission in 2005 analyzed all the European Capitals of Culture through 2004 and demonstrated that, in addition to having a large impact on the media, it had contributed to the development of culture and tourism and had inspired a sense of civic pride among the communities of the chosen cities. The study confirmed the positive long-term impact on cultural development in many cities. Today, all bids must demonstrate a lasting commitment to culture.

for supporting social cohesion, educating young people, encouraging care and respect of cultural heritage, opening new horizons, and promoting self esteem and tolerance among people from differing backgrounds. It is a World Heritage Site.

Tarragona > Presents itself as a World Heritage Site due to its Roman and Medieval legacy; a showcase for Catalonian culture and an example of pluralism

within Spanish culture.

It is focused on its role in the Mediterranean and in European as a whole. Its archeological sites constitute a World Heritage Site.

Tenerife > The Cabildo initiative covers the whole island. It presents itself as "possessing a unique culture as a result of its diverse background" and has a significant tourist infrastructure. El Teide and La Laguna are World Heritage Sites.

Valencia > The city of the Turia highlights its cultural and historical heritage and urban architecture, as well as the modern facilities available in the City of Arts and Sciences.

Zaragoza > The capital of Aragon highlights its magnificent cultural wealth and broad range of tourist and cultural infrastructure, mostly resulting from its recent International Water Exposition.

38

miradas al exterior national heritage

â—? discover spain

National Heritage the value of historical authenticity

National Heritage, an independent body that assists the Ministry of the Presidency, is governed by public law. It is dedicated to the upkeep and maintenance of property owned by the Spanish state, which is at the disposal and service of the King and the members of the Royal Family to be used as residences or for state and official ceremonies.

miradas al exterior national heritage

● discover spain

39

Image of the Royal Palace of Madrid at dusk.

BY: MIRADAS AL ExTERIOR. PHOTOS : EfE

● National Heritage includes palaces, parks and gardens, as well as various convents, churches and monasteries. These include the “Reales Sitios” (Royal Sites); places that were former residences of the Royal family. Most are in the vicinity of Madrid and were traditionally used as

places of rest, leisure and summer or winter residences. They also include the sites of facilities used by the former Royal Court.

These palaces and monuments constitute one of the most important heritages in Western history and for centuries their formation has been the cultural engine of Spain, maintaining a significant influence both in Europe and Latin America.

Included in National Heritage are properties such as the Palacio Real de Oriente (The Royal Palace) and the Parque del Campo del Moro (Campo del Moro Park), The Royal Palace of Aranjuez and the Casita del Labrador (Builder's House), The Royal Palace of San Lorenzo de El Escorial and the Casita del Príncipe (Prince's House), The Royal Palaces of La

40 miradas al exterior national heritage

● discover spain

The most noteworthy National Heritage Collections are the Tapestries and Armor Collection, recognized as the most important in the world.

Granja and Riofrío, the Palace of El Pardo, and the Royal Palace of La Zarzuela. In Palma de Mallorca there is the Palace of La Almudaina. furthermore, National Heritage includes the state-owned property contained within these palaces and other publicly-owned buildings, as well as the donations made to the Spanish state through the King.

In addition, National Heritage includes the rights of patronage or governance and the administration of institutions such as the Church and Convent of Encarnación, the Church and Hospital of Buen Suceso, the Convent Las Descalzas Reales, the Royal Basilica of Atocha, the Church and College of Santa Isabel, the Church and College of Loreto in Madrid, the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, the Monastery of Las Huelgas and the Hospital del Rey in Burgos, the Convent of Santa Clara in Tordesillas, the Convent of San Pascual, in Aranjuez, the College of Doncellas Nobles in Toledo, and the Monastery of Yuste in Cáceres.

● Public activity. The Royal Palaces are the setting for important historical state ceremonies that preserve a significant element of traditional protocol, such as gala receptions for Heads of State visiting Spain and the presentation of Letters of Credentials before His Majesty the King by the foreign Ambassadors to Spain.

However, the opening of these monu-

From top to bottom: Monastery of Yuste in Cáceres, Palace of La Almudaina in Palma de Mallorca, Royal Palace of Aranjuez, Monastery of El Escorial and Garden of the Convent and Las Descalzas Reales in Madrid.

The Royal Palaces are the setting for important historical state ceremonies that preserve a significant element of traditional protocol

ments, along with their parks and gardens, for public enjoyment and cultural dissemination are hallmarks of National Heritage. Every year the institution plans a large number of cultural activities.

These include temporary exhibitions and concerts. Last year it organized highly prominent shows such as “Tesoros de fuego. Arcabucería madrileña” and “El gusto a la Griega”, and in 2008, “Carlos V en Yuste, Muerte y Gloria Eterna” (Carlos V in Yuste, Death and Eternal Glory), to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the death of Carlos V. Also, the Royal Palace of Madrid will host the exhibition “De la Ilustración al Liberalismo” (from the Enlightenment to Liberalism) starting in October. In the musical arena, National Heritage is organizing various chamber music concerts including the famous 'Stradivarius Series'.

National Heritage has highly qualified professional teams to carry out the restoration work to its historical monuments and gardens, combining cutting-edge technology with traditional knowledge. It recently restored the Casita del Labrador, in Aranjuez.

Among the most noteworthy National Heritage collections are the Tapestries and Armor Collections, recognized as the most important of their kind in the world. In addition, there is the Historic Clock Collection with 634 pieces. These include the Candil de felipe II (Oil Lamp of felipe II) from 1583, with the unusual feature of having an oil container that lights a wick enabling one to see the time in the dark.

National Heritage also publishes various books about its collections as well as a quarterly magazine, “Reales Sitios” (Royal Sites), with contributions from experts from every artistic and historic field.

The magazine highlights the work done on the study and conservation of the Institution's assets.

In short, both the monuments and royal collections make National Heritage a unique cultural institution that stands out for its preservation of artistic values and historical authenticity, an authenticity made all the more fascinating when one considers that everything in the collection works just as it did when it was first designed or built.

miradas al exterior national heritage

● foreign action

41

At the service of state ceremonies, culture and the environment

Yago Pico de Coaña

President of National Heritage

National Heritage was created to operate and manage the properties that the Crown, within the framework of the Spanish Constitution as a parliamentar y monarchy, granted to the state, at the same time preser ving the rights of use for the King and the Royal Family.

This was how National Heritage took on the commitment to ser ve the public by placing at its disposal one of the most important cultural heritages in Europe, as well as being responsible for the maintenance and restoration of historical buildings and property, and preser ving and respecting the environment in the form of the flora and fauna of the forests and gardens that it manages.

National Heritage museums receive more than 3 million visitors per year, meaning that it has become one of the leading cultural managers in Spain.

The opening of monuments, parks and gardens for public enjoyment, scientific study and cultural dissemination are the hallmarks of these museums, as a result of which it uses the 'Royal Sites' for teaching purposes and promotes cultural activities, scientific studies and

teaching programs, always in accordance with the Spanish Law of National Heritage, which stresses the need for these areas to be studied in depth.

Evidencing this commitment are more than a dozen Agreements with universities and various other institutions, including the University of Salamanca (to organize the Reina Sofía Prize for Ibero-American Poetry), the Summer Courses at El Escorial in collaboration with the Complutense University of Madrid, special visits for schoolchildren to see the Royal Sites of Aranjuez and El Escorial, and the Matinee series at La Granja de San Ildefonso.

The cultural program is rounded out with temporary exhibitions, such as the one being prepared in October at the Royal Palace of Madrid, "From the Enlightenment to Liberalism 1788-1814”, to provide greater knowledge of the historical events that occurred during that interesting period of Spanish history. Most noteworthy in the musical arena are the organization of chamber music concerts and the renowned Stradivarius Series.

The environment plays a key role and a significant amount of the institution's resources are dedicated to managing its

nature preserves and historicalartistic gardens, with the aim of protecting species and green spaces. Noteworthy among its restoration of monuments and historical gardens is the work being done on La Casita de El Labrador and the Royal Site of Aranjuez.

Its various Royal Heritage Collections include the Tapestries and Armor Collections, which are recognized as the most important in the world and are the backbone for the future Museum of Royal Collections.

the Royal Palaces and Patronages, the property and rights that are at the disposal and ser vice of the Crown, and the donations made to the state through His Majesty the King.

These sites are where official and state ceremonies are held, such as the ceremony of the presentation of Letters of Credentials by ambassadors before His Majesty the King, and the Pascua Militar, both taking place in the Royal Palace of Madrid. The Royal Palace of El Pardo is the usual residence for foreign Heads of State on official visits to Spain.

The National Heritage libraries and historical archives are unique. Among the first and especially noteworthy are the Royal Palace and the Monastery of El Escorial, with its vastly important Arabic and Latin manuscripts. Researchers have access to these buildings to study and examine their contents, with the goal of passing on an extremely valuable legacy within Spanish history.

Finally, it is also worth mentioning that National Heritage has lent its full cooperation to the Ibero-American Head of State and Government Summits, as well as providing the government and the Foreign Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation with National Heritage buildings to hold bilateral meetings with Heads of State and Prime Ministers.

National Heritage manages eight royal palaces, six small palaces, ten royal monasteries and convents, 20,000 hectares of Mediterranean forest and 589 hectares of historical gardens (many of which have been declared World Heritage Cultural Landscapes), the property and art collections that are listed and contained in

For all of these ceremonies, the presidency, management and the various departments of National Heritage have maintained effective and ongoing cooperation with all of the relevant general departments of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and with the Introducer of Ambassadors and Protocol Services.

 culture and society

Mordzinski places the finishing touches before the opening of his exhibition in Madrid. EFE

Casa de América

Exhibition ‘Daniel Mordzinski, a photographer among writers’ ■ The author of photographs that are icons of Latin American identity, such as those of Borges in a recording studio in San Telmo and García Márquez on some rocks, Daniel Mordzinski is an indispensable fellow traveller and witness to key events in the world of culture. Born in Buenos Aires in 1960, and settled in Paris for over twenty years, Mordzinski has travelled around the world with his camera. The hundreds of reports and numerous books by the author are the fruit of these travels.

His work as a photojournalist and correspondent for the most prestigious international news publications (El País, Clarín) has not prevented him from specializing in creative portraits of poets, novelists and essayists whose faces make up a formidable atlas of contemporary Ibero-American literature. Throughout September, Casa de America hosted a magnificent exhibition on the works of this

artist, featuring 180 photographs in large format.

A friend and collaborator of many and diverse intellectuals and authors, Mario Vargas Llosa writes in one of the texts printed in the exhibition's catalogue that "to say Daniel Mordzinski has photographed authors does not do him justice. Because the images of these people that Mordzinski's camera has snatched from the river of time and fixed on these cards are really, as every editor, author and reader knows, a profound and respectful interpretation of their personality".

SCIENCE

Spanish biologist María Blasco is awarded the European Science Award ■ On September 8 in Hamburg, the Körber Foundation awarded the European Science Award 2008 worth 750,000 euros to the molecular biologist María Blasco for her research into cancer. María Blasco has led the research group on molecular oncology at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO - National Center for Oncology Research) in Madrid since1993.

The prize, which the Foundation has been awarding for 24 years and is among the most prestigious in Germany, recognizes the promising work carried out by Blasco on telomeres - the ends of chromosomes - and the telomerase enzyme that could contribute to the search for new medicines with which to combat the illness. The Körber Foundation supports European scientists working on research projects that are particularly innovative.

ECONOMICS

The Economist and Financial Times propose a G12 with Spain ■ In July, the newspaper ‘Financial Times’ and the magazine ‘The Economist’, two of the most prestigious economic publications in the world, proposed the enlargement of the G8 to a G12 that would include Spain, Brazil, China and India. Both publications highlighted the need to reform this group of the world's most industrialized economies.

The FT said that "it should extend to rapid-growth economies such as Brazil, India and China". "A G12 of the largest economies" it continues, "would include Spain and guarantee that no-one was excluded. It would have the virtue of covering more than 70% of world GDP”.

Similarly, ‘The Economist’ points out that the best solution is to open up the current organization to include the 12 largest world economies.

A G12 would bring India, Brazil, China and Spain into the club, while allowing Canada to stay.

LA CASA ENCENDIDA (MADRID)

Comics exhibition in Madrid ‘Travel with us’

■ The works produced over more than twenty years by six Spanish creators of comics-Keko, Gallardo, Mauro Entrialgo, Max, Micharmut y Miguelanxo Prado--are on display at the “Travel with us" exhibition, organized by the State Society for Foreign Cultural Action (SEACEX), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

‘I have a Dream’ by the illustrator Gallardo.

and Cooperation and La Casa Encendida. Opened on September 23, the exhibition at La Casa Encendida in Madrid can be viewed through October 26 2008. This project aims to be a broad display of the new Spanish comic that came to life in the 1980s and that has reached maturity some two decades later. The theme of this exhibition is the journey. It contains work by the six authors who have created their own personal language and who use their own distinct sketches to explain the current panorama of Spanish comics within the international scene from six different geographic perspectives - Catalonia, Madrid, the Basque Country, the Balearics, Valencia and Galicia.

There are few creative fields in which, as is the case with the comic, the authors themselves create their own unique way of distributing their work, be it through fanzines and self-edited magazines or with the help of small independent publishing houses. Many different fairs and meetings are held throughout Europe on an annual basis, which have to some degree opened up to independent authors.

In Spain, for example, the

miradas al exterior news

well-established and commercial Salón Internacional del Cómic de Barcelona has been joined by the comic fairs in A Coruña and Avilés.

Recently, the Premio Nacional de Cómic was created, the first winner of which was Max.

CASA ASIA AND CAIXA FORUM

Barcelona holds the 1st International Conference on Asian Tourism

■ The first International Conference on Asian Tourism, held in Barcelona on September 25 and 26, analyzed the rise of Asian tourism and the opportunities it offers for receptive markets in Europe, and in particular in Spain.

Those responsible for the tourist promotion of cities such as Paris, London, Barcelona and Madrid explained their strategies for attracting Asian tourists, as did the Generalitat de Cataluña. The main objective is to position Europe as the top destination for a continent that is currently one of the main drivers of growth in the tourist sector. Asian tourists have high purchasing power and are interested in big cities, monuments and shopping.

Until now, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore have been the main tourist markets for Europe.

However, China and India are increasingly present in this sector. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) estimates that in 2020 some 100 million Chinese citizens will travel outside their own country. The Conference was organized by Casa Asia and Caixa Forum, together with Turespaña, Turismo de Cataluña and Turismo de Barcelona.

CASA ÁFRICA

Looking at the neighboring continent through painting ■ ‘AEA Tubab: ¿África es así, m’zungu?’ (‘Africa is like that: white man: Is Africa like that, white man?’) This ambiguous double title, with the word tubab in Wolof and

m'zungu in Swahili, is in itself a game that both questions and suggests the way Africa is viewed from the outside. The exhibition by the painter Juan Bordes, who was chosen by Casa África for his work promoting mutual understanding between the Spanish and African cultures, is open until November 14.

● culture and society

43

The painter looks Africa as a source of inspiration and tries to capture in his work the immensity of the scenery on the African continent.

The geometry of the sand, the drylands and the jungle are the main elements used in this project. In Bordes' work, Africa is charged with evocative formal stimuli that

A group of Bolivians perform tradditional dances from their country during last year's grand procession through the streets of Madrid.

CASA AMÉRICA

Vivamérica to be celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic ■ This huge cultural and musical event organized by the Casa de América to celebrate Ibero-America Day will this year be celebrated jointly in Madrid, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Bogotá from October 6-12.

With the participation of the Colombian capital, the Festival VivAmérica will be enjoyed for the first time on both sides of the Atlantic.

Last year, Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown

provided the soundtrack to VivAmérica and this year Mexican Julieta Venegas is filling the role. Following the success of last year's festival, VivAmérica has taken the journey to the other side of the Atlantic and offers a week filled with cultural activities that culminates in La Marcha, an immense rolling concert that passes through the main streets of the three cities featuring artists

famous throughout IberoAmerica. Humor will be the central theme for the festival's program. VivAmérica is a initiative of Casa de América which enjoys the support of the main IberoAmerican bodies as well as the diplomatic representatives of Ibero-American nations in Spain and Colombia and various public, governmental, autonomous and municipal institutions in both countries.

44 miradas al exterior news

● culture and society

are not easily recognizable; it always functions on the edge of abstraction, with multiple visual journeys and layers of meaning.

CASA ÁRABE

Ramadan Nights return to Lavapiés ■ The Ramadan Nights festival organized by Casa Árabe, and held from September 24 to 27 in the Lavapiés area of Madrid, brought residents closer to Arabic culture through workshops, concerts and film screenings. This month, which is sacred for Muslims, is a time for fasting and purification, but also for celebrations and reunions with family and friends.

Concerts by the Senegalese musician Oumar Pène, Chaba Zahouania from Algeria, Noura from Mauritania and the Morrocan H-Kayne provided the musical element.

Cinema fans were able to enjoy a restored version of the Morrocan film Transes by Ahmed El-Maanouni (1981), which was shown at the Filmoteca Nacional.

For the younger members of the audience, there were workshops in calligraphy, world tales, puppetry and hip hop. The festival also included a lecture on certain cultural elements of the holiday and traditional dishes, with free tasters. In addition, the socio-cultural association Ibn Batuta organized a soccer tournament for players of all ages.

Casa Árabe is formed by a consortium between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the regional governments of Madrid and Andalucía and the city councils of Madrid and Córdoba.

Ramadan Nights was also supported by numerous bodies and associations in the Lavapiés area.

EXHIBITION

Retrospective of Buñuel in Mexico ■ In celebration of the First Conference on Ibero-American Cinematic and Audiovisual Culture, held in México D. F., SEACEX, the Institute for Cinematography and Visual Arts (ICAA), the Spanish Film

CLOSING CEREMONY EXPO ZARAGOZA 2008

Mission Accomplished ■ The International Exposition in Zaragoza hosted more than five and a half million visitors over the 93 days it was open to the public, a figure that has allowed organizers to declare the event a success and to state that the objectives laid out have been met. This information was provided by the president of

Expo Zaragoza, Roque Gistau, in his reflection upon the exhibition, which was closed on September 14 in a ceremony attended by King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía and the Spanish Prime Minister. The Expo, celebrated under the theme "Water and Sustainable Development", succeeded in informing, educating,

Archives, the Ministry of Culture of Spain and the National Center for the Arts of Mexico (CENART) organized the exhibition ‘Buñuel. Between two worlds’.

Opened on October 1 at the National Center for the Arts in the Mexican capital, the exhibition pays homage to the work of the Aragon-born cineaste and his relationship with Mexico. The exhibition was the fruit of another show that opened simultaneously in Madrid and Calanda in July of last month, coinciding with the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the death of Luis Buñuel. However, at the presentation in Mexico, and mindful of the context in which the exhibition is being offered, the commissioners wanted to highlight the double character of Buñuel--the Spaniard and the Mexican--and so this double nationality is made clear throughout the exhibition.

The exhibition, which will run through November 27, is divided into four sections. The first presents the Mexican side of the director, with photographs he took while choosing locations for the films he shot

and entertaining its guests.

As regards this last point, it is worth mentioning the warm response given to the permanent shows by spectators: the Iceberg had more than 1.18 million visitors while the Hombre Vertiente (spring man) had 829,168. Visitors rated these shows to be one of the best parts of the exhibition, awarding them 7.85 out of 10.

Security was rated at 8.44; organization and cleanliness, 8.38; professionalism and courtesy of staff was given

Luis Buñuel. EFE

there. This side of Buñuel as a photographer helps us understand how he prepared his films, giving us a new understanding of the Aragonese film maker.

The second section--which is biographical--tells his life through photographs, documents, prizes and audio-visual montage. It also highlights both his education in Spain and the role it played in the films he made while in Mexico.

The third section gives a general overview of his films.

Here, the thirty-two films he directed are examined through their particularly significant elements and audiovisual montages.

8.58 and speed at the ticket desk, 7.68. The most visited national pavilions were those from Qatar, Morocco, China, Latin America and Spain, while those from Aragón, Navarra and La Rioja, were the most visited out of those organized by autonomous communities. The Water Forum, where the Zaragoza Charter was developed, hosted 350 lectures which were attended by 73,687 people, and some hundred books have been published on the Expo. Now

miradas al exterior news

In the fourth section, a documentary is screened that was specially prepared for the occasion from documents filmed recently in different parts of Spain and Mexico. It aims to bring the spectator closer to the life and work of Luis Buñuel through conversations between his son Juan Luis and close collaborator Jean-Claude Carrière.

BUSINESS

Isolux wins the largest electricity concession in Brazil ■ Brazil's National Agency for Electrical Energy has granted the Spanish company Isolux two new transmission concessions with an operating period of 30 years, making the Spanish group one of the largest high-voltage electricity operators on the continent, pushing its estimated income to 4.23 billion euros.

The electrical lines will cross the Amazonian region in the states of Pará and Amapá in Northern Brazil, and will span some 1,240 kilometers.

According to the Spanish company, these are most

that the exhibition has been closed, there are two main challenges for the future: to distribute throughout the world the lessons learned about water in this unparalleled forum, and to keep open the park where the exhibition was held. President Rodríguez Zapatero took the lead on the first of these goals, announcing that the Spanish Government would take responsibility for the points laid out in the Zaragoza Charter and, among other missions, he promised

● culture and society

CASA SEFARAD-ISRAEL

■ The exhibition “One way, one ticket”, held concurrently in spaces in both Valencia and Torrent, brings together a selection of works

by contemporary artists on death as a dialogue with life.

Far from being moving, "it provokes an ironic reflection upon the idea that life is intimately linked with death".

These were the words of one of the curators presenting the collection in which 63 works by 25 artists are displayed. It will be open until November 16.

The exhibition is based around an installation by Christian Boltanski, which reflects upon the death of the common man. Together with that of Boltanski, works

by John Heartfield, Renau, Antonio Saura, Markus Lupertz, Cristina Lucas, Julio González and Antoni Tàpies, Equipo Realidad, Equipo Crónica and others will also be on display. They all make fun of, ridicule or play with image of death, using photographs, sculpture, painting and installations. Each of the works on display in the Sala la Muralla at Valencia's IVAM de Valencia and Torrent's EMAT de Torrent is, in essence, the mise en scene of a subjective and rigorous observation on life.

to present an international normative framework on water to the United Nations and to prepare the charter on Water Rights and Responsibilities for Human Beings. As for the future of Expo Zaragoza, the authorities are planning to convert the area in which it was built into a business park.

The Sociedad Estatal Expoagua hopes to receive 370 million euros in investment by converting the Ranillas site into one of Europe's leading facilities.

Fireworks show at the closing ceremony of Expo Zaragoza 2008. EFE

technically complicated projects to be carried out in recent years in Brazil. One of these lines has to cross the Amazon river and will require two towers taller than Paris' Eiffel tower, which stands at 300 meters. Furthermore, the majority of teams carrying out the installation will be transported up river from the port of Belém.

The Brazilian electrical authority chose Isolux from some twenty other offers.

Currently, Isolux's concessions division is the area of the group that has recorded the highest growth over the last year. It manages five motorways in Spain, Mexico and India, with a total length of 590 kilometers. In 2007, Isolux had a total sales volume of 2.415 billion euros.

VALENCIA

‘One way, one ticket’, an ironic reflection on life and death

45

Cinema and Literature meet at the Hay Festival ■ For the second year running, Casa Sefarad-Israel took part in Segovia's Hay Festival in September, where intellectuals from all over the globe were brought together in a program offering recitals, debates and meetings.

Casa Sefarad led a dialogue between cinema and literature

by Edgardo Cozarinsky and Jesús Ferrero, who spoke of their dual experiences as filmmakers and writers.

Edgardo Cozarinsky was born into a Jewish family in Buenos Aires. He moved to Paris more than thirty years ago and, for the last decade, he has lived between both cities. A writer and filmmaker, and author of essays on Henry James and Borges' relationship with the cinema, his first book was ‛Urban Voodoo’ published in 1985. He has also directed films where he combines fiction with documentary in magisterial fashion. He recently published his first novel, entitled ‘El rufián moldavo’(The Moldovan Pimp).

46 miradas al exterior news

● culture and society

Jesús Ferrero was born in Zamora and studied Ancient History in Paris, specializing in the Greek world. In 1981 he wrote ‘Belver Yin’, a work filled with exoticism and sensuality that was awarded the City of Barcelona Prize.

‘Opium’, ‘Lucrecia Temple’ and ‘The Doppler Effect’ are other important novels by the same author. Poetry, theatre and screenwriting (he co-authored 'Matador' with its director, Pedro Almodóvar) complete the long list of his literary achievements.

iN meNdOZa (arGeNTiNa)

the 3rd Conference of Young People of Spanish Descent is held

■ In September, 400 IberoAmerican youths of Spanish descent met in the Argentine city of Mendoza to debate the institutional, educational and employment policies that affect them with representatives from the Spanish government and youth associations at the third Conference of Young Descendents.

The Conference, which has formerly been organized in the Argentine cities of Buenos Aires (2006) and Rosario (2007), encompassed youth participation in politics; equality; employment; education and professional training; new trends in communication for young people and professional networking.

The conclusions from this discussion will be presented to the Spanish Government for their consideration when making public policies.

This meeting is promoted by the Council on Labor and Immigration at the Spanish

Embassy in Argentina and by the Fundación España.

The Secretary of State for Immigration and Emigration, Consuelo Rumí Ibáñez, and the Secretary for Social Movements of the PSOE, Pedro Zerolo attended the event along with academics and representatives from non-governmental organizations and youth organizations from all over IberoAmerica.

CLimaTe CHaNGe

US applauds the Spanish model for renewable energies ■ The US Undersecretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, Paula Dobriansky, has declared the Spanish model for promoting renewable energies as an effective and clean tool in the fight against climate change as very positive. “Spain has done a very significant job and is a world leader in the production of wind energy", she pointed out in Madrid during a forum on the future of the energy sector.

The Undersecretary highlighted how Spain is in the top five countries for investment in renewable energies and that two Spanish companies, Iberdrola and Acciona, are among the 10 largest companies in the world producing wind energy. Furthermore, the Spanish photovoltaic market showed the fastest growth in the world in 2007 and two of the three largest photovoltaic plants on the planet are in Spain.

Dobriansky, who met with a delegation from Spain's business communities in Washington at the begin-

ning of the year to discuss cooperation in the renewables sector, reminded those present that another Spanish company, Abengoa, was building the world's largest solar energy plant in the state of Arizona.

eXHiBiTiON iN madrid

The rebirth of Vietnam is told through its propaganda ■ Since the middle of January, Casa Asia Madrid has been hosting the exhibition 'The Rebirth of a Nation'; a selection of 45 Vietnamese propaganda posters that span a crucial period in the history of Vietnam from the 1960s through the end of the 1990s. These documents are invaluable for reconstructing the historic memory of the Asian country. It is the first time that they have been seen outside of Vietnam. Not only did these images lead the process of economic and political recovery in Vietnam, but they also represent the functionality of avant-garde art during the same period.

The exhibition is accompanied by the screening of five films from the film series 'Vietnam, Infierno y Paraíso’ (Vietnam, Heaven and Hell).

Each of these films will allow the public to get to know the country's history and culture.

All of these films have also been awarded prizes at various film festivals.

aNNiVersarY

20 years of women in the Armed Forces ■ Throughout September, Madrid's Museo Naval hosted the exhibition 8808/ Twenty years of women in

the Armed Forces. With this exhibition, the Ministry of Defense celebrated the fact that 20 years ago, a small group of 25 women entered the Military Academies for the first time in order to join the Spanish Armed Forces, symbolizing a break with old barriers and prejudices, and contributing to the enrichment and modernization of the Spanish army. Twenty years later, the first woman to be admitted (who chose the Navy) is today a Corvette Captain, the highest rank reached by any of those women.

Today there are 15,430 women in our armies and more than a thousand of those are immigrants. Their presence has grown steadily to today's number, which represents 12.3% of the total, or one in eight members of the military. Spain is the country with the second largest female presence out of the large European nations, leading the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy and coming in second only to France.

Material and effective equality is ensured within the Armed Forces, both in terms of access to and development of a military career.

Equality is an objective for which the Ministry of Defense has rolled out various normative measures, included the Concilia Plan, which aims to harmonize professional and family life for military personnel. The plan includes measures for flexible working hours, day leave for legal guardians and nursing mothers, paid compassionate leave and specific measures to protect victims of gender-based violence.

miradas al exterior 47

profile news ● culture and society

with thanks to ... Miguel Delibes

Author from the Castilian realist school, his legacy to us is a literary Salón de Otoño full of common folk, hunt scenes and episodes of rural and provincial life in Spain during the second half of the twentieth century. By JACOBO GARCÍA (JOURNALIST)

The innocent saints always return

❖ The (essentially realist) world of fiction that Miguel Delibes created over the course of several decades of hard work is the world of agriculture, shepherding, stockbreeding, hunting and fishing known by our parents and grandparents and that is either on the verge of disappearing or has already done so. ❖ If there is someone in Spanish literature who fits the title of Catcher in the Rye (from J.D. Salinger's famous novel) like a glove, it is he: a meticulous and tireless observer of people's souls and the secrets of nature hidden in the wheat fields of Valladolid where he was born and has always lived.

❖ He made us walk innumerable kilometers up and down hillsides in pursuit of hares, partridges and foxes during exhausting yet unforgettable days. Using hairs and signs, he told us about the ways of life of a rural society that resisted surrendering their souls to the matted earth of the Castilian plateau. Towards the end of his career, he invited us to cry at the tomb of the exceptional women of red on a grey background with whom he had shared his adult life. Today he remains silent, after having left us a legacy of hard, direct work in chiaroscuro; sometimes gloomy but never prettied up, and with his cards always face-up on the table.

❖ His rich, naturalist vocabulary, in addition to allowing philologists to document and enrich their Spanish language dictionaries, reminds us that the earth will continue to be there even after the last of the cement towers that represent purely material progress and development falls. And so that, when this moment arrives, Homo Hispanicus, who will no longer remember the names of things in the natural world, can choose either to give them new names or resurrect those they had before. ❖ His work, which joins the body of restless, social literature of the 1950s, is indebted in part to the picaresque novel, the great Spanish painters of the Siglo de Oro and the documentary Las Hurdes (Tierra sin pan) filmed by Luis Buñuel in 1932, and in part to Italian neorealism. From the former he learned the art of portraying and ruthlessly analyzing a divided and disorganized society. From the second group, he learned the concept of love as the only possible redemption for a human being. ❖ Marked by the pessimism of those who lived through the war, his Christian humanism and classic stoicism allow him to live with one foot in culture and the other in nature - both of which are seriously under threat. His somber predictions for the future of the human race will either come true or not. Human societies will either evolve towards this

Orwellian and homogenous magma that the author-hunter from Valladolid so feared, or towards a community of increasingly free and conscious human beings. However, if our successors, rather than continuing to fell trees and periodically embroiling themselves in civil wars, do not change tack, his predictions will become a reality. ❖ For certain human beings at the center of the earth and at the bottom of the pile who will never know the joy of living, Delibes found a name that was soon embraced: innocent saints.

He found them in the lands of Extremadura, the last bastion of latifundism and therefore of extreme poverty, but he could have easily found them elsewhere. At the height of developmental and consumer fever, he dared to remind us that people were living side by side with us in terrible conditions; people who did not know the benefits of an industrialized and urban society. ❖ The native innocent saints have been replaced by others, who today wander the fields and highlands where Azarías and other characters from his most famous novel once lived. They come from outside in the hope of slipping into the electronically-controlled citadel of the First World. And they raise their voices to ask a new Delibes to tell us who they are and how they live, because we do not know. As so often happens, we look the other way.

 cooperation On September 8 and for the third year running since the Aid Worker Statute was passed in 2006, the Spanish government celebrated the Day of the Aid Worker, with the aim of expressly acknowledging the work done by Spanish aid workers in the fight against poverty.

September 8 was the Day of the Aid Worker ARTICLE and photos by: aecid communications.

● The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Secretary of State for International Cooperation and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID) came together this year to celebrate this day held in honor the efforts of volunteer aid workers and the values of solidarity they represent.

These public institutions, together with other actors in Spanish cooperation - the Autonomous Communities, the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), the Spanish NGO Coordinator for Development (CONGDE) and the Spanish Religious Conference (CONFER)- organized a variety of activities both in Spain and abroad, to promote social recognition of this group and the dissemination and promotion of the values represented by aid workers working for community development.

Among the events taking place in Spain to commemorate this day (in addition to the broadcasting of various commercials, available at www.aecid.es) was a reception for Spanish aid workers held on September 8 at the Palace of Santa Cruz on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and accompanied by the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Soraya Rodríguez. During the event a commemorative plaque was unveiled in memory of the aid workers killed in conflict zones.

The Vice Prime Minister of the Government, Maria Teresa Fernández de la Vega, used her speech at the 5th Conference of Ambassadors that took place during this period at the AECID, to expressly acknowledge the gratitude that the Spanish government feels towards aid workers, as well as to emphasize the commitment to reach 0.7% of GDP

A huge thank you for your commitment and work Soraya Rodríguez secretary of state for international cooperation

This third year celebrating the Day of the Aid Worker since the Spanish government passed the Aid Worker Statute in 2006 has been a

in this administrative term.

Also, aid workers spread throughout different communities, provinces and towns organized talks, seminars and receptions that have helped to bring the reality of volunteering and the work done by aid workers into the local arena, making society aware of how public cooperation policies are put into action locally and how the volunteers contribute to this.

● Concerts on the Day of the Aid Worker. On September 8, the Plaza de Cabestreros in the Madrid district of Lavapiés hosted one of the concerts celebrating the Day of the Aid Worker, organized by the Secretary of State for International Cooperation and the AECID in collaboration with Madrid City Council and the La Corrala Residents Association.

In a party atmosphere, actor Jesús Cisneros provided the warm-up: the campaign commercial and images of Spanish cooperation programs were displayed on the screens, and following the release of hundreds of balloons that colored the night sky, the show began.

The German band 'Dissidenten' created an atmosphere filled with the Arabic and Hindu sounds of their world music. With the square already bursting with people, all the way from Argentina

ver y satisfying experience for me and has also had a ver y special meaning, as it coincides with the 5th Conference of Ambassadors. We've felt it coming closer together, the connection between the body of our representatives abroad and other important ambassadors supporting Spanish aid workers. And if this day takes on a genuine meaning, it is out there in the countries where

the ambassadors and aid workers are located.

The overall aim of the Day of the aid worker is undoubtedly to publicize the work that thousands of aid workers carr y out abroad and to institutionally and socially acknowledge this group of people, but it's also an opportunity to learn more about the values they defend, where and with whom they

miradas al exterior 49 cooperation

Top left: The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, accompanied by the Secretary of State for International Cooperation at the unveiling of the commemorative plaque in the Palace of Santa Cruz, for the aid workers killed in conflict zones.

Top right: Meeting held for the Day of the Aid Worker in Cuba Others: Images of the concerts held in Coslada and in the Madrid district of LavapiĂŠs. PHOTOS AECID.

work, how they are welcomed, what we are doing in the development cooperation sector and how it can support ever yone who wants to get involved in this commitment to achieve a better life for all human beings. And I think that the effort made by all parties: central, autonomous and local government, the NGDO, religious groups, and the media is starting to bear fruits.

What we want to highlight is that commitment in the fight against the poverty of a nation has its end points of action on the ground. Also, to show that cooperation is not simply a commitment to the less fortunate, it is above all a commitment to make the world a fairer, more egalitarian, more peaceful and safer place. And to move forward with this requires commitment and professionalism.

â—? news

came 'Actitud Maria Marta' who got the audience dancing to Latin hip-hop with their aggressive and socially significant lyrics, delighting the multicultural audience who enjoyed the atmosphere of the emblematic square.

On Friday 12, the historic auditorium 'El Lago de Coslada' hosted the concert held by the town to lend its support to the Day of the Aid Worker Celebrations.

Ten o'clock saw the beginning of a concert by 'La Sucursal’, a group from Argentina who have settled in the Barrio del Raval in Barcelona. Their rhythms evoked the best moments of the Latin Movement in 1960s and 1970s New York.

During September, over thirty AECID Technical Cooperation Offices located abroad took part in promoting the Day of the Aid Worker campaign, organizing activities, talks, debates, photography competitions, and receptions for the aid workers from different countries, for the purpose of acknowledging their role in the cooperation system and forging links that enable working in coordination with shared goals and values.

I am aware that over recent years, people have been working non-stop to raise the status of aid workers. The Aid Worker Statute is a step for ward which, at the same time, settled a debt with the 1998 Cooperation Act. It created a regulator y framework for the rights and obligations of aid workers, to whom we are all indebted. There are still things to do, important

issues to improve on; because of this, all of us actors have committed to keep working to apply the rights included in the Statute (such as aid for education, health care and creating job opportunities for returning aid workers).

Within the framework of the future Cooperation Act, which this legislature has committed to, we can make even more progress.

50 miradas al exterior cooperation

● news

A PRINT RUN OF 5,000 COPIES

The translation of Bodas de Sangre into Amharic strengthens ties between Spain and Ethiopia

■ The spanish Ambassador to Addis Ababa hosted the book launch for 'yedem Gabecha', the Amharic translation of Federico García Lorca's ‘bodas de sangre’ (blood Wedding), carried out by the renowned poet and playwright, Ayalneh mulatu.

The book was presented by the spanish Ambassador (Carmen de la peña), the Ethiopian minister of Culture and Tourism (mohammud dirir) and the translator himself. during the event, the spanish Ambassador said that this translation represents an huge step forward in the development of cultural relations between spain and Ethiopia, within the framework of the Cultural Cooperation Agreement signed in 2007. mohammud dirir, the minister of Culture and Tourism, added that the translation was an extraordinary event that has brought world literature closer to Ethiopian culture, which is very familiar with the themes of the book, as it deals with impulses and violent passion, death, blood, fertility and sexuality, as well as the taboos that exist in all conventional societies. There were 5,000 copies printed of the first edition of Yedem Gabecha (bodas de sangre), published with the help of the AECId-spanish Embassy in Ethiopia. These copies will be distributed around the various universities and libraries as well as educational and cultural centers.

They also hope to hold a

Unloading of humanitarian aid at Haiti airport. PHOTO AECID.

MORE THAN 120 TONS

Spain sends 6 humanitarian aid planes to Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica ■ In an unprecedented operation, the AECID, through its Humanitarian Action Office, coordinated three emergency operations to help deal with the massive damage caused in the Caribbean in the aftermath of hurricanes Hannah, Gustav and Ike. Thanks to the strategic location (in Panama) of the recently opened Logistics Center for Spanish Cooperation in Latin America (which joins the one which the AECID has had for years at Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base in Madrid), and the close collaboration with the Technical Offices of Collaboration and Embassies in the various affected countries, the aid arrived immediately and in continuous coordination with the local authori-

ties and United Nations agencies operating in this region.

Jamaica. The first shipment was sent from Panama to Jamaica on September 2, in the aftermath of hurricane Gustav and following the aid request made by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management in Jamaica, which sent a list of basic requirements to the Spanish Embassy. The shipment included 6 tons of basic supplies for those displaced by the disaster, including sheets, tarpaulins and hygiene kits.

Haiti. This country received three planes chartered by the AECID. On the 3rd, 17 tons of shelter

materials arrived from Panama, enough for 5,000 people. For the first time the United Nations also sent material through the AECID, making use of its response capacity and speed, including the Spanish shipment of boats and electricity generators, donated by the World Food Program (WFP). The planes that followed carried more than 2 tons of health supplies, as well as electrical generators donated by Civil Defense, 2 drinking water plants and 32 tons of energy bars, among other supplies.

Cuba The first shipment comprised 15 tons of humanitarian supplies containing family tents, generator sets, collapsible water tanks, etc. A second plane brought 17 tons of food supplied by the WFP. Currently the AECIS is still observing the situation in these countries, for which possible reconstruction aid and assistance for basic inhabitability are being considered.

miradas al exterior cooperation

book launch at the University of Addis Ababa, so that this theatrical work can be disseminated widely among students.

BOLIVIA

9th International Film and Video Festival for Indigenous Communities ■ Under the slogan "Celebrating the Struggle of the World's Indigenous Communities", the 9th International Film and Video Festival for Indigenous Communities was held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia), supported by the AECID's Indigenous Program. Bolivia became the world capital of indigenous film for the 9th edition of the festival. It was held in the cities of Santa Cruz de la Sierra and La Paz from September 10 through 13 and 14 through 20, respectively.

Since 1985, the Latin American Coordinator of Film and Communication for Indigenous Communities (CLACPI) has been encouraging the celebration of various international film and video festivals in different Latin American countries such

Poster for the film screening.

as Brazil, Venezuela, Peru and Mexico. With this, the CLACPI is trying to assert the full social, political and cultural acknowledgement of indigenous communities; to highlight the value of image and communication for celebrating a pluralistic world where indigenous communities can build the future they are looking for; to encourage the production of cinematographic and videographic works that give a voice and portray indigenous communities in positive light; and to strengthen the ties between indigenous and non-indigenous communicators from different continents that are fighting for a fairer world and the full acknowledgement of the right to self-determination.

It is therefore worth highlighting that this edition of the festival received over 250 works, and eventually selected 86 from countries as far apart as Algeria, Australia, Canada, Guatemala and India, to be presented at the official screening.

FOOD CRISIS

11.6 million euros for cooperation on food security and sovereignty in developing countries ■ Due to the world food crisis, which is having a profound effect on developing countries, the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AECID) has made a special call for aid to NGDOs to carry out food security and sovereignty cooperation projects in developing countries. The special call is for 7.6 million euros, an

● news

Aerial view of the Spanish Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Exhibition EFE

amount derived from higherthan-expected takings by the IRPF, which is normally devoted to increasing the annual calls for cooperation projects made by the AECID. Alongside the special call, the AECID has a credit reserve fund (approximately 4 million euros) for these types of projects in permanent open call for the 2008 tax year, which is currently active. Thus, the AECID will assign a total of 11.6 million euros for projects aimed at alleviating the food crisis in developing countries.

The priorities of the special call are focused on the lines of action set out by Spanish cooperation's Strategy to Fight Hunger in its goal to promote respect, protection and the guarantee of the right to food for populations in highly vulnerable and threatened positions. This call prioritizes intervention in the priority countries defined by the Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation 2005-2008, where food sovereignty figures among the strategic lines of action in the National Strategy Documents, the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and those included on the list of 'Countries in Crisis' by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which are also included

among the geographic areas of priority for Spanish cooperation.

WORKS BY 50 ARCHITECTS

11th Biennial Architecture Exhibition in Venice ■ On September 2 2008, at the headquarters of the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, the project that will represent Spain at the 11th Biennial Architecture Exhibition in Venice was presented. As has become the norm in recent years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, along with the Ministry of Housing, will collaborate in this new Biennial Architecture Exhibition in Venice through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). This time Soledad del Pino and Ángel Fernández Alba have been chosen as the organizers for the Spanish pavilion. Their project, entitled "From the building to the image without paper" includes the works of 50 Spanish architects from different generations and undertakes to reflect, as a result, a contemporary and global vision of architecture.

The 11th Biennial Architecture exhibition will end on November 23, 2008.

51

52

miradas al exterior miscellaneous

● publications

This is the section where all readers are invited to contribute, a forum where our readers can share reviews of common interest. Institutions, organizations, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAEC) officers who wish to contribute to this section may submit their work to the following address: Revista “Miradas al exterior”. Dirección General de Comunicación Exterior. Serrano Galvache, 26.

28034 MADRID

> ‘Going Dutch in Beijing: The International Guide to Doing the Right Thing’, Mark McCrum. Editorial Ariel.

We're told that we live in a “global village”, but in spite of ever-more frequent and speedier travel and the rise of interculturalism, the "village" still seems to carry more weight than the "global". Local customs are not easily done away with, and each culture has its peculiarities that could lead to a clueless traveler provoking an international incident. This enjoyable and intelligent book is a survival guide with tips on when and where a well-meaning word or gesture could be taken as offensive, and information about the unique customs related to greetings, gifts, meals, dates, weddings, funerals and superstitions in the furthest corners of the planet.

> ‘Summits’, David Reynolds. Editorial Ariel.

Hitler and Chamberlain in Munich in 1938; Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin in Yalta in

1945; Kennedy and Khrushchev in Vienna in 1961; Nixon and Brezhnev in Moscow in 1972; Carter, Sadat and Begin in Camp David in 1978; Gorbachev and Reagan in Geneva in 1985. Six political summits that shaped the 20th century, from the outbreak of the Second World War through the end of the Cold War, covering the post-war division of Europe, the extreme nuclear tension between the superpowers that reached its climax in the Cuban missile crisis, and the attempts to pacify the powder keg of the Near East.

Six highly significant historic moments, six stories of the power of diplomacy related

by David Reynolds in this passionate book, which explores how the leaders faced their opponents, played their cards and subjected themselves to huge physical and emotional pressure during meetings whose results could have meant life or death for millions of people.

> ‘Las armas de ayer’, Max Marambio. Editorial Debate.

Thirty-five years after the Tuesday, September 11 that ended the revolutionary dream and peace in Chile, this book reports some unknown chapters in the history of the country's armed insurgence and its chief protagonists through the story of one of the privileged witnesses of those tumultuous years: a young militant leftist whose revolutionary convictions led him to put himself in the frontline of the seminal events of a Latin

American generation.

After the attack on La Moneda presidential palace, the young revolutionary assigned himself one last desperate mission: to defend the Cuban Embassy and ensure that the arsenal of weapons left behind by the Cubans was delivered to the resistance that was fighting to be free of the repression of Pinochet's army. His fascinating story of the ten long months of resistance in the embassy, alongside the refugees and fugitives of the new regime, belongs to the epic of the anonymous heroes of those days.

> ‘Anuario Internacional 2008’. Fundación CIDOB. The Fundación CIDOB (International Relations and Development Research Center) has just released its yearbook for 2008. The continuing hegemony of the United States in an increasingly multipolar world, the war on terrorism, the situation in the Near East and the Mediterranean, the evolution of Pakistan and Afghanistan, the process of European integration, the situation in

Latin America and the role of Russia and China are the main themes addressed by Xavier Batalla, associate director of the magazine Vanguardia Dossier, in his article dedicated to the analysis of international relations in 2007. The Yearbook also includes articles analyzing the international economic situation, the evolution and the external action of the EU, as well as energy security in the old continent, Spain's foreign relations and the Spanish foreign economic sector, among others.

#LAVES PARA INTERPRETAR LA 0OLÓTICA %XTERIOR %SPA×OLA Y LAS 2ELACIONES ONALES EN NACI )NTER 0ERFIL DE PAÓS .IGERIA Y SU ENTORNO REGIONAL

The 19th edition of the CIDOB International Yearbook provides a systematic monitoring of the international panorama and of Spanish foreign policy. This year, the regular "Country Profile" chapter is dedicated to Nigeria and the surrounding region. Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa with 140 million inhabitants and the second biggest economic power on the continent, plays a key role in Western Africa, a region of growing interest for Spanish foreign policy. The chapter analyzes the current situation of the African giant in

miradas al exterior miscellaneous

detail, as well as the process of regional integration in Western Africa.

> ‘Colección Cultura y Desarrollo’. AECID Issue 7 of the collection, “Gestión Cultural e identidad: claves para el desarrollo” is offered as a combination of theoretical elements backed up by years of experience in administration, study, analysis, literature, testing of the literature and reflecting on the initiatives of various public, private and voluntary sector administrations, as well as in the field of education. The author, Héctor Ariel Olmos, starts with the idea of cultural administration as a lever for human development to the extent that it is based on an open and operative concept of culture, and takes into account the identifying features of the societies in which it is deployed. In a world where identities play an increasingly central role, any development initiative that fails to consider them is doomed to failure. > ‘Muchas veces me pediste que te contara esos años’, Juan Cruz. Editorial Alfaguara "Muchas veces me pediste que te contara esos años" is a book about love and journalism, and about the passage of time. It is a book of many adventures and many cities, from Milan to London, from Buenos Aires to Madrid, that draws upon the author's experience as a journalist and immerses us in a literary style that is predominantly evocative and poetic.

It is a chronicle of weariness, the true story of a man who has spent his life leaving when he wanted to stay; a

full life, brimming over with experiences, feelings and friendships, which has now reached the point where its protagonist looks back on it and finds he is worn out, overloaded with memories.

Juan Cruz was born in 1948, in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

He has worked as a journalist for the daily newspaper "El País" since its foundation in 1976. He has worked in nearly every capacity for the paper, and his work has taken him all over the world.

> ‘Los mares de Wang’, Gabi Martínez. Editorial Alfaguara ”And why did you come so far to see our seas?” This question from an illegal taxi driver who has just picked him up from the vicinity of Beijing Airport marks the beginning of Gabi Martinez's intense voyage; his passionate, personal exploration of China's coastal zones. Nanjing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macao: it is here that the official communist ideology co-exists fully with the free market system; here, where millions of rural workers from continental China come in search of employment; and here where we find the burgeoning ecstatic enclaves of a China

without uniforms, a China dressed in colors and utterly devoted to the most unbridled consumerism.

The author's method is to get close to the people: executives, young people, prostitutes, swindlers, street vendors, foreigners living in the country, business people, tour guides; an endless array of lightning portraits and real-life dialogues come to life on the book's pages. The book also includes 120 photographs taken by the author himself. This extensive contact with a cultural fabric so opposed to his own leads to a deep reflection on the part of the author, a contemporary European who adheres to the most refined individualism, an open-minded intellectual convinced of his right to question everything, to satisfy his natural curiosity by traveling the world in search of answers.

> ‘Religión y espiritualidad en la sociedad japonesa contemporánea’, Federico Lanzaco. University of Zaragoza.

In October, Casa Asia launched ‘Religión y espiritualidad en la sociedad japonesa’. This book questions the supposed "irreligios-

● publications

53

ity" of today's Japanese in a hyper-technified and hypercapitalist society. Taking a look at a range of current religious practices in Japan (Shinto, Buddhism, Taoism, new religious movements, Christianity and Confucianism), it analyzes the reasons

why the Japanese display a critical attitude towards them.

In spite of this, the principles of Japanese spirituality, which has its roots deep in tradition and particular idiosyncrasies, are still fundamental in the lives of most of the population. Surprisingly, the official statistics show a total of 211 million believers, while the total population of Japan is only 127 million. This is the eclectic and pluralistic reality of Japan, in which an individual has no qualms about claiming belief in several religions at the same time.

> ‘Memoria 2007’, Casa África.

Casa África has recently published its report on its activities in 2007, offering a detailed review of the first year of existence of this institution with its headquarters in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The content of the publication includes the list of agreements signed last year, as well as a detailed account of activities divided into four areas:

54 miradas al exterior miscellaneous

● publications

academic, economic, cultural, and social programs and cooperation. It also includes an appendix of the main activities planned for this year.

> ‘Los judíos hispanomarroquíes (1492-1973)’.

Jacobo Israel. Editorial Casa Sefarad-Israel and Hebraica Ediciones With this new book, the author seeks to offer an overview of the history and social and cultural characteristics of Spanish Moroccan Jews, a unique group in terms of their language and culture, both in the context of Moroccan Judaism and within the Sephardic or Judeo-Spanish group. The first part of the work highlights the historical aspects of the geographical area before the arrival of the Spanish Jews, and those associated with them, in 1492. The second part of the work brings together the cultural, social and organizational aspects that have characterized Jewish Spanish Moroccan society, in order that this community, now vanished and surviving only in exile, may be better understood and appreciated. > ‘Rehabilitación del Palacio de Viana’. Published by the Directorate General of Foreign Communication, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation In recognition of the renovation of the Viana Palace, the Directorate General of Foreign

Viana Rehabilitación del Palacio de

Communication has published this commemorative book of photographs highlighting the substantial refurbishment of the historic headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. The book, with a prologue by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, offers a photographic review of the architectural and artistic wealth of one of the most significant assets of the State. The book also includes a brief historical summary

by Ambassador José Antonio Urbina. The work is available from the publications section of the Ministry's website (www. maec.es).

V CONFERENCIA DE DIPLOMACIA PÚBLIC

photographic review is offered of the most significant activities of the past year. Another work has also been published with the title ‘Líneas Generales de la IX Legislatura’, compiling the parliamentary speeches of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Secretaries of State during the current administration. Both publications can be found in the publications section of the Ministry's website (www.maec. es).

EMBAJADORES

A Y POLÍTICA EXTERI

OR

MADRID 8-11 SEPTIEMBRE 2008

Instrumentos de la nueva Diplomacia Pública Española

> ‘Instrumentos de la nueva Diplomacia Pública Española’. Published by the Directorate General of Foreign Communication, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation As working material from the 5th Conference of Ambassadors, the Directorate General of Foreign Communication has published this work in collaboration with the Cervantes Institute, Casa América, Casa Asia, Casa Árabe, Casa África and Casa Sefarad-Israel. The work offers an overview of the new public diplomacy as modeled in the work of these organizations. With an introduction by each institution, a

> ‘La gran apuesta. Globalización y multinacionales españolas en América Latina’. Ramón Casilda and Santos M. Ruesga.

Ediciones Granica.

We live immersed in a process of globalization that has many different dimensions, among which its economic component is especially notable. The many transformations that this process has entailed have as a whole been beneficial for both consumers and companies, in both developed and developing countries. The importance of the Spanish presence for the Latin American economies consists not only in the level of investment, but also in qualitative terms, as it has been concentrated in strategic sectors for the develop-

ment and well-being of the population, such as telecommunications, the energy sector, the financial system and transport infrastructures, among others. In addition to generating employment and providing goods and services that ensure competitiveness in other economic sectors, these investments are contributing noticeably to expanding the coverage of basic services to the majority of the population, thus helping to improve social and territorial cohesion.

Taken from the prologue by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Spanish Prime Minister.

> ‘Extremo Occidente’.

Juan Carlos Castillón.

Editorial Debate.

At what point will the United States cease to be an extension of Europe? This is one of the questions that the author attempts to answer, making use of a history abounding in anecdotes to explain a country that is hard for us to understand precisely because it so much resembles our own. After living for twenty-one years in the United States, the author is able to speak to us of the origin of this people based on his own experience in the community of Little Havana in Miami. Over these years, he has lived under four presidents: Reagan, Clinton and the two Bushes, and has been able to witness the response of the American people to 9/11, the wars that followed it and all of the election campaigns since 1980.

The relationship that Americans have with God, guns, the death penalty, their neighbors, justice, Europe and war are examined in these pages, filtered through the irony of this skeptical spectator.

 interview

“I have sought a unIversal language” He took his first steps as a student of the great Vázquez Díaz. But as an artist, Rafael Canogar has never stagnated-rather, he has allowed his work to evolve at the forefront of artistic expression in search of a universal language. And he has continued along this path, notwithstanding the frequently visceral isolation the journey entails, while grudgingly accepting the fact that even some of his closest colleagues consider him a deserter.

In spite of his prominence as one of the foremost contemporary artistsandsculptors,Canogartendstoshyawayfromthespotlight and feels that success can frequently become a trap of which one must remain ever wary. He is an advocate of artistic freedom and independence and firmly believes that art must be, first and foremost,criticalinnature.Heiscurrentlyimmersedinwhatcouldbe consideredasynthesisofallthepathshehasexplored.Heclassifies hispaintingasabstract,butconverselyexpresseshisdesiretowork withreality.Hisobjective:tocontinuesearchingfortheanswersto new questions.

Rafael Canogar

miradas al exterior rafael canogar

â—? interview

57

58 miradas al exterior rafael canogar

● interview

BY: luis sánchez PHOTOGRAPHY: Ángel zorita

— You really couldn't have made a more classic entrance into the world of painting than as a student at Daniel Vázquez Díaz's studio. What sort of requirements did you have to meet to become the student of a great master like Vázquez Díaz?

— It was really sort of accidental in many ways. There are no artists in my family--I am the first--and so we didn't fully comprehend the importance of apprenticeship. However, what I did know at the time was that I wanted to be a painter. When I was 13, my family moved, for business reasons, to San Sebastián where I had the good fortune to end up living in the same neighborhood as Jesús Olasagasti, a renowned Basque painter, and my father asked him to take a look at some of my drawings. Olasagasti recommended me to another Basque painter, Martiarena, under whom I studied for the time we were living in San Sebastián.

— So Martiarena was in fact your first teacher.

— When my family returned to Madrid, Martiarena urged me to keep painting, but under the instruction of someone with experience as both a professor and a painter.

He was the one who recommended me to Daniel Vázquez Díaz, about whom neither I nor my family knew anything at all. He asked me to show him some of my work, and then simply admitted me as a student.

Vázquez Díaz, who was a professor at the San Fernando School of Fine Arts at the time, also gave private instruction to six or seven students in his home. I spent five years with him.

— What was the most significant thing you learned as an apprentice to Vázquez

Díaz?

— He really was fundamental to my training. In him, I discovered a man of great sincerity, and a painter who was able to find that special something within his students, and help develop and encourage it when necessary.

His tutelage was extremely important, but the camaraderie of my companions was a key factor as well. The environment in the studio was exceptional: We went to exhibitions and the movies together, in the company of Vázquez Díaz himself, and discussed, sometimes heatedly, all sorts of ideas...

The studio itself was also a very interesting place--a place filled with experiences and memories. I remember there was, hanging in the studio, a small painting that Vázquez Díaz had done, depicting a room with a large wooden box. According to Vázquez Díaz, it was the first room Spanish painter Juan Gris had lived in, and the wooden box was the bed, where he slept to keep warm.

— Is it true that Vázquez Díaz's students, you in particular, were involved to a greater or lesser extent in the creation of his works?

— That concept of a studio is from another age entirely, when painters hired apprentices on salary. That was certainly not our case--we did not actually work in his studio. He had a separate studio specifically for his students.

However, it is true is that when I first arrived at the studio at 14, I felt immediately drawn to Vázquez Díaz's paintings-they seemed to reflect my own desires and aspirations. So I started to paint like him, and Vázquez Díaz did mention once or twice that I should help him with some painting he was working on. But I assure

you that those comments were infrequent and mostly in jest.

Besides, in those days, Vázquez Díaz hardly painted at all: He said he enjoyed being with his students much more, talking and giving advice. I believe our company rejuvenated him in a sense. He had all but abandoned painting by that time, because he was also spending a lot of time caring for his wife, who was ill.

— I'd like to ask what may seem like a trivial question, if I may: Is it possible to learn to paint, or is it a skill or talent you have to be born with?

— You do need some innate ability, but it can be learned as well. What I learned with Vázquez Díaz was his love for painting--his sincerity. He provided the foundation I needed, which has influenced all my work from that point on. I left the studio after five years, and it was really hard to say good-bye to everything I had found there.

Even though I had turned to a different style, abstraction, Vázquez Díaz encouraged me to stay and help other students.

But what I really needed was to kind of get away, and create my own space.

— You chose to take a chance and not take the easy road.

— That's the way I am. Vázquez Díaz was a first step, but during those formative years, I was becoming more and more interested in the contemporary artists of the day, and spent a lot of time searching for documents and books about painters like Gris, Picasso, and Miró. It was during my first trip to Paris, even though at the time I was still studying at the studio, that I discovered Art Informel--a movement that caught my attention almost immediately.

— Now this was in 1950. The contrast between Paris at that time and the Madrid you were living in--at the height of Franco's rule--must have been astounding.

— Oh, yes. We have forgotten what Spain was like under Franco, but if we take a trip down memory lane, it is easy to see how surprising it was that such intellectual poverty and negligence could be allowed to flourish for so long.

I remember when the members of the El Paso Group held exhibitons in Madrid, the attacks we received were downright vicious. But we didn't let that worry us. In fact, just the opposite--attacks like these

miradas al exterior rafael canogar

With Vázquez-Díaz what I learned was a love for painting sincerity

Success for the El Paso Group came all too soon. The journey across the desert of cultural deficit turned out to be much shorter than we could have ever hoped

The art the El Paso Group was creating was in a sense a cry a cry for attention, a cry for change

showed us that we were headed in the right direction.

— Letting the dogs bark as you go by, so to speak.

— Something to that effect. Today, you can be as new and original as you like in the world of art, and nobody is really surprised.

But during those years, the attacks were a physical reminder that we were the avantgarde--something that just doesn't happen anymore.

— Deep down, it was also an aesthetic reaction to the moral deficit of Franco's regime.

— It certainly was. I felt an immediate attraction toward these new forms of expression and new ways of exercising that feeling of freedom. The new, avant-garde artistic forms provided us with a framework, and our access to other references and the opportunities for comparison were an immense help as well.

All the artists of my generation were raised by parents who had experienced the civil war years firsthand, and had sided with one group or the other. In my home, we did not speak of politics and what little was said was invariably in opposition to the current regime. Thus, my artistic and socio-political education centered on opposition to the regime and an interest in other ways of thinking. Throughout my artistic career, I have sought a universal language, but I have always rejected political propaganda.

— Would it be safe to say that the formation of the El Paso Group was the first reaction of Spain's artistic and cultural avant-garde to the Franco regime?

— Most definitely. A reaction born in Vázquez Díaz's studio--initiated by people who called on him and came to see what we, his students, were doing. Salvador Dalí, after many years abroad, came through Madrid and stopped by the studio to see Vázquez Díaz. That was where I first met him. During his stay in Madrid, Dalí gave a conference in the María Guerrero Theater, in '53 or '54 if I remember correctly. As an avant-garde representative, he generated so much interest that the theater was filled to capacity for the entire conference. The way he began the conference was quite interesting. He said: “Picasso is a genius, so am I; Picasso is a communist, neither am I”.

● interview

59

In any case, every artist passing through Madrid would, out of interest, pay a visit to Vázquez Díaz. I was thus able to meet several painters, critics, and writers.

I met poet Manuel Conde, who later joined the El Paso Group as well, and we became great friends. Through Manuel Conde I also met Luis Feito...

— And gradually a core group of people sharing similar ideas was formed.

— It was in 1955 that the first centre to openly defend abstract painting--the Fernando Sen Gallery--opened in Puerta del Sol. It probably did not make tremendous amounts of money selling paintings, but it did have significant repercussions on the world of art. The movement itself grew gradually: When Manolo Millares moved to Madrid from the Canary Islands, he contacted us, as well as Antonio Saura and others. We started meeting in cafes, especially the Teide Cafe, which was close to the Gijón Cafe.

However, despite its reputation, we always refrained from attending discussions at the Gijón Cafe. These meetings gave rise to a group willing to do battle--not so much in defense of a particular aesthetic, but rather as an active movement intended to create a structure favorable to the understanding and dissemination of contemporary art.

— What did the El Paso Group represent in this movement?

— The Group was an active participant, but our participation was always in collaboration with other individuals. For example, I should mention José Luis Fernández del Amo, who was the first director of the Madrid Contemporary Art Museum, which was set up on the premises of the National Library. It was a modest museum that had hardly any funding and only a few staff members, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in spirit and intrepidness.

Fernández del Amo helped us put together a very significant exhibition consisting of representative works of all the great masters of contemporary painting. We also put together another exhibition, also in the National Library museum, featuring the great masters of the New York School. This exhibition was sponsored by the MOMA and we members of the El Paso Group played a significant role in setting it up, as the

60 miradas al exterior rafael canogar

● interview

The artist who hopes to remain at the forefront has a duty to change and grow in order to keep with the times

Actually, my work has always been somewhere between abstraction and neo-expressionism.

Today, I have become immersed in a sort of synthesis

Mercantilism has invaded the world of art, and has prostituted and manipulated it

museum headed by Fernández del Amo lacked the necessary specialized staff.

As members of the Group, we also gave lectures, collaborated with musicians and architects, and printed informative pamphlets...

— Hard at work rocking the boat and spreading propaganda.

— But I should also mention that success came all too soon. We were willing to keep fighting and living in those conditions for as long as we needed to, because we really didn't know anything else. However, our work got attention...

— That was the point.

— It all began when the Group was able to convince the Spanish commissary in charge of selecting the works for the international biennial expositions to bring in art from the Spanish avant-garde, the defenders of the new art. And I don't mean only the members of the El Paso Group, but others such as Tàpies and Chillida as well. As it turned out, we were taken to the 1958 Biennale in Venice and the whole world was surprised that a country, so culturally unknown at the time, could produce artists with so much maturity and personality.

After the Biennale, museums from around the world opened their doors to us; we were sought by buyers and critics, while sales of our works skyrocketed. In my case, from 1958 on, I could have sold much more had I painted more. It was a complete success.

In short, the journey across the desert of cultural deficit for which we had prepared ourselves turned out to be much shorter than we could have ever hoped.

— Were you ever in danger of drowning in success?

— Success can frequently become a trap, so you have to remain wary. I believe that that wariness is a part of my work and a part of my personal growth, which helps me avoid falling into the trap of success.

When collectors and the general public discover a successful artist, they want works from that artist that are immediately recognizable. You therefore become obligated to repeat the same formula over and over again. But that goes against the very nature of creativity.

The art the El Paso Group was creating at that time, in the context of Art Informel,

was in a sense a cry--a cry for attention, a cry for change, a cry to be heard. But that cry cannot go on forever, because it too will wane--over time it will seem out of place.

— You have always been a proponent of the need for continuous growth and change. Was this idea the basis for your changing course and moving toward realism?

— It certainly was. Not all artists need this sort of evolution; some manage to place themselves at the very edge of the avantgarde and work in complete isolation, forging their own relatively timeless path.

But the artist who hopes to remain at the forefront has a duty to change and grow in order to keep with the times. It was precisely this need to keep with the times, the cry for freedom that I hoped to portray in my work, that did not allow me to stagnate artistically and formed the basis for my change in course over time. This was in the '60s.

— I'm sure this was not only an aesthetic stand, but a highly political one as well.

— You have to realize that art is in fact politics, in the best sense of the word. We're talking about a time of global unrest--a time when the desire for social change toward greater equity and justice was spreading like wildfire throughout the world. I wanted those attitudes and feelings to be reflected in my painting.

— How can one develop the desire to change and grow: Is it a purely intellectual task or is it something much deeper?

— It is definitely deeper. I would describe it as even visceral. It is a restlessness that, once it reaches a certain point, leaves you no choice but to seek change and growth.

I just could not keep doing Art Informel. I wanted to express myself to myself using images from society, and I started doing realism, but this time as an avant-garde alternative. The idea was not to return to pre-abstraction symbolism, but rather to start from a new image of man and use it as an element of dialog in the media. A new element had become available--the mass media--and I wanted to use images from those sources as elements for reflection and meditation.

— Collective images, of the masses.

— The universal man, painted in black.

Thus, when I took my work to the Sao Paulo

miradas al exterior rafael canogar

● interview

61

Biennial in '79, these same concerns and aspirations struck an immediate chord with people from all over the world, from many different countries. And the judges awarded me the Grand Prize.

However, back in Spain, I eventually started to feel very lonely, as all the other members of the El Paso Group were still doing abstraction--still highly involved in Art Informel--and they started to see me as something of a defector. But in reality, what I was advocating was a continuation of the movement--an alternative.

— Even still, at the end of Franco's rule, you changed courses once again and returned to abstraction.

— In 1974, the Museum of Modern Art in Paris placed my final realist exhibition on display. This exhibit later traveled through various Scandinavian countries. In fact, the opening of the exhibition in the Swedish Lund Konsthalle Museum coincided practically to the minute with the parting shots of Franco's regime. The museum director recommended that I not attend the inauguration because, he said, no one would be as interested in my work as in my political views.

Interestingly, that same exhibition was later shown in Oslo, at the Sonia Heine Foundation, and its inauguration there coincided with Franco's death. The director of the Foundation even proposed a toast to the new Spain. That was, effectively, the last exhibition of my realist work.

— How did you deal with this new change?

— I realized I had reached a new level: I needed to recover the tools of a painter. I wanted to begin to test the limits of both the surface and the materials and I returned to full abstraction. I did do some Art Informel, but with less passion than before--these new works were much more reflective and analytical.

— Returning to your roots, but with more maturity, and refined by time and experience.

— Actually, my work has always been somewhere between abstraction and neoexpressionism. Today, I have become immersed in a sort of synthesis--an attempt to bring together all the paths I have explored previously. Quite honestly, I have to admit that I am drawn to both abstraction

62

miradas al exterior rafael canogar

● interview

I want to pay tribute to the two forces that have guided man's actions since the beginning of time: his destructive side and his constructive side But there comes a time, when you know what will happen almost immediately, that you must once again begin to search One can be critical as long as he or she remains independent-creating art that does not accept nor abide by the rules of the game set forth by the market

and neo-expressionism.

Currently, I am doing what I call fragmentation, as it is the result of breaking apart materials and then putting the pieces back together to form an entirely new piece.

— What is your intention, what do you hope to express through fragmentation?

— I want to pay tribute to the two forces that have guided man's actions since the beginning of time: his destructive side and his constructive side. Construction-deconstruction, building-destroying--that is the history of man. On the other hand, I want my work to be the result of manipulating the material itself, painted with very basic, black geometric figures. That is a reflection of another consistent trait of man, who invariably marks his territory using signs and codes that help us get around and tell us where we are.

I feel that my current painting style is abstract, but at the same time I am trying to work with reality. That is why I am trying to break away from the concept of a virtual space--a false sense of space that can fit inside a window. I am trying to work with materials that create their own format, and it is the juxtaposition of those materials that creates its own limits in a threedimensional space.

— These concepts can be seen in your latest exhibition, which is currently on display in Fuendetodos--the town where Goya was born. You have stated your admiration for Goya and your fascination with the color black.

— Many times I have said that in the '50s, those terribly sad years, at least we had the wonderfully good fortune to live by one of the world's greatest museums, the Museo del Prado. That is where we received our strength, from painters such as Velázquez, Goya, and Zurbarán. I feel that their influence permeates our work.

— Do you consider yourself a successor to them--part of a historical continuum?

— Certainly. Our work is marked by Zurbarán's austerity, Velázquez's intensity, and Goya's drama. I also believe that their influence gave us a powerful personality.

— “I continue to advocate more investigation and risk in the creation of art”.

You made this statement and it seems to define you as a painter.

— I am a worker who has produced many, many works of art. According to a catalog of my work that is currently underway, there are over 1,000 pieces, not counting sketches, of course. But there comes a time… when you know what will happen almost immediately, that is when you must once again begin to search, continue to investigate.

— So you don't lose interest, or begin to repeat yourself.

— I am convinced that, through their work, all artists attempt to answer the questions they ask themselves. But once you know the answer, then it is time to begin the search for new questions. In fact, I am now going through a period of intense restlessness, and want to start creating new works. I am scheduled for an exhibition in Madrid, and I don't want to present works that are already well-known. I am going to present paintings that are, in some way, new. I also want to open a new studio-essentially start over.

— You have also said that art must continue to be critical. How can one be critical through art in this day and age?

— One can be critical as long as one remains independent--creating art that does not accept nor abide by the rules of the game set forth by the market. Once you give up that freedom--the freedom to be critical--you have fallen into the trap and the market will do with you what it will.

Again, we must remain wary and place everything under the microscope.

— Basically, the idea is to find a balance between the need to sell, but remain honest enough to keep from thinking that anything goes as long as you make money.

— Exactly. Mercantilism has invaded the world of art, and has prostituted and manipulated it. There are companies that offer to purchase large numbers of paintings (300 or more) from an artist, for a sum that can seem quite attractive.

But that will be your end as a painter, because at that point it is that company, not you the artist, who controls the work-and you become merely an accessory.

And the moment the formula stops working, they will dump you and find someone else.

miradas al exterior rafael canogar

profile Although he was born in Toledo in 1935, Rafael Canogar's training as an artist began first in San Sebastián, where his family had moved for business reasons, and then in Madrid, where he studied at the studio of master painter Daniel Vázquez Díaz. It was Vázquez Díaz who provided the foundation for his art and gave him his love for painting. But Rafael Canogar decided at a very young age that his place was at the forefront and turned to the great contemporary artists to find the path he would follow. ● He is a founding member of the El Paso Group, a movement that brought together the most talented artists in rebellion against the

mediocrity of the Franco regime during the '50s and '60s. ● Since his first solo exposition in 1954 at the Altamira Gallery in Madrid, Canogar has continued his work and his art never fails to end up on display at the most highly respected galleries and museums throughout the world. His work can also be found in countless museums and public collections. He defines himself as "a worker", and it is the quality and variety, as well as the sheer quantity, of his work that sets it apart. ● Throughout his career, Rafael Canogar has been the recipient of many awards and distinctions, including the Grand Prize at the Sao Paulo Biennial in 1979 and the National Prize for the Plastic Arts in 1982, among others.

● interview

63

From Left to Right.

Works of Rafael Canogar on display at a retrospective exhibition of his work at the Queen Sofía Museum in 2001. Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain listen to explanations by the artist during a visit to an exhibition held in Buenos Aires in 2003. Canogar receives the title of Distinguished Son of Toledo, his place of birth, from Mayor José Manuel Molina in May of 2002.

King Juan Carlos awards him the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts in the city of Cáceres. The artist, together with Martín Chirino, Antonio Suárez, and Luis Feito, members of the "El Paso" Group, the most important such group of the '60s, at an organized showing of their works in Madrid.

-).)34%2)/ $% !35.4/3 %84%2)/2%3 9 $% #//0%2!#) .

GOBIERNO DE ESPAÑA -).)34%2)/ $% !35.4/3 %84%2)/2%3 9 $% #//0%2!#) .

MINISTERIO DE ASUNTOS EXTERIORES Y DE COOPERACIÓN

Recuerda que en el extranjero

Tu Embajada puede ayudarte -).)34%2)/ $% !35.4/3 %84%2)/2%3 9 $% #//0%2!#) .

Los consulados pueden > Expedir pasaportes o salvoconductos en caso de caducidad, pérdida o robo > Informar sobre los servicios médicos, educativos y legales del país > Prestar asistencia a detenidos > Adelantar, de manera extraordinaria, el dinero imprescindible para eventuales casos de necesidad que pudieran surgir, incluída la repatriación > Realizar inscripciones en el Registro Civil, expedir poderes y actas notariales, legalizar documentos, así como otros trámites administrativos. Infórmate en > www.maec.es