An Informative Diplomatic Publication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation OCTOBER-DECEMBER, 2010. N˚16. www.maec.es
Enrique V. Iglesias SECRETARY GENERAL FOR IBERO-AMERICA
“
The ‘Metas 2021’ project is one the most important and solid initiatives adopted at the Summits”
Álvaro Marchesi SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE OEI
“
Inclusive education requires profound changes to the educational system”
HRH King Juan Carlos
Cristina Fernández
“
It is impossible for a government not elected by the people to develop an educational process with social inclusion”
SPAIN
To improve education is to provide our citizens with new horizons that are sure and stable”
PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINA
“
Ibero-america makes a commitment to democracy and education The 20th Ibero-American Summit confirmed the continent's commitment to education, with a goal of full literacy by 2015. The Mar del Plata meeting also offered an opportunity to adopt a "democratic clause" in defense of constitutional order in the face of any attempt to carry out a coup d'état.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS > From Balkanization to "Europeanization" > Report on human development 2010 > The Alliance of Civilizations, a benchmark for the international community. COOPERATION > Contingency plan against cholera in HaitiCULTURE AND SOCIETY > Centennial of the Residencia de Estudiantes INTERVIEW > The artistic director of the Teatro Real: “There is only one life: that of the theatre”
the facts and the image THE DATA
THE DATE
ANNIVERSARY
20
16
25
The latest UNDP report on Human Development places Spain in 20th place, in an index that analyzes living conditions in 169 countries.
London of UNESCO, a specialized United Nations agency for education, science and culture, which Spain would join eight years later.
January 17 marks 25 years since the historic agreement whereby the two nations recognized one another.
position of Spain in the HDI.
November 1945. The founding in
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel.
PHOTO: EFE
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The image
October 21, 2010 saw the changing of the guard in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation at the Palacio de Santa Cruz. Trinidad Jiménez took the portfolio of the Ministry, relieving Miguel Ángel Moratinos, who had held the position since the formation of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's first government. The outgoing Minister thus became the longest serving Foreign Minister in the history of democratic Spain after Francisco Fernández Ordóñez.
EDIToRIAL OFFICE > Director: Mª Jesús García. Editor-in-Chief: José Bodas. Art Director and Editor: Javier Hernández. Contributors: Beatriz Beeckmans, Jacobo García, Alexandra Issacovitch, Pilar Cuadra, Ignacio Gómez, Pablo Pérez, Virginia Castrejana, Laura Losada and Miguel Lizana. MANAGEmENT > Directorate General of Foreign Communication. Serrano Galvache, 26. 28033 MADRID. Published and printed by the Directorate General of Foreign Communication and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Total or partial reproduction prohibited without the express consent of the publisher. Miradas al Exterior is not responsible for the editorial content or for the opinions expressed by the authors. E-MAIL CONTACT> opinion.miradas@maec.es
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70 > Gérard Mortier (artistic director of the Teatro Real): “Europe will never be a success if culture is not its cornerstone”.
the interview
46 > Ramón Pérez de Ayala, a professor's literature. 48 > Spanish traditions that belong to everyone. 52 > Puleva Biotech and the growth of Spanish food technology. 54 > Spanish engineering, at the forefront with Técnicas Reunidas. 56 > Centennial of the Residencia de Estudiantes. 58 > Interview with the photographer Cristina García Rodero.
culture and society
40 > A week for a world without violence against women. 42 > Contingency plan against cholera in Haiti. 44 > Interview with Jaime Montalvo, President of Ayuda en Acción.
cooperation
foreign affairs
on the cover
6 > The 20th Ibero-American summit approves the ‘Metas 2021’ project in support of education for social inclusion.
14 > From Balkanization to "Europeanization." 18 > Report on human development 2010: 20 years of commitment. 22 > The Alliance of Civilizations, a benchmark for the international community. 24 > Progress at the Cancún Conference. 26 > Spain and the Philippines, the story of a reencounter. 30 > Interview with Emilio Cassinello, Director of CITpax. 38 > Interview with Hungary's ambassador to Spain.
EDITORIAL BOARD > President: Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. First deputy chair: Director General of Foreign Communication. Second deputy chair: Technical Secretary General. Members: Cabinet Chiefs of the Minister, of the State Department of Foreign Affairs and Ibero-America, the State Department for International Cooperation, and the State Department for the European Union. > NIPO: 501-10-011-6
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editorial
The challenges of our foreign policy Trinidad JimĂŠnez
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND COOPERATION
2011 will be an important year in terms of the global economic situation, as Spain will need to take advantage of the opportunities offered by a world in constant change. In terms of foreign policy, it is no longer enough to strengthen our neighborhood relations with the nations in our priority geographical regions; we also need to determine how to respond to global issues such as terrorism, the proliferation of arms of mass destruction, the fight against hunger and poverty, the geostrategic influence of natural and energy resources, climate change and migration management.
While continuing with the basic lines of Spanish foreign policy, characterized by a strong European focus, a firm commitment to Latin America, special attention to the Mediterranean, the strengthening of transatlantic bonds and the development of relations with Asia and Africa, we also need to promote the creation of effective global governance mechanisms. The huge global challenges that the world faces today cannot be resolved with national solutions, but require the coordination of supranational organizations. And this is a task to which our country is particularly committed. In this respect, the UN continues
to be the point of reference for any multilateral initiative. As a result of our commitment, Spain has become the sixth biggest contributor to the UN system, and we will keep working to strengthen its effectiveness, to reshape the organization and to improve transparency. But one area in which our country has made a fundamental leap is global economic governance. Spain is a member of the G-20, the world's most important forum for global economic cooperation. We are also totally committed to consolidating economic governance in Europe, not only in order to develop a common economic policy, but also to promote greater monetary stability throughout the European Union, and particularly in the euro zone. We will keep working to contribute to peace, stability and security in the world with initiatives such as the Alliance of Civilizations, an organization fully consolidated within the framework of the UN. The promotion and protection of human rights will also continue
editorial 5
to be a priority, especially now that Spain is a member of the UN Human Rights Council. Our commitment to and support for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals are stronger than ever. In recent years, we have been the nation that has made the most progress in dedicating increasing resources to development aid, humanitarian activity and education, as well as improving the quality of this type of aid. In this respect, the Government maintains its commitment to raise development aid to 0.7% of GNI by 2015. In addition to our firm commitment to a solid multilateral system that operates efficiently and legitimately, our foreign policy must be in keeping with the reality of our country, which is experiencing economic and financial difficulties at this time, and with the principles and values of Spanish society. To this end, in 2011 our efforts will be especially focused on strengthening the effective presence, profile and visibility
of Spain in the world: on the one hand, defending our interests, and, on the other, boosting and contributing to our country's recovery and economic growth through economic diplomacy. In recent years, Spain has strengthened and intensified political dialogue based on respect, recognition, collaboration and consensus with countries considered strategic for their neighborhood and for their specific regional importance. Without a doubt, this is the best way of ensuring solid, smooth and constant communication with all governments. And it enables us not only to tackle any issue, including matters related to the promotion of rights and freedoms, and to defend Spain's interests, but also to forge commitments and obtain concrete results. What we need now is to take advantage of our good political
The huge global challenges that the world faces today cannot be met with national solutions, but require the coordination of supranational organizations.
In 2011, our efforts will be especially focused on strengthening the effective presence, profile and visibility of Spain in the world
relations with other nations to promote economic and trade relations, so that our companies can create employment, and so that we can export our technology and promote our cultural industry not only from Latin America to the Mediterranean, but also in China and India, in the Pacific Rim, in Central Asia and in the Persian Gulf. In conclusion, I want to stress that the extraordinary development of Spain over the past 30 years has allowed us in a very short time to boost our effective presence in the world, expanding our bilateral and multilateral relations, competing successfully in a globalized world, positioning ourselves as one of the biggest donor countries in development cooperation, and promoting an increasingly vibrant culture and language with extraordinary added value for strengthening our image in the world.
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The 20th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, held in the Argentinean city of Mar del Plata, will be remembered mainly for the approval of an ambitious education project ("Metas 2021") and for the adoption of a historic clause on the defense of democracy and constitutional order in Ibero-America. Paraguay will host the next Summit, on October 2829, 2011, in Asunci贸n. By Arturo Carrascosa
Education for social inclusion
P cover story 7 On December 3 and 4, 2010, Mar del Plata (Argentina) hosted the 20th Ibero-American Summit. The central theme of the meeting was Education for Social Inclusion, although the commitment to education was ultimately eclipsed by the adoption of a hugely significant clause against coups d'état. The Mar del Plata Summit will also go down in the history of these Ibero-American meetings as the first of its twenty editions not attended by the Spanish prime minister. And it will be remembered for the moving tributes to the late Argentinean leader Néstor Kirchner and former Brazilian president Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, who a few days later would leave his post in
the hands of Dilma Rouseff. adoption of measures that Fifty international The ‘Metas extend to the suspension organizations participated 2021’ Program of any nation in which a in the Mar del Plata Summit, aims to disruption of constitutional which included forums provide quality order or the rule of law of business leaders and education that has occurred. Following its representatives of civil society will achieve full approval, the Ecuadorian and labor unions. For the first literacy in Latin president remarked that this time, four countries attended America by Declaration “marks a before as Associate Observers (the 2015 and an after” in the region. Philippines, France, Morocco and the Netherlands), and three Full literacy: "Metas 2021." institutions as Consulting Observers: Recent official data indicates that in the International Development Bank Latin America there are 15 million (IDB), the Andean Development children with no schooling and an Corporation (CAF) and the World Food illiteracy rate of almost 9 percent. In Program (WFP). this context, the Declaration approved in Mar del Plata asserts that education Democracy clause. The final is a “human right” and that there must Declaration approved by the member be “universal and free elementary and countries dedicated many of its 57 secondary education, based on the points to the promotion of education principle of equality of opportunity.” to foster development in the region and The summit's final statement also reduce poverty. However, receiving the establishes a goal for full literacy in the most attention in the prior discussions region by 2015. and debates was the inclusion, at the To tackle the main educational proposal of the Republic of Ecuador, challenges of the region, the program of the so-called "democracy clause", "Metas 2021" ("Goals 2021") was a Special Declaration on the Defense approved as a collaborative initiative. of Democracy, the Rule of Law The project contains eleven goals and Constitutional Order in Ibero- and a work plan, and is expected to America. In short, this declaration, receive resources of approximately unique for a Summit, commits the 100 billion dollars between now and Ibero-American Community to the 2021. The "Metas 2021" program aims to provide quality education that will facilitate social inclusion, using new technologies, allowing for universal coverage in elementary and secondary education and achieving full literacy by 2015. Its purpose is to produce the most educated generation in the history of independent Latin America. The "Metas 2021" project will be supported by an Advisory Board, and by the contributions of a Support Fund that will serve to increase its resources. A total of almost 3 billion dollars was already pledged at the Mar del Plata Summit by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), the Andean Development Corporation (CAF), the Spanish bank BBVA, the Spanish telecommunications company
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Telefónica and company Itaipú.
the
hydroelectric
Other significant outcomes. In addition to these two important and far-reaching decisions, the Heads of State and Government who met at Mar del Plata also agreed to implement a range of programs, including: Institutional Strengthening of the Ibero-American Conference through the creation of the Council of IberoAmerican Organizations, which will coordinate the work of organizations such as the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), the Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture, the IberoAmerican Social Security Organization (whose historic agreement, of great significance for migrant populations, has already been signed by eleven countries), the Ibero-American Youth Organization and the Conference of Ministers of Justice of the IberoAmerican Countries. It was also agreed to create a Register of Ibero-American
Networks, a new version of the IberoAmerican Cooperation Operations Manual, an essential tool for facilitating the implementation of the different programs and projects, including those related to South-South cooperation. Enhancing the programs of the Ibero-American Sphere of Knowledge through the incorporation of the institution “Santander Universidades” as a participant. Approval of the IberoAmerican Convention on the Use of Videoconferencing in International Cooperation between Justice Systems. This initiative will make use of new technologies to make legal processes faster and more economical, and will allow, for example, protected witnesses or victims to make depositions via videoconferencing from the country where they live, without risk. Promotion of Innovation, through a new program that will enhance the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) - the biggest generators of employment -
and through the creation of the IberoAmerican Prize for Innovation and Enterprise, the aim of which is to encourage young people throughout Ibero-America. Implementation of the IberoAmerican Program “IBER-RUTAS”, which deals with research, training and dissemination of information on migration processes in Ibero-America, from an intercultural perspective and with the aim of improving access to rights, tolerance and interculturalism in Ibero-American migration. Adoption of the Ibero-American Access to Justice Program, which aims to promote such access, especially for the most vulnerable groups and for women who are victims of gender violence, through the formulation, creation and reinforcement of comprehensive public policies that guarantee this right and access to legal services. Ibero-American “Recovery of Ancestral Knowledge for the Prevention of Natural Disasters”: the construction of a methodology to explore and
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The Ibero-American Summit held in Mar del Plata provided the opportunity for bilateral meetings with representatives of other countries. From Left to Right. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, met with her Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodríguez. HRH King Juan Carlos met with Argentinean President Cristina Fernández, whose late husband, Néstor Kirchner, was given a tribute by all of the Summit attendees (center picture). HRH King Juan Carlos, together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, also met with Ibero-American Secretary General Enrique Iglesias. PHOTO EFE
formalize ancestral knowledge and practices of native peoples related to problems associated with comprehensive risk management. This initiative was promoted by Argentina's White Helmets Commission with the aim of contributing to the re-evaluation of the knowledge possessed by native peoples through interculturalism and strengthening of response capacity at the local level, with a view to increasing the resilience of communities in the event of disasters. Adoption of the "Youth for an IberoAmerica without Poverty" Project, with the aim of reducing the vulnerability of families living in exclusion in informal settlements through the involvement of youth from local universities. This initiative was presented by the organization “Un techo para mi País” ("A Roof for My Country"). Implementation of “IberVirtual”, a Summit project with the aim of promoting inclusive education by strengthening distance education within the framework of the Ibero-
American Sphere of Knowledge. Program, which have allowed the This project was presented by the organization of museum policies to Ibero-American Distance Education strengthen the institutional framework Association (AIESAD). of Ibero-American museums as agents The Summit also highlighted the of cooperation for development. And work undertaken under the framework it was noted that the “IBERMEDIA” of the Ibero-American Program for Program has been consolidated as the Strengthening of South-South the most effective mechanism for Cooperation, in particular the San cooperation and co-production in Salvador meetings, attended by the Ibero-American filmmaking, becoming South-South Cooperation delegates a major stimulus for the production and from the member countries, along with generation of new sources of financing, academics from universities within the markets and audiences. Ibero-American sphere. Also The Summit declared significant was the approval the conclusion of the and publication of the 4th The Mar del Plata Support Initiative for the Edition of the Report on Summit gave a Implementation of the South-South Cooperation in significant boost Ibero-American Social Ibero-America, a valuable to innovation Security Agreement, three contribution to the recording by approving a years after its approval, and comparative study of the program that during which time, with the projects and actions being will increase the help of the Ibero-American carried out in this context by competitiveness Social Security Organization of small and the countries of the region. (ISSO), considerable The Summit brought medium progress has been made in attention to the actions taken enterprises the implementation of this through the “IBERMUSEOS” Multilateral Agreement
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Brazilian President Lula da Silva presented HRH King Juan Carlos with a photo of Sao Paulo, taken by Madrid photographer and painter JosĂŠ Manuel Ballester. PHOTO EFE
of major significance for the migrant population of the region. Future activities. Among its mandates, which are summarized in its Program of Action, the Mar del Plata Summit resolved to entrust the SEGIB with the consolidation of the IberoAmerican Cultural Sphere through three new focus areas: Culture and Social Cohesion, SMEs and Cultural Industries, and Cultural Diplomacy. It also agreed to convene the First Ibero-American Cultural Diplomacy Meeting, which will take place in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, to enhance understanding of the diverse realities of the different countries, and to consolidate bridges for better mutual interaction. And it was agreed to hold, in collaboration with the Argentinean Republic and the Organization of IberoAmerican States (OEI), the Second Ibero-American Forum on Cultural Policy at Municipal and Local Levels in 2011, and, together with the IberoAmerican Forum on Citizen Security, Violence and Public Policy, to support
the celebration of the Third Forum in Buenos Aires in 2011. It was also resolved to work with ECLAC on the design and implementation of a work strategy to foster political and social participation by women and to strengthen the Gender Equality Observatory of Latin America and the Caribbean. The Summit supported continued collaboration with the High Representative of the UN Secretary General for the Alliance of Civilizations in the context of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the SEGIB and the Alliance, particularly in relation to the application of the conclusions of the Third Forum of the Alliance held in Rio de Janeiro in May 2010. At the same time, it called for a reiteration of the invitation to those Latin American countries that had not already done so to join the Group of Friends of the Alliance of Civilizations, and also requested that the SEGIB contribute to the preparation of the Fourth Global Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations, which will take place in
Doha, Qatar, in December 2011. It was agreed to support the implementation of the proposals of the Second Ibero-American Forum on Migration and Development (FIBEMYD), held in El Salvador, in response to the Montevideo Commitment and the Cuenca Action Program together with the member countries, ECLAC/CELADE and the IOM. In this context, it was resolved to incorporate the theme of Migration and Health into the Ibero-American Agenda on Migrations and Development. There was also a resolution to promote, together with the member countries, participation in the preparation process for the Fourth High Level Forum in Korea in 2011 on Aid Effectiveness, continued development cooperation for middle-income countries, and the importance and specificity of SouthSouth and Triangular Cooperation as ideal ways of making significant and outstanding contributions to the international cooperation process. Finally, it was agreed to organize, together with the Government of Argentina, the Third Ibero-American Conference on Gender in the first half of 2011, which will take the Brasilia Consensus, adopted at the 11th Regional Conference on Women for Latin America and the Caribbean, as the Ibero-American blueprint for equality. In short, the 20th Ibero-American Summit represented a significant advance in the consolidation of the Summits as a forum for political dialogue and cooperation at the highest level. The participation of new observers constitutes a sign of the growing interest in these types of meetings on the international scene and clearly contributes to the enhancement of their profile abroad. Meanwhile, the approval of the Special Declaration on the Defense of Democracy represents a clear commitment on the part of the Summits, and the implementation of the "Metas 2021" Project is a milestone in the firm commitment to make education universally accessible.
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An education project for Latin America Enrique V. Iglesias
IBERO-AMERICAN SECRETARY GENERAL
The 20th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in early December 2010 at a very special time for the world and for the Ibero-American Community. A world facing a profound and unforeseen crisis, the worst in half a century, and much more extensive than initially expected.
The nations of Latin America are changing dramatically. There are differences in the rate and the depth of the changes, but in general terms we have overcome several decades of low growth, high inflation, sharp external imbalances and huge fiscal deficits. Today we have relative stability, less debt and considerable international reserves.
It isn't easy to say when and how we will definitively overcome its effects. But we do know that the world that will emerge from it will be very different from the one we've left behind. A new international reality, a new economy and a new society awaits us. We need to recognize the importance of creating a new international economic and financial order, which will also require a new trade order like the one that the Doha Round has fruitlessly pursued for years.
In this context, the appearance on the world economic stage of Asia, and particularly China, has changed our lives, especially in countries with abundant raw materials aimed at a market with a demand for food, energy and minerals, which the nations of our region have in extraordinarily abundant levels.
And the time has come to acknowledge that nothing can be done without the full participation of the new emerging nations. We must understand that what is needed is the regulation of the biggest transfer of global economic power in the history of humanity. We have to prepare ourselves for a new economy, based on the knowledge and technological innovations that are taking place at rates that are both dizzying and creative.
If this situation continues, a great opportunity is opening up for Latin America, which would allow it to take advantage of several years of sustained growth in the countries tied to the Asian cycle. It will not happen to the same degree in the countries that are closely tied to the American cycle, where these prospects will be less dynamic than in Asia. Latin America must take advantage of this great opportunity by making structural reforms, such as establishing quality education in order to reach the year 2021 with the best educated generation in our history. .
The Mar del Plata Summit was the Education Summit with a capital "E"
This was the major objective of the Mar del Plata Summit, where many very important goals were achieved, of which two particularly stand out: The Special Declaration on the Defense of Democracy and Constitutional Order in IberoAmerica. For the first time, the Ibero-American Community has committed to the adoption of measures that go as far as the suspension of any nation where there is a disruption in the constitutional order. The adoption of the educational project “Metas 2021”. The central theme of the Summit, a program consisting of 11 goals, a work plan and around 100 billion dollars in resources up until 2021. The Mar del Plata Summit was the Education Summit with a capital "E". I am reminded of the remarks on the subject of three personalities particularly dear to me. “Open schools, and prisons will be closed,” said Concepción Arenal. “The first task of educators is to stimulate life, leaving it then free to develop,” argued María Montessori. And my fellow Uruguayan, José Pedro Varela, said more than half a century ago: “It is not possible to make a good democracy without a good citizen, and the three priorities for that are education, education and education.”
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The participating Heads of State and of Government at the 20th Ibero-American Summit, during the group photo in Mar del Plata. PHOTOS EFE
SPECIAL DECLARATION ON THE DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACY AND CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER IN IBERO-AMERICA We reiterate that our community is founded on total respect for the Rule of Law, respect for sovereignty, the defense of democracy, the sovereign will of the peoples, social justice, respect for Human Rights and fundamental freedoms, which are essential requirements for participation in the various agencies of the Ibero-American Conference and are advances made by the Ibero-American peoples from which there is no turning back. We ratify that the effectiveness of the Rule of Law, the respect for legitimately constituted authorities as an expression of the sovereign will of the peoples, non-interference in domestic affairs and the defense of democratic institutions constitute indispensable guarantees for ensuring peace, stability, economic prosperity and social justice, as well as the effective exercise of Human
Rights and fundamental freedoms, and that any disruption or threat to constitutional order or to the Rule of Law in one of the Member States of the IberoAmerican Conference places its normal development at risk and constitutes a serious act that merits firm action on the part of the Ibero-American community. We reaffirm that democracy, sustainable development, respect for all Human Rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development, are interdependent and mutually reinforcing, being based equally on the principles of objectivity, impartiality and universality. We stress the importance of the commitments assumed in relation to democracy in the framework of the United Nations and regional agreements. Furthermore, we recall that democracy constitutes a universal value which
has become part of the heritage of the Ibero-American Conference since its first meeting in Guadalajara in 1991, and which was reiterated in different declarations, such as the Vi単a del Mar Declaration, which fully develop the democratic principles that we share. We declare our rejection and condemnation of any attempt to disrupt or subvert the constitutional order and normal operation of institutions in any Member State of the Ibero-American Conference. We agree: To adopt a clause of commitment to the promotion, defense and protection of the Rule of Law, democratic order, the sovereignty of the peoples, Human Rights and fundamental freedoms, including but not limited to the right to life, liberty and security of the person, the right not to be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the right not to be arbitrarily detained, imprisoned or exiled, or subjected to summary or arbitrary executions or forced disappearances, and freedom of opinion and expression.
2011-1
Estudios de postgrado, doctorado e investigación en universidades y centros superiores extranjeros de reconocido prestigio en países de ayuda oficial al desarrollo.
becas maec-aecid
Estancias formativas en organismos internacionales en países de ayuda oficial al desarrollo.
Realización de trabajos y proyectos de fin de carrera y fin de máster en centros de enseñanza superior en países de ayuda oficial al desarrollo.
Renovación para becarios españoles de la convocatoria de becas MAEC-AECID 2010-11 (programa i-a) para 2º año de estudios de postgrado, doctorado y postdoctorado y prácticas en organismos internacionales. Estancias en el Colegio de Europa, campus de Brujas (Bélgica) y Natolin (Polonia).
Becas Tordesillas para españoles para cursos oficiales de especialización o máster en las universidades brasileñas del Grupo Tordesillas.
Prácticas de gestión y cooperación cultural para el desarrollo. Becas tándem, para españoles y franceses, de gestión cultural en programas de la Cooperación Española. Becas de renovación para becarios MAEC-AECID de la convocatoria 2010-2011 (gestión cultural).
Becas para extranjeros: cursos de verano - RAE y academias - renovación RAE máster oficial y títulos propios - doctorado e investigación programa Tordesillas - becas para estudios on-line / semipresenciales - biblioteca AECID - Colegio de Europa Brujas y Natolin - Instituto Universitario Europeo Escuela Diplomática - renovación máster y doctorado renovación Instituto Universitario Europeo - renovación biblioteca AECID - becas institucionales.
en el extranjero en España
www.aecid.es/becas
14 a foreign affairs
The 20th Century was particularly bloody in the Balkans. So much so that it added a new word to the dictionary to mean the violent disintegration of a territory: Balkanization. However, 15 years after the Dayton Accords that ended the conflict in Bosnia Herzegovina, southeastern Europe has taken the decision to root its future in Europe and to share the fruits of economic prosperity and social development. The withdrawal of the last Spanish troops from Sarajevo last November proves that the region has turned a page. By Pilar Cuadra Gasc贸n
From Balkanization to "Europeanization" A chronological century does not always coincide with a historical century. According to the historian Eric Hobsbawn, the 20th century was a short one. It began in 1914 and ended in 1991: the beginning of World War 1 and the fall of the Soviet Union. Both of these dates are intimately linked to the Balkans. The starting pistol that signaled the beginning of the largest conflict of the last century was fired in Sarajevo when the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was assassinated. The fall of the Eastern Bloc, the creation of the bipolar post Second World War period, opened gates for the resurgence of nationalist movements which would have devastating effects in what had been Yugoslavia. However, even before the First
World War, the Balkan region had been through two wars. In the first of these, from 1912-1913, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia fought against the Ottoman Empire, which had dominated them in the past. The Ottomans lost almost all of their
THE WARS IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA June 1991 The Slovenian war of secession June-November 1991 Serbo-Croatian War 1992-1995 Bosnian Civil War 1998-1999 Kosovo War 2001 War of Macedonia
European possessions and Albania won independence. A few months later Bulgaria, not satisfied with the result of the previous conflict, went to war with Serbia, Greece, Romania and the Ottoman Empire. It was during this period of conflict that the term "Balkanization" came into existence, initially referring to the disintegration of a multi-ethnic state into smaller, ethnically homogenous parts. Later events, also originating on the Balkan peninsula, broadened the meaning to include the ideas of civil war and ethnic cleansing. As it happened, the dissolution of the people's democratic republics in Eastern Europe around 1990 revealed open wounds caused as much by the cultural and religious legacies of the Ottoman and AustroHungarian Empires as by World War
a foreign affairs 15
Mostar Bridge (top) was one of the best know monuments in the former Yugoslavia until it was destroyed during bombing in 1993. Reconstructed with Spanish aid, it will reclaim its symbolic value as a link between the two different Bosnian ethnic groups. Spain had special involvement in renovating the bridge as demonstrated by visits from different Spanish Ministers for Foreign Affairs. In chronological order (left): visits by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs Carlos Wendestorp in February 1996, Josep Piquﾃｩ in November 2000 and Miguel ﾃ］gel Moratinos in May 2005. FOTOS EFE
II, when Tito's communist partisans It also demonstrated to Europe as a and Mijailovic's Serb monarchists whole that it was unable to stop wars (Chetniks) fought against the Nazis and ethnic cleansing operations on as well as each other, and both fought the doorstep of what was still then the Ante Pavelic's Croatian Fascists European Economic Community, but (Ustashas). The wounds combined which became the European Union with the opportunism of a during the conflicts. new political class that, after A lot has been said and years of single party rule, saw Slovenia, once a written since then about nationalism as a way to gain state of the former Europe's need to request Yugoslavia, has and maintain power. help from the United Almost 20 years ago, been a member of States to impose peace the violent disintegration the EU since 2004. in Bosnia Herzegovina of Yugoslavia seemed to through the 1995 Dayton prove the uncertainty that Accords, and while it is the end of the Cold War The frequent wars true that at the time the instilled in those who sought in the Balkans gave Balkans were a symbol to define a new paradigm birth to the term of the EU's failings and in international relations. "Balkanization". impotency to act, the
16 a foreign affairs
WHY SPAIN DOES NOT RECOGNIZE KOSOVO 1 Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council, ratified in 1999 and still in force today, guarantees Serbia's territorial integrity. 2 The Yugoslav constitution guarantees
the right of selfdetermination for the republics of the Yugoslav Federation, a right exercised by Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro. However, within the Federation, Kosovo was not a republic but rather a Serbian province. 3 The arbitration
commission for Yugoslavia created in 1991 by the Council of Ministers of the then European Economic Community established pre-existing borders as a condition for independence. 4 Acceptance by the international community of a unilateral declaration
current "European prospects" of to face. In any case, it must not be the Balkan States clearly shows the forgotten that one of the States to successes of the European institutions emerge from the break-up of the and instruments as centers of stability. former Yugoslavia, Slovenia, has been The Western Balkans' "European a member of the EU since 2004. prospects" refers to the battery of Without a doubt, Croatia is the reforms that countries in the region most promising. The main obstacle to continue to carry out to bring them entry, a disputed border with Slovenia, closer to Europe and further their was resolved when Slovenia held a ambitions of accession to the EU. binding referendum on June 6, 2010 While the starting point in which it was agreed to and speed of progress varies resolve the issue through an widely from country to Although arbitration agreement. This country, the advances of one progress is agreement came into force inspire the others to move uneven, the in November, and it is likely forward. Furthermore, there region advances that Croatia's accession are no predefined periods its "European negotiations will conclude in to fulfill these conditions or prospects" 2011. to achieve a certain level of The latest country to progress in moving closer obtain the status of candidate to Europe. What is dealt for accession, in November with though, is the generation of an 2010, is Montenegro. It joins the former irreversible process and momentum Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia that will make the repetition of the (FYROM), which has been a candidate region's history an impossibility. for 5 years but which has still not It is the same idea that originally opened negotiations on the chapters underpinned the European Union, necessary to become a Member State. whose first institutions were created In addition to the standard reforms, in 1957 with the aim that France and another obstacle remains: the dispute Germany, who had been at war with with Greece about the name of the each other three times in less than country, as Athens does not wish the a century, would share economic country to use a name which also development and social welfare to refers to a Greek region. such an extent that another war There are two Balkan states which between them would be not only have applied for accession negotiations unthinkable but also impossible. but which have not been recognized as Examination of the western candidates: Albania and Serbia. For the Balkan States reflects the diversity latter, there are two main issues. First, of circumstances, as well as some of the progress that can be made by the the main obstacles that they continue authorities in Belgrade is intimately
of independence creates a dangerous precedent in places as varied as the Caucasus or Africa. 5 Kosovo's independence is incoherent with the international community's plan in Bosnia Herzegovina, which was for a viable multi-faith and multi-ethnic society.
linked to its collaboration with the International Criminal Court for the former Yugoslavia in bringing the war criminals of the 1990s to justice. There is also the issue of its relations with Kosovo, even though the legislative elections held there in December last year should enable dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina that will allow Serbia to advance its "European prospects". It must be noted that five EU countries, including Spain, do not recognize Kosovo's independence. Its future, therefore, is uncertain and its inclusion in the international institutions will depend on the dialogue with Serbia. This leaves Bosnia Herzegovina, which as of yet has not submitted its application although it is hoped that it will do so in the future. Its circumstances are perhaps more complex, given that it is still supervised by the High Representative of the EU, even though the conflict ended 15 years ago. In spite of this, there is still room for optimism. The general election last October signals a new era that can finally push through the necessary reforms. Whatever the circumstances, the countries of the western Balkans must continue to work on issues such as the rule of law, freedom of speech, corruption, organized crime, economic reforms and strengthening national institutions in order to consolidate their "European prospects".
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Spain and the Balkans Ram贸n Abaroa
SUB-DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CANDIDATE COUNTRIES AND NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY
In November 1989 the fall of the Berlin Wall was followed by that of the communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe, one after another. Perhaps the most surprising element of this process was the wars in Yugoslavia throughout the 1990s; the secession of Slovenia in June 1991, the Serbo-Croatian war from June to November of the same year, the Bosnian civil war from 1992 to 1995, the war in Kosovo from 1998 to 1999, and the war in Macedonia in 2001. The violent disintegration of Yugoslavia was due to an unfortunate combination of causes such as the confrontation between the cultural and religious legacies of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires; the wounds still open from World War 2, and, finally, after so many years of single-party rule, the emergence of a political class that considered nationalism to be a weapon that was opportunistically used to gain and maintain power. Today, the violence is over but, unfortunately, the Western Balkans have yet to stabilize. Spain never turned away from the region and played a central role in the region from the start, in terms of military involvement, cooperation and diplomacy. Spain has had a sustained military presence in the region since 1991, in what was our first contribution to peace-keeping operations beyond our borders. From the intervention in the Serbo-Croatian conflict, Spain participated, with military observers, in the
military force responsible for monitoring the ceasefire in the Serb-populated regions of Croatia (Eastern Slavonia and Krajina) in the "UN protected areas". During the civil war in Bosnia (19921995), Spanish military observers were part of the EC Monitoring Mission, and following the Dayton Accords, Spanish troops were part of all international military missions: IFOR, SFOR and EUFORAlthea. In total, 46,000 Spanish troops have been sent to Bosnia. The Spanish Air Force took part in the NATO campaign against Serbia beginning on March 28, 1999 in order to put an end to the conflict in Kosovo and, following the surrender of Milosevic on June 10 of the same year, more than 600 Spanish soldiers swelled the ranks of the NATO contingent (KFOR) bases in Istok, to the west of Kosovo. In terms of cooperation, Spain has made a huge contribution since 2001 when a TBT was opened for the Balkans that developed projects and programs aimed to reconstruct and strengthen public institutions. Our contribution increased our diplomatic influence. Since 2007, Spain has been part of the Peace Implementation Council for Bosnia and is responsible for application of the Dayton Accords. Spain is greatly in favor of the region's European prospects, which were put forward in the Zagreb Summit in 2000 and expressed in the Stabilization and Association
Spain, although located at Europe's Western extremity, has turned away from the Balkans and has been involved in the region since the beginning.
Process approved in the Thessaloniki Summit three years later through which the EU-proposed Treaties to these countries that included considerable trade and duties advantages in exchange for structural political and economic reforms that would make them democratic societies with market economies. During its EU Presidency, Spain called a Meeting in Sarajevo with all of the region's representatives, which showed that reconciliation can be achieved. It commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Zagreb Summit and confirmed the Western Balkans' European prospects. Spain also supports Bosnian reform processes that aim to end supervision by the High Representative and give birth to a fully-functional and sovereign state. In Serbia, Spain has defended the principal of territorial integrity by not recognizing Kosovo. This has provided us with a large influence in the country and its dialogue with Pristina. The bloody history of the 20th century in Europe began in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914 and ended with the bloody conflicts that took place during its final decade. The history of the 21st century in the Balkans will begin with its inclusion in Europe, which Spain fully supports as the key to the region's permanent stability.
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The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) first published its Human Development Report in 1990. The Berlin Wall was about to fall and the Soviet Union would soon disintegrate. In South Africa, the apartheid regime had just released Nelson Mandela, and Iraq was preparing to invade Kuwait. Pinochet had left power in Chile, and was replaced by democratic government. In Myanmar, The Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won the national elections and in Beijing students protested for political reforms. Margaret Thatcher had lead the UK for more than 10 years, and had just coined the phrase "Washington Consensus". This was the setting for the first UNDP Report. by Arturo Carrascosa
Human Development Report 2010. The real wealth of nations “People are the real wealth of a nation�. With these words, the Human Development Report 1990 began to advocate a new point of reference for the challenges of development. Today, its initial mission to create a favorable environment for people to enjoy a healthy, long and creative life may seem more than evident, but this was not always the case. In the past 20 years, this publication's central objective has been to emphasize that development fundamentally deals with people. The 2010 UNDP Report pays homage to the great reach of this approach to human development, that has been the most significant ever to understand the vertiginous world in which we live and to find new ways to increase people's wellbeing. It also takes into account how this approach has adapted to the challenges of the new millennium. In the last two decades, human development has advanced in many ways. Most today enjoy a longer, healthier life and have access to longer educations as well as a wide
range of goods and services. Even in countries with poor economies, health and education have in general improved considerably. The advances are not only evident in terms of health, education and income, but also in people's ability to choose their leaders, influence public decision making and share knowledge. However, not all of the data is positive. The past twenty years have also seen an increase in inequality and proven that current production and consumption models are not sustainable. In some regions, such as southern Africa and former Soviet states, there have been periods of regression, especially in the health sector. These new vulnerabilities require innovative public policy to combat the risks and inequalities and to ensure that dynamic market forces benefit all. To do this, tools are required. The 2010 Report includes three new indicators: the Human Development Index adjusted for Inequality, the Gender Inequality Index and the Multidimensional Poverty Index. In
this way, the most recent advances in terms of theoretical and technical measurement of development are included, and inequality and poverty form the center of human development prospects. Celebrating twenty years of human development. Twenty years ago the world left behind a period of doubts, adjustment and austerity and political transformations took place one after the other, all over the planet. With great eloquence, the Human Development Report called for a different approach to the economy and development: focused on people. This new vision was born of the passionate consideration of the Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq, author of the first reports, and the innovative work carried out by another economist, the Bengali Amartya Sen. Today, the 20th Report reaffirms that the approach to human development remains in force and shows that it has been able to anticipate events given that its concepts, measurements and
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Spain is ranked 20th on the Human Development Index
The latest UNDP Human Development Report, presented in Madrid in midNovember, placed Spain 20th in the HDI, above Hong Kong and Greece and below Denmark and Belgium. Norway, Australia and New Zealand top the list, while Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe are at the bottom.
Between 1980 and 2010, Spain's HDI has grown 0.8% per year, increasing from 0.680 to 0.863 currently, placing Spain 20th out of the 169 countries with comparable data. Meanwhile, the HDI of OECD countries increased from 0.723 in 1980 to 0.853 currently, with Spain's progress being above the average.
proposals have shed an important propose a reformulation coherent light on the patterns of progress and with the practical exercising of signaled the way for people focused development and academic work development. on human development and skills: The 1990 Report defines human “Human development means the development as a process that "offers expression of people's freedom to greater opportunities to people" and live a long, healthy and creative life; emphasizes humanity's freedom to to follow their own objectives, and to enjoy health and education and to actively participate in the equitable, enjoy dignified living conditions. sustainable development of the planet However, it also stressed that human that they share. It is the people who development and wellbeing are far benefit from and provide the impulse more than a sum of these dimensions for human development, whether as and includes an array of other abilities individuals or as part of a group�. such as political freedom, human Likewise, this focus stresses rights, and, as Adam Smith deliberation and debate said, "the ability to interact , and that discussion with others without feeling Human is always possible. embarrassed of appearing development It is people who, as in public". Governments, remains pertinent individuals or as a group, civil society, investigators through the years give shape to these and the media received and irrespective of processes. The paradigm this first Report with great ideology, culture of human development enthusiasm, showing the and class is applicable to all importance of this new countries, rich and poor, focus on community in The disparity in and to all human beings. development and the world income between It is sufficiently flexible, developing as a whole. solid and active to be able Another inherent and developed to act as a model in the characteristic of the countries has coming years. focus of development is seen a significant its dynamic nature. The increase in recent A different evolution editors of the 2010 report years. of wellbeing. One of
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> Spanish HDI Indicators Life expectancy at birth 81.3 Average years of education 10.4 Gross per capita national income 29,661.2$ Human Development Index Ranking 20 > Evolution of Human Development Index in Spain 1980 0,680 1990 0,729 2000 0,828 2010 0,863
> Comparative change to HDI
the 2010 Human Development Report's milestones is the systematic evaluation of the trends observed in the main components of human development during the last 40 years. This retrospective analysis is the most complete that has been carried out to date and shed light on some important issues. In summary, it can be said that today the world is a much better place than in 1990, or in 1970. Since then, the planet's population has undergone considerable advances in the most important aspects of its life. In general, people today are healthier, more educated, and better off financially than ever before, and they have greater abilities to choose their leaders and hold them accountable for their actions. A clear example is the increase in the Human Development Index (HDI), which collects data on life expectancy, school registration and income in a single compound indicator. Since 1990, the global average HDI has increased by 18% (41% since 1970). Almost all countries have enjoyed this advancement. Of the 135 countries in the 1970-2010 sample, which covers 92% of the world's population, only three - Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe - have a lower HDI than in 1970. Among the countries that have seen the largest increase in their HDI are those known for their "surprising" economic growth: China,
Indonesia and South Korea. Regarding education, There are also others, such Equality and the progress has been considerable as Nepal, Oman and Tunisia, fight against and widespread, not only whose progress in areas not poverty must be due to the increased level of related to income has been at the forefront teaching but also to equal of policy. equally impressive. access to education for more However, not all children of both sexes. For the countries have advanced at most part, these achievements the same pace and there is considerable reflect greater State participation. variation. In the past 40 years, the In terms of income, performance HDI of a quarter of developing nations varies greatly. Unlike the health and increased by less that 20%, while education indicators, and in spite of another quarter increased by 65%. In the progress observed in aggregate some cases, these differences are due indicators, income does not tend to to countries having different points of converge. This is due to the fact that, origin. The least developed countries over the past 40 years, rich countries tend to advance more quickly than have experienced more rapid growth more developed countries in health than the poorest countries. Thus, and education. However, half of the gap between developed and the variability in HDI performance developing countries persists. A small cannot be explained by the initial group of countries are located at the HDI and some countries that start peak of global distribution of income, from a similar base evolve differently. and only a handful of countries that This suggests that other factors, such were poor have managed to enter the as policy, national institutions and group of rich countries. geography play an important role. In summary, significant Great advances have also been advancements have been made, but not made in health, but it is slowing. This all of the changes of the past twenty deceleration in aggregate values owes years have been positive. Some countries mainly to the fact that 19 countries have declined, especially in health, have suffered serious decline. In nine and have in only a few years erased the of them - six in Sub-Saharan Africa achievements made through decades of and three former Soviet states- life effort. Economic growth is extremely expectancy today is less than in 1970. unequal, both in countries that grow The causes of this decrease are the quickly and between the social groups HIV and AIDS epidemic, and the which profit from it. Likewise, the gap in increase in adult mortality in countries human development, while it may have in transition. closed, remains huge.
1 0.8 0.6 0.4
Spain OECD World
0.2 0 1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
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20 years of commitment to human development Helen Clark
UNDP Administrator
In 1990, the UNDP published the first Human Development Report that included the introduction of the Human Development Index (HDI). Its basic premise, considered radical at the time, was simple and attractive: a country's development must be measured not only through national income - the most used measure at the time - but also in terms of life expectancy and literacy. Most countries have comparable data for both factors. The new HDI had some flaws, as recognized by its creators, such as: the dependence on national averages - that hide distribution biases - and the lack of a "quantitative measurement of human liberty". However, the Report's central theme was expressed without problems, succinctly described in the first sentence: “People are the real wealth of a nation�. Twenty years later, the conceptual brilliance and importance of the original human development paradigm are still undisputed. There is an almost universal consensus on the impossibility of measuring a country's success or an individual's wellbeing based on income. If income is fundamental, given that without funds it is difficult to achieve progress, we must also take into account whether people are able to lead a long and healthy life,
and if they have the opportunity to receive an education and be free to apply his knowledge and talents to forge his own destiny. This was the initial vision and is still the main contribution of the authors of the first Human Development Report: Mahbub ul-Haq and his friend and close colleague Amartya Sen. Its design has directed not only this Report over the past 20 years, but also more than 600 National Human Development Reports and many stimulating regional reports. The data of the past 40 years also reflects the existence of many paths to follow to achieve human development: there is no single solution nor uniform model for success. The 2010 report shows the notable advancements made by many countries in most areas, where often the poorest nations have shown the greatest improvement. Even though it may not surprise statisticians, 40 years ago almost no one had supposed that low income countries would experience the significant advances that can be seen today in health, education and, to a lesser extent, economic growth. However, not all of the trends are positive. Lamentably, several nations have declined in absolute terms in the HDI achievements since it was
Forty years ago nobody would have thought that low income countries would make such significant progress as they have done today.
first published in 1990. These countries provide lessons on the devastating effect of conflict on the AIDS epidemic, and bad political and economic management. Most of these countries have suffered more than one, if not all of these evils. I am especially happy about the continuity shown by the Human Development Report in the tradition of innovative measuring. This year, three new indicators were included that take in multidimensional inequality, gender inequality and extreme deprivation. These new measuring tools continue to strengthen the constant validity of the initial vision of human development. The UNDP has reason to be proud of having supported this intellectually innovative and independent Report for 20 years. However, these Reports were never the sole product of the UNDP. The publication depends, to a large extent, on the knowledge and vision of the UN, national governments, and hundreds of researchers around the world, whose collaboration we are always grateful for. As convincingly shown in this anniversary edition, we can and must continue to direct our actions in line with the values findings of the Human Development Report over the next 20 years and beyond.
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The Alliance of Civilizations is a UN initiative whose aim is to improve understanding and relations for cooperation between nations and peoples of diverse cultures and civilizations, and to contribute to overcoming divisions and arresting the forces which feed polarization and extremism. The Alliance has its roots in the shared principles and values expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in other international instruments. by Francisco J. Cantero and Juan SebastiĂĄn Mateos
Alliance of Civilizations, a benchmark for the international community The UN Secretary General formally launched the Alliance of Civilizations on July 14th 2005, converting the project presented to the General Assembly by the President of the Spanish Government on September 21st 2004 into a UN initiative co-sponsored by Spain and Turkey. The fundamentals of the Alliance of
specific projects >The Grant Program, that allows young professionals to gain knowledge of their respective cultures and to learn the values, ideals and challenges of other societies. > The Rapid Media Reaction Mechanism, that puts journalists in contact with a large network of experts on issues that may cause intercultural differences to flare up www. globalexperfinder.org > The Media Literacy Center, providing young people with the necessary tools to navigate the world and the media, becoming
Civilizations are contained in the High Level Group Report presented by Kofi Annan in November 2006. The report analyzes the causes of the divisions which endanger peace and proposes a series of concrete political measures in four areas: youth, education, migration and media. The Alliance has had a High Representative, Jorge Sampaio, since
discerning consumers. www.aocmedialiteracy.org > Projects aimed at educating young people so that they do not grow up with fear and hatred, such as Clearinghouse Center for Education on Religions and Beliefs that aims to prepare children for life in a multicultural environment through teaching about religions and value systems. www.aocerb.org. > Next, the Online Community on Migration and Integration will be launched, a website that will collect positive experiences of migrant integration all over the world. > Ideas Market, a global
April 2007. To date, he has presented two Action Plans (2007-2009 and 20092011). The Group of Friends of the Alliance of Civilizations was created around the project, currently composed of 106 countries from all geographical areas and 21 international organizations. The Group combines three levels:
display of innovative, cutting edge projects, whose aim is to generate positive change that will form bridges between cultures. > Youth Solidarity Fund, which provides support to a wide range of projects developed and managed by young people, providing them with the tools to change perceptions and improve relations between various cultural groups. > Alliance of Civilizations Global Youth Movement, that recognizes and promotes the interests, commitments, and work of young people and organizations managed
by them, supporting the Alliance of Civilizations priorities and principles. > Restore Trust, Rebuild Bridges, a group of projects of dialogue and intercultural cooperation, within the framework of a shared initiative launched by the Alliance and the Anna Lindh Foundation for the Gaza crisis. > Dialogue CafĂŠ, using cutting edge videoconference technology to provide a global platform for dialogue and interaction. > Plural+, a youth film festival that aims to exchange points of view on migration, diversity and open society.
a foreign affairs 23 ministerial and high representatives (in the Forum and when the UN General Assembly opens); focal points of nations and international organizations, and permanent representatives to the UN. To date, three Alliance Forums have been held. In January 2008 in Madrid; in April 2009 in Istanbul, and in May 2010 in Rio de Janeiro. The 4th Forum will be held in Qatar (December 2011) and the 5th in Austria (2012). The Forums have strengthened the role of the Group of Friends. The Alliance's action framework has been streamlined, and it has served as a platform for encounters and the presentation of new opportunities for collaboration and projects. The High Representative proposed the development of "National Strategies for Intercultural Dialogue" and "Partnership Agreements" with international organizations that will be the first concrete political measures of the Alliance. To date, 26 countries have presented National Plans and 16 have signed Partnership Agreements. Spain presented its second National plan in May 2010. Another proposed action is the regional development of the Alliance
with three Regional Strategies Southeast Europe, Mediterranean, and Latin America. The first two have already been adopted and the strategy for Latin America is under development. Likewise, the High Representative highlighted the need to develop the alliance in his second Action Plan (2009-2011). At a local level, through development of city-based diplomacy and moving the Alliance closer to society, on a global level, by developing a global agenda for good governance of cultural diversity, as a central component of a peaceful culture and fourth pillar of sustainable development. On November 10th 2009, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a Resolution on the Alliance of Civilizations (Res. A64/L14) cosponsored by 94 countries, and in which the formal and political support of the
UN for the Alliance is expressed. In June 2010, Spain and the UN University signed an Agreement setting out the "headquarters" and "establishment, operations and location" of the International Institute for the AoC, with its HQ in Barcelona. The Institution's main purpose is to contribute to the promotion and development of the initiative and the UN assessment of its member states. The Alliance of Civilizations has consolidated itself in its six years of existence, becoming a platform for the UN and important within the international community for intercultural dialogue and cooperation.
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For the first time, 193 countries, including the USA and China, have accepted to limit their gas emissions having signed a text which, among other commitments, contains petitions to increase the cuts already announced and to create a Green Fund to help poor countries, which could value ¤75bn in 2020. by Alexandra Issacovitch
Advances in the Cancun Conference The UN Climate Change Conference (COP16, Conference of the Parts) was held in Cancun, Mexico from November 29th to December 10th. A series of decisions were taken, called the "Cancun Agreements", that outline climate change support measures to be taken by all governments. The conference's main focus was to lower future gas emissions and to support a strengthened action against climate change in developing geographical areas.. The Cancun Conference marks a milestone in which part of the confidence in multilateral agreements and efforts are restored.
conferences of the parts since 1995 > The objective of the COP (Conference of the Parts) is to establish objectives that will avoid an increase in global warming. International meetings to find a solution proven by science have been held since 1995. All of the COPs will now be presented in chronological order, and
In this way, nations recover the interest in working together, under one roof, in order to reach a consensus on a common cause. The consensus is an inclusive, transparent process seen as a unique historic opportunity. All governments understand that the future requires a reduction in gas emissions, and take responsibility for actions that will carry out this process in an ambitious, continuous manner. The nations accept that immediate action must be taken in order to remain below a 2°C rise in temperature and approve a testing and monitoring schedule to revise and ensure that the global efforts
the most relevant issue of each will be described. > 1995. Berlin (Germany): an analysis and evaluation phase was established. > 1996. Geneva (Switzerland): the results of the 1995 evaluation were approved, and it was established that not all countries would take the same action without the agreement of each country.
> 1997. Kyoto (Japan): the famous Kyoto Protocol was established for the first time; objectives were fixed to reduce gas emissions in 37 countries from 2008 to 2012. > 1998. Buenos Aires (Argentina): tools for applying the Kyoto Protocol were developed. > 1999. The Hague (Holland): debate on the Kyoto Protocol
mechanisms. > 2000. Bonn (Germany): The USA proposed that already farmed forest areas be converted into CO² drains; the EU rejects the proposal. > 2001. Bonn (Germany): after the failure of COP6, the USA rejected the Kyoto Protocol and participated only as an observer. The details of sanctions for countries
a foreign affairs 25 are adequate to meet the needs that climate change produces. Various initiatives and institutions are being created to protect the poor and those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, ensuring financial support and provision of the necessary technology for developing countries to stabilize their plans, taking sustainable growth into account. Specific action has also been agreed upon to preserve forests in developing countries. This conference provides the foundations for a new beginning in protection of developing countries and the issue of climate change. Decisions approved in Cancun. Official recognition of industrialized countries to develop plans, strategies and actions to reduce CO² emissions, as well as how to provide information about annual inventories. A register will be created to control the process. Every two years, developing countries will have to publish a progress report. Likewise, the countries that signed the Kyoto Protocol agree to continue negotiations with a view to completing work. Some of the Protocol's mechanisms have been strengthened specifically for the developing world. Furthermore, the parties
that fail to meet the agreed objectives were made. > 2001. Marrakech (Morocco): more agreements on the Kyoto negotiations were reached in the documents called the Marrakech Agreements. > 2002. Delhi (India): the EU fails in an attempt to pass a declaration on more actions for the COP
members. > 2003. Milan (Italy): focused on finalizing the details of the Kyoto Protocol. > 2004. Buenos Aires (Argentina): proposals for what would happen after the Kyoto Protocol. > 2005. Montreal (Canada): the first meeting since the Kyoto Protocol came into effect, and also the reunion of the
approved $30bn of financing from industrialized countries to support protection from climate change in developing countries until 2012. Likewise, it was agreed to increase this fund to $100bn until 2020. To do this a process was established for the creation of a Green Fund for the Climate under the supervision of the Conference of the Parts. This supervisory body will be created by a team of directors with equal representation between developed and developing countries. Another of the decisions adopted was to establish a new Cancun Framework of Action on Adaptation that will allow better planning and implementation of adaptation projects in developing countries through an increase in technical and financial support. The nations promise to drive measures to reduce the causes of deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, providing technological and financial support. The Parts establish a technological mechanism with an Executive Technology Committee, a Climate Technology Center and Network to increase technological cooperation in order to support adaptation and relief measures. The next Conference of the Parts is planned for November 28th to December 9th 2011 in South Africa.
Parts. > 2006. Nairobi (Kenya): an international fund for financing adaptation to climate change in poor countries was created; tension in many EU states. > 2007. Bali (Indonesia): the Bali Plan was adopted y progress was made in the processes to establish new commitments to reduce emissions, requiring quicker action.
> 2008. Poznan (Poland): the points of the Bali Plan were considered: relief, adaptation, technology and funding. > 2009. Copenhagen (Denmark): modification of the intention not to let the global temperature rise by more than 2°C, even though no objectives were established for 2050, nor proposals for the IPCC.
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DISCOVER YOUR EMBASSY In addition to presenting itself to the world as an impressive cultural melting pot, today the Philippines is a recognized and active member of the international community with its own strong identity. The increasing political and economic ties between the Iberian Peninsula and the Archipelago will improve the strength of bilateral relations over the coming years. Spain will have front-row seats to the economic progress and institutional consolidation of the Philippines. By Pablo PĂŠrez Guerreira
Spain and the Philippines, the story of a reencounter Today, it is difficult to imagine a Sevillian sailor aboard a Manila Galleon, crossing the Pacific from the port of Acapulco in New Spain to the Philippines. The long voyage, which would take three months in the harshest conditions, would claim the life of many sailors, who fell victims of scurvy and starvation. Then they would set out on the return journey to Acapulco in a Galleon laden with spices, porcelain, marble, textiles, fans, Japanese swords, Persian rugs and a great many other products to be sold to the European market. For this return journey, whose cargo was purchased with Mexican silver, a new route was followed which would last another four or five months, aiming to avoid the Kuro-Siwo current. The Philippines were the gateway to the Orient and the guarantee that the Sun would never set on the Spanish Empire. Once in Mexico, the cargo and passengers would make the return journey by land to the port of Veracruz where they would re-embark on the Indias fleet to Spain.
This maritime odyssey was the longed for treasure that, since Fernando de Magellan discovered the archipelago for the West, sailors and cartographers had tried to discover in order to avoid the treacherous passage through Africa. The maritime link was essential because, since its naming as the Philippine Islands in honor of the future king Philip II in 1548, the islands' history would be connected to that of Spain until 1898. Many of the monuments of Spain's colonial past have disappeared over the years, destroyed either during World War II or through a lack of conservation in an adverse climate famous for natural disasters. However, today some remaining examples proudly testify to Spanish presence in the islands, including the Manila City Wall; the city of Vigan; the Fountain of St. Peter in CebĂš or the Fountain of Pilar in Zamboanga, together with a number of churches dating from Spanish colonial times built by the various orders in the provinces of
THE PHILIPPINES IN FIGURES System of governance: Presidential, parliamentary republic Area: 300,179 km2 Population: 88.57 million inhabitants Population density: 295.05 inhabitants per km2 Urban population (%): 63 Annual population growth: 2,1% Life Expectancy: 71 years GDP (billion, provisional 2008 figures): 160,8 $ Public deficit: 0,8% (2008) Inflation rate: 9,6% (2008) Unemployment rate: 7,4% (2008) Main export partner: China Main import partner: Japan Main exports: Clothing and electronics Main imports: Capital goods and mineral fuels Resident Spanish citizens (2007): 3.088 Source: Min. of Foreign Aff. & Coop.
a foreign affairs 27 Bilacan, Laguza, Rizal, Cavite and Batangas. The 7,100 islands that form the archipelago are of no minor importance to Spain even today. With a population of around 94 million, the archipelago includes many natural resources, notably timber and fisheries, as well as large mineral reserves - copper, nickel, iron and gold - and energy - coal and gas. Within this geo-strategic framework, relations between Spain and the Philippines hold a great potential to be unlocked. Owing to the American colonization, English and Filipino are the official languages, although 2% of the population still uses Spanish, especially in Manila and Ceb첫. It is hoped that this percentage will see a significant increase when the language is reintroduced to the education system by the agreement signed by both countries in 2010, an agreement that brings both countries closer together. However, beyond the linguistic and religious links, relations between both countries, affected by the ups and downs of the 20th century, has been strengthened following the transition to democracy in Spain and, later, in the Philippines. Recent years have been of special significance for development in the Philippines and the consolidation of bilateral relations. President Macapagal Arrollo - having overcome a motion of censure, several attempted coups and intense opposition to her agenda since 2001 - achieved stability during 20072010. These were years of economic development and saw the creation of 8 million jobs, as well as progress in the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Maoist NDF/ CPP/NPA.- In terms of legislation, these years also produced great milestones such as the ratification of the Women's Magna Carta which is key to promoting gender equality, as well as the AntiTorture Law. 2010 saw the first automated general election in the country, and with it the
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replacement of Macapagal by the liberal President Benigno "Nonoy" Aquino, who focused on wiping out corruption, fixing public finances, improving education and infrastructures and respecting human rights. These years of equal economic and social development in both countries has enabled a bilateral political agenda, following the high-level visits and the signature of bilateral and multilateral agreements, as well as enabled some crises to be overcome, such as that which saw Francisco Larrañaga condemned to death, but which was, happily, resolved by his transfer to Spain. At the same time, the new understanding between both countries opens up opportunities for leading Spanish businesses in infrastructure, renewable energy, the environment, agro-industry and tourism; sectors that include some of the Philippines' most urgent needs. Although the interest between economic players from both countries is, without doubt, growing, trade exchanges are lesser in comparison with the other areas of bilateral relations and represent great potential for both countries. All of this is accompanied by the full
A SPANIARD IN THE PHILIPPINES Alfredo Roca.
integration of the Philippines into the international community and, especially, the Asian integration processes, within which Spain maintains constant dialogue and participation. Thus, the Philippines is an active member of the UN and all of its organizations while at the same time being a regional founding member of the Association of SouthEast Asian Nations and belonging to the Asia Pacific Economic Council and the World Trade Organization. Today, relations between the Kingdom of Spain and the Republic of the Philippines are managed through our embassy in Manila, which is also accredited in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federal States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau. Our Embassy is thus a regional hub for Spain's foreign policy in the region. However, Spain's presence in the Philippines transcends the purely political sphere. 2,530 Spanish citizens live in the country, mostly in Manila, and are linked to various associations and centers: Spanish Charitable Association (Sociedad Española de Beneficencia), whose objective is to welcome and assist elderly Spaniards without means as well as to distribute
A 40 year old from Valencia, he studied at the Colegio del Pilar, and later Hospitality and Tourism in Barcelona. He has worked at the Hotel Ritz-Carlton and Barcelona's Juan Carlos I. With the Barceló chain in Barcelona, China and the Philippines. For 6 years, he has managed Empresa Fuego Hotels and is the President of Spain's Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines. — What is your connection to the Philippines? How long have you lived there? — I have spent six years managing a hotel business in the Philippines - Fuego Hotels - with a team of
medication and provide medical aid and other services to Spaniards in need; the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, which aims to build business links between both countries; and the Casino Español Manila and Casino Español Cebú, which act as social, sporting and recreation centers. Relations between the EU and the Philippines do not fall under any specific institutional framework beyond periodical meetings between senior officials and contact at the ASEM summits that deal with political, economic and trade issues and which focus on cooperation for development, upholding human rights and the Mindanao peace process. As a result, given the intensity of SpanishPhilippine contact, our country plays an important leadership role in the country's relations with the EU. The fight against maritime piracy and initiatives in favor of gender equality are potential areas of future cooperation. Thus, almost two hundred years after the last Manila Galleon anchored off the Philippine coast, the country is today a favored travelling partner, able to provide a smooth landing for Spain in South-East Asia, founded on a shared history.
five Spanish citizens. — What do the Filipinos think of Spain and the Spanish? — Very agreeable. They see Spain as a big brother, to whom the are grateful for having brought its religion, cuisine and customs. The Filipino is the Latino of Asia: extroverted, friendly and religious. — Is the colonial past still visible? — Unfortunately, no. Only in areas such as Intramuros (Manila), Vigan in the North, or remote cities that have not been touched by the property boom. — As a group, do Spanish citizens residing in the Philippines do anything to stay in touch?
— There are three groups each over 100 years old - the Casino Español, the Hospital de Beneficencia and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce that organize activities every month. — Give us a reason to choose the Philippines as a tourist destination, or a destination for business. —It has 7,000 islands with wonderful beaches, jungles and volcanoes... and a rich underwater environment which is among the best in the world. The Philippines is a country where the economy is growing and that offers many employment possibilities.
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The Philippines, a platform for Spain in South-East Asia Luis Arias Romero
SPANISH AMBASSADORTO THE PHILIPPINES
Cemented by a shared history and culture, relations between Spain and the Philippines are rich and complex. This shared past, whose mark is still felt today, is the foundation of a bilateral relationship that, having grown from affection, has been consolidated and diversified over the past few years in all areas and dimensions. The harmony has been obvious in the coordination of positions in multilateral and regional forums. Spain has supported the Philippines' request to participate in the Ibero-American Summits as an associated observer. Likewise, both countries collaborate tightly in the inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue within the framework of the ASEM and the UN. The collaboration in the protection of Human Rights deserves special mention. Thanks largely to actions and management of the Spanish Government, the Philippines was the first Asian country to abolish the death penalty, and the country is predisposed to lead joint initiatives. Contact is also fluid between the countries' civil societies and is annually promoted through the Bilateral Tribunal that aims to consolidate its position as an essential instrument in a relationship in which people, academics, members of universities and think tanks, as well as representatives from autonomous communities and local government
can participate. The Philippines is a priority objective for Spanish foreign policy. Spain believes that forming its foreign policy in South-East Asia necessarily depends on the Philippines as a privileged partner and launching platform in Asia. This principle was explicitly established in the Asia Plans of 2005-2008 and 2008-2012. The Philippines is likewise a priority country for Spanish cooperation. Its inclusion in the Direction Plan 2009-2012 as a Country of Extended Association allows greater volumes of ODA to be and a broader spectrum of instruments to be channeled toward it. In 2008, the level of cooperation increased exponentially to reach 造41 million, placing Spain among the world's largest aid donors - the largest in the EU and the fourth largest globally behind Japan, the USA and Australia. Spanish cooperation, led by the AECID (Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation), NGOs and various other players, is focused on jointly establishing the Philippine Development Plan for the health sector, local reinforcement, rural development, peace processes and prevention of natural disasters. Economic relations can be improved, given the high growth experienced by the Philippines. Trade exchanges and investments
The reincorporation of the Spanish language into the Filipino education system will make it part of Filipino heritage once again.
have increased significantly and there is ever greater interest shown by both Spanish and Philippine businesses. Spanish companies such as Mapfre, Indra and Centurion are forging a path for other leading businesses in infrastructure, renewable energy, the environment and tourism. Cultural cooperation, anchored in common roots, is one of the areas with the greatest potential for development. The Cervantes Institute in Manila is the first to open in Asia and will rank second in the world in terms of the number of students and enrollment for Spanish language courses. The increase in demand for Spanish is a factor which gives meaning to the reintroduction of Castilian into the Philippines' education system, a historic initiative of the Filipino Government with great reach that can make our language part of the Philippines' culture once again. Motivated by the agreement between the AECID, the Cervantes Institute and the Spanish and Filipino Ministers of Education, the program for the reintroduction of Spanish already covers more than 100 secondary schools, with a view to be extended to higher and professional education. Conserving memory of our shared past is an incentive to continue to build a deeper, more fulfilling relationship, improving the initiatives already in place and identifying new areas for joint action.
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Consolidating peace. The Toledo International Center for Peace is a tool of civil society that aims to contribute to the building and consolidation of peace through mediation and facilitation. The Center also conducts training activities, collaborating with both governments and civil society institutions.
Emilio Cassinello DIRECTOR OF CITPAX
“The Toledo International Center for Peace facilitates the transformation of conflicts by creating spaces for dialogue” — When was the Toledo International Center for Peace opened, and what are its objectives? — CITpax was registered as a non-profit foundation in 2004. It was founded in the city of Toledo, acknowledging the symbolic value of a city that was a remarkable example of tolerance and coexistence between three different religions and cultures, and whose School of Translation served as an important historical precedent. The Center is a singular institution in Spain, created with the aim of contributing to the building and consolidation of peace, while respecting and promoting human rights and democratic values. Its activities are not only limited to research and diagnostics, but focus deliberately on action through facilitation, mediation and the drafting of "compromise proposals." To this end, CITpax is considered an action-tank, and its essential role is summarized in the expression "Active Mediation," going along with its name and stated purpose. In addition, CITpax undertakes projects in training and education for peace, collaborating with governments and both public and civil society institutions in Spain and abroad. Likewise, it establishes discrete (and usually secreti) contacts between parties in conflict, in order to advance or renew negotiations between public actors.
— What activities does the Center carry out in the area of public diplomacy? — The use of the term "public diplomacy" may be mistaken. It refers to diplomacy carried out "in public," out in the open, although the actors my be governmental or private. Track two, parallel or private diplomacy is that which is carried out by means of participants from civil society, and in general, public opinion is not a top priority. CITpax employs both forms of diplomacy in order to ensure fulfillment of its objectives. In the case of Spain, this translates to building and strengthening Spain's image as a Southern European country, comparable to Norway or Sweden in its pragmatic approach to fostering and encouraging negotiations in international and intra-national conflicts. So, in the event that official diplomatic channels are insufficient or blocked, CITpax facilitates the transformation of conflict, by establishing contacts and creating spaces for dialogue. These new forms of diplomacy work collectively to facilitate the creation of conditions in which official agreements can be produced. In other words, we clear the roadblocks to understanding, and if that cannot be done, we build conversational bridges that work around these roadblocks, in order that government diplomacy can
again clear these diplomatic hurdles. Secondly, these new forms of diplomacy are combined with training activities, analysis and research for peace, aiming over the longer term to develop the positions and actions of parties in conflict. This track serves in familiarizing the collective society with mediation techniques, thus strengthening their negotiating skills and increasing their ability to compromise, generating a social dynamic essential to the process of dialogue and favoring the emergence of transition. We also seek to involve the international community in building peace and earning their commitment. — What role does the Toledo International Center for Peace play in Spanish Foreign Policy? — Autonomy and independence are indispensable for any institution which, like CITpax, is dedicated to mediation. Based on the commitment to neutrality and objectivity in situations of conflict, parallel/private diplomacy manages to explore situations and generate innovative and creative resolution proposals in circumstances in which there are limitations and restrictions to government diplomacy not easily overcome. As such, CITpax is a tool of civil society that acts in support of the Government's foreign policy; in promoting peace, it defends both global
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PROFILE. A Career Ambassador, Emilio Cassinello Aubán has served as a Professor of State Theory and International Law at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and of Political Law and State Theory at the University of Madrid. At the Foreign Ministry he has held several Directorate General positions and served as Ambassador to Angola and Mexico. From 1985 to 1993, he was the President of the Board of Directors of EXPO '92 S.A. and was the Commissioner General of the World Exposition in Seville in 1992. He is the author of "Hispanic Culture and Economy as a New Horizon for Cooperation" (2002, Foro ABC/BBVA) and of "Spain and the Hispanics: A Strategic Project" (Instituto Elcano, 2005).
and Spanish interests. The Center works primarily in Latin America, above all in conflicts in Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia, conflicts resulting from historical marginalization and the demand for a new intercultural society in the Andean region, or in support of peaceful, stable borders, as is the case with Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Other regions include the Middle East and Northern Africa, as well as the Caucasus region. CITpax seeks, naturally to focus on conflicts whose resolution is a priority for Spain and post-Lisbon Europe. — Your vast experience as a diplomat has allowed you the chance to analyze extremely complex situations, like that of the Middle East. What type of
work does the Institution you direct do in conflicts of this nature? — Within the arduous processes relating to multiple conflicts in the Middle East (it has been rightly said that the Middle East is a region with too much history for so little geography), CITpax has developed several initiatives. From a primary resolution proposal for the withdrawal from Gaza, to contributing to the relaunch of the peace process in bringing together all parties at the 15th Anniversary of the Conference of Madrid, and the ongoing in-depth study of a special regime for the Ancient City of Jerusalem (a crucial and enormously complex issue, requiring the confluence of religious
and political language), as well as risk assessment in Lebanon and the facilitation of contacts relating to UNIFIL. At the moment, CITpax (with the full support and funding of the European Commission) is immersed in an ambitious parallel diplomacy project relating to the socalled Arab Peace Initiative, with the creation of a Contact Group that can promote regional solutions as the only realistic exit from the Israeli/ Palestinian conflict. Another unique project, conducted jointly with the IEMed, seeks to lay the groundwork for the potential creation of regional institutions around the pooling of water and energy between States. In looking towards the future, within the complex circumstances that have undone countless agreements forged between the Israelis and the Palestinians, CITpax has proposed a project that seeks to anticipate the reality and the consequences of a potential unilateral declaration in 2011 of a Palestinian State, which has the potential to radically alter the map of the conflict.
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More than 30 years of normalized diplomatic relations. The celebration includes an intense schedule of projects in the economy, science, education, culture and arts of both countries.
2011, The Dual Year for Spanish-Russian Relations The Year of Spain in Russia, and of Russia in Spain, to be held during 2011, represent an opportunity to broaden relations between both countries, which have enjoyed harmonious ties following the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1977. This initiative was born of the Yaroslav Forum, held in September 2009 between the Presidents of Russia and Spain, and demonstrates the excellent relations between these two countries. The Dual Year is organized by a Bilateral Committee, presided over by the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Alexander Zhukov, and the
Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad JimĂŠnez, and will include participation of representatives from various government agencies. The objective of this initiative is to add to the celebratory schedule a multidisciplinary approach, identifying opportunities and creating future resources to strengthen ties between Spain and Russia. These include various exchanges on economic matters, which will pay special attention to transportation infrastructure, management of hospital and tourism infrastructure and energy efficiency. The overall focus of the program covers a wide array of activities. One of
the highlights will be the holding of the Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg, with the presence of Spain as a guest of honor. Also in the economic sphere, the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade, the National Council of Chambers of Commerce and other private initiatives are slated to escalate their activities, working to strengthen bilateral economic relations. In the areas of science and education, Spain will be the guest of honor at the Moscow Book Fair. Presentations will be organized relating to archaeology, ethnography and history, such as the exposition "Russians in the Spanish Civil War." In addition, the Spanish National Research Council will take a leading role in several seminars and congresses relating to the scientific realm. Culture represents another important focus of the program, with activities planned in practically every discipline: architecture, photography, dance, film, performing arts and design, to be held at the most important artistic venues of both countries, such as the Prado Museum, the Queen Sofia National Museum, the Bolshoi Theater and the State Hermitage Museum.
A BUSY SCHEDULE FOR STATE VISITS.
The State Hermitage Museum of Saint Petersburg will host the exhibition "Masterpieces of the Prado Museum" in an exchange to be countered with "Treasures of the Hermitage" in Madrid, beginning in November PHOTO EFE.
The Dual Year will see an increase in state visits between the two countries. The first among them will be that of HRM King Juan Carlos I to Saint Petersburg for the opening of the "Masterpieces of the Prado Museum" exhibit at the State Hermitage Museum, representing the official inauguration of the Dual Year. The closing of the Dual Year will include the expected attendance of Dimitri Medvedev, President of Russia, with a grand dance gala of the Bolshoi and Marlinski Theaters at Madrid's Teatro Real. In addition, the busy schedule of activities will strengthen relations between Spain and Russia at the highest level, with visits from various ministers, artists, scientists and entrepreneurs.
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Spain and Portugal Review Elimination of ‘Roaming’ The next Spanish-Portuguese Summit, to be held in Elvas at the beginning of the year, will include among its topics a change in rates charged for mobile phone calls between Spain and Portugal. The goal is to eliminate roaming charges, so that such calls are charged as a normal domestic call. This measure, if approved, would anticipate EU legislation that seeks to eliminate these fees throughout Europe within a period of five years.
Navantia Delivers its Second Ship to the Venezuelan Navy This past November, Navantia delivered the second of four patrol ships ordered by Venezuela from the Spanish company, a leader in naval construction. The 80-meter long, more than 1400-ton ship is one of the most versatile of the naval craft produced at the San Fernando shipyards. Venezuela has also ordered four ocean patrollers from Navantia.
Meeting of the Council Foundation Presidents In late December the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, met for a working lunch with the Presidents from the seven Council Foundations Spain has opened in Australia, China, the United States, India, Japan, Mexico and Russia. During the meeting, the activities of these institutions were reviewed, as well as their strategies for the future.
African and Spanish Leaders Meet at Casa África In December, Casa África hosted a meeting of African and Spanish leaders, during which they discussed the progress of the Women's Network for a Better World, and reviewed the Working Plan for 2011. The sessions enjoyed the participation of representatives from Spain, Mali, Senegal, Kenya, Gambia and Burundi. The African and Spanish Women's Network is a project of UNIFEM and the Spanish Government, which works to promote gender equality and the rights of women and girls in the African continent.
11th Italy-Spain Dialogue Forum in Rome The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, participated in the 11th Italy-Spain Dialogue Forum, held in late November in Rome. This annual meeting brings together people from Italian and Spanish civil society. During the visit, Trinidad Jiménez held meetings with the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, as well as the Minister's counterpart, Franco Frattini.
Spain and Romania Discuss Integration of Romani Communities Spanish and Romanian Foreign Affairs Officials met in October to seek measures to strengthen integration policies with Romani communities, urging the development of new working strategies within the framework of the European Union. During the meeting, held in Madrid, two agreements were signed regarding the operations of the Spanish Center of the Cervantes Institute in Bucharest and the Romanian Cultural Institute in Madrid.
‘The Power of the Word’ at the International Book Fair The Cabañas Institute of Guadalajara, Mexico, as part of the International Book Fair, hosted a selection of original works from various artists, such as Fernando Sánchez Castillo, Néstor Sanmiguel, Dora García and Ignasi Aballí, under the title "The Power of the Word." The exhibit offered visitors a reflection through the spoken and written word, as well as the absence of word and speech.
Trinidad Jiménez's First Visit
The Minister Visits Bolivia and Ecuador The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, traveled to Bolivia and Ecuador from November 7 to 11. The Minister was received by the Presidents of both countries, Evo Morales and Rafael Correa, and met with her counterparts, David Choquehuanca and Ricardo Patiño. Likewise, Jiménez also spoke with Spanish entrepreneurs in Bolivia and Ecuador and visited various cooperation projects. The primary objective of the Minister's visit was to review and strengthen bilateral relations. In the case of Bolivia, this was the first visit of a Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs since November 2003. Spain has recently opened a Consulate General in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and during her trip, the Minister presided over the opening of the Consular Section of the new Embassy in La Paz.
Board Meeting
The Elcano Institute Approves a New Plan of Action In early December, His Highness the Prince of Asturias presided over the meeting of the Board of the Elcano Institute, held in order to approve the 2011 Plan of Action. The document highlights works in research and analysis for the new year, focused on the following topics: presence and influence of Spain in the world, global security priorities, challenges and responses to energy needs and climate change, and the Bicentennials of independence of the Ibero-American Republics.
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Public Diplomacy Nearly four years after its founding, the institution is moving to a space at Madrid's Cañete Palace, offered by the Madrid City Council, member of the Casa Sefarad-Israel Consortium.
Casa Sefarad-Israel Inaugurates its New Offices This past November 3, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, and the Mayor of Madrid, Alberto Ruíz Gallardón, signed the transfer protocol for the Cañete Palace. By virtue of the agreement, Casa Sefarad-Israel will occupy a total of 1,400 square meters located on the ground floor and the lower ground floor of this historic building located on Calle Mayor.
Casa Sefarad-Israel is a public consortium created by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the City Council of Madrid and the Community of Madrid. Its objective is to promote friendly relations and cooperation between Spain, Israel and Jewish communities around the world, acting in the political, economic, social, scientific and cultural spheres.
Pope Benedict XVI Visited Santiago and Barcelona Benedict XVI visited Santiago de Compostela and Barcelona during a two-day trip, his second visit to Spain during his Pontificate. In 2011 the Pope will return to Spain for World Youth Day, to be held in Madrid.
Casa Mediterráneo Presents ‘The Spanish in Algeria’ The Casa Mediterráneo will be showing the exhibit "The Spanish in Algeria" at the Bancaja Foundation through mid-January. The exhibition explores the migratory phenomenon occurring during the last five centuries through photographs, drawings, engravings and many documents complied by Professor Juan Ramón Roca.
Jorge Cardona, Member of the Committee for the Rights of the Child Spanish professor Jorge Cardona has been elected from among 18 candidates to form part of the Committee for the Rights of the Child of the United Nations for a term from 2011-2014. Cardona thus becomes the first Spanish member of this Committee and the fifth Spaniard among all United Nations supervisory bodies for the respect of Human Rights. Alberto Ruíz Gallardón and Trinidad Jiménez, during the signing of the transfer protocol of the new offices of Casa Sefarad-Israel.
The office is to open in 2012 at the Sant Pau Hospital
UN University to Open its 10th Location in Barcelona Beginning in 2012, Barcelona will be home to an institute dedicated to research and education in topics relating to new migrations, the challenges of youth leadership, education as a tool for development and the role of the media in the 21st century. The new International Institute of the United Nations University
for the Alliance of Civilizations will be the eleventh institute of its kind in the world, and will be located in one of the modernist pavilions of the old Sant Pau Hospital. The Institute will serve as a headquarters for diplomacy, housing 200 people, including researchers, faculty and students.
Dialogue Between Spain and Indonesia Regarding Religious Diversity In December, the Casa Asia hosted the First Interreligious Dialogue between Spain and Indonesia, addressing experiences related to religious diversity. The dialogue takes place in the context of excellent bilateral relations and establishes a channel for shared knowledge between representatives of both countries and their religious organizations, while at the same time opening a line of cooperation in the area of interreligious dialogue. Indonesia is a key actor in Southeast Asia, and an important ally for Spain.
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The Russia House to be Opened in Barcelona in 2011 The recent visit of Russian Vice President, Alexander Zhukov, has given impetus to the creation of the Russia House at the Marquès d’Alfarràs Palace. This institution, sponsored by the Russian Government and private enterprise, seeks to become a center for economic, social and business exchange.
The First Leg Transplant in the World to be Performed in Spain The first simultaneous transplant of both legs will be performed in Spain, according to the announcement made by the Minister of Health, Social Policy and Equality. Spain remains at the forefront of transplant science, as reflected by the fact that the number of such procedures has tripled in recent years.
Telefónica Grows its International Presence According to the latest information available from the Spanish multinational, its presence abroad is taking hold. During the first half of 2010, Telefónica's profits grew 6%, resulting from its international business, in contrast to the fall in consumption in the domestic market. Currently 67% of Grupo Telefónica's income is earned outside of Spain.
Cadagua to Build a Water Treatment Plant in Oman With this project, valued at 70 million Euros, the Ferrovial subsidiary consolidates its presence in the Persian Gulf region where its portfolio includes projects in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Cadagua is one of the largest companies in its sector, having completed more than 240 water treatment plants, desalination plants and urban and industrial wastewater treatment stations around the world.
Within the Framework of the NATO Summit. Issues such as the approval of a new Strategic Concept and Russian-NATO relations were discussed at the summit, held in Lisbon.
Spain Announces “The Beginning of the End of our Mission in Afghanistan” Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero traveled to Lisbon in November to participate in the NATO summit, where topics such as the approval of a new Strategic Concept, the situation in Afghanistan and RussianNATO relations were discussed, among others. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, an the Minister of Defense, Carmen Chacón, accompanied the President. The Minister confirmed that the Lisbon summit marked “the beginning of the end of the Spanish mission in Afghanistan.” To this end, she indicated that the process of handing over authority to the Afghanis must be made “step by step, province by province, with caution yet determination; in a permanent manner so that the process cannot be undone, without taking steps backwards.” Furthermore, the Minister of Defense affirmed that the provinces in which Spanish soldiers are deployed could begin the transition process
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, together with US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, during their talks in Lisbon. PHOTO EFE
between 2011 and 2012, although this may not involve an automatic reduction in the number of troops deployed, as the process will be gradual and progressive. On her part, Trinidad Jiménez held bilateral meetings with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs from Canada, the United States, Iceland, New Zealand, Poland, and the United Kingdom.
Organized by the United Nations
Sustainable Water Management, an International Debate in Zaragoza From December 13 to 17, Zaragoza hosted an international seminar on "Sustainable Water Management in Cities," organized by the United Nations Office of Support for the International Decade for Action, "Water, the Source of Life," 20052015. At the same time, the University of Zaragoza scheduled a series of
discussions in Spanish, aimed at the university community and experts in water management, titled: The Road to the 2015 Goal: a Commitment to Water. Attendees discussed different topics relating to water and the MDGs, demonstration projects, cooperative assistance, and the human right to water.
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Successor to Juan Pablo de Laiglesia
Juan Antonio YáñezBarnuevo, New Secretary of State The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has selected Juan Antonio Yáñez-Barnuevo, Spanish Ambassador to the United Nations, as the new Secretary of State of Foreign and Ibero-American Affairs. Born in Coria del Río (Seville) in 1942, he is a veteran diplomat, through whom the Minister hopes to develop one of the Ministry's greatest challenges: multilateralism and the commitment to the United Nations. Yáñez-Barnuevo has served as a representative to the UN during almost all of his career. During recent years, he participated in the preparatory works for the creation of the International Criminal Court. The other Secretaries of State, Diego López Garrido and Soraya Rodríguez, will continue in their posts.
International Presence
The IMF Increases Spanish Quota to 2% In November, the International Monetary Fund increased Spain's quota at said organization from 1.4% to 2%. Spain thus became the only developed country to gain market share within the IMF. This increase moves our country from the thirteenth to the fifteenth largest presence within the organization. The quota represents the country's weight within the institution, its voting power and its economic contribution to the organization. The equation that determines the quota measures different variables, including weighted average GDP, level of openness, economic variability and reserves.
Debating the Coverage of the Middle East Casa Mediterráneo and Casa Sefarad-Israel recently organized an international meeting in Alicante to explore the issue of coverage of the Middle East. Over the course of the three-day event, various journalists and opinion leaders from Spain and abroad, as well as diplomatic representatives from Israel and Palestine, examined the influence of the media on Spanish public opinion regarding the Middle East conflict.
European Union Selects Spain for Solar Research The Advanced Technology Center for Renewable Energy, with more than thirty years of research experience, was selected by the European Union to conduct one of three solar research projects. The project, referred to as EU-Solaris, involves the construction of different infrastructure elements at a value of 80 million Euros aimed at developing this alternative energy source, an area in which Spain is a leader globally.
Casa Asia Offers Multimedia Content on its New Website In November, Casa Asia updated its website, focusing on multimedia content. The web portal of this Casa, forming part of the public diplomacy network created by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, received an average of 600,000 visitors per month, and has 17,000 subscribers to its informative newsletter. The website is an essential tool for accessing news, activities, articles and databases for the 45 countries it covers.
New Commemorative Stamp for the Ibero-American Bicentennials In November, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, together with the Post Office, presented the second stamp commemorating the Bicentennial of Independence of the Ibero-American Republics. This stamp, with a value of 0.78 Euros, is the second to be issued in commemoration of the Bicentennial events celebrated in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Paraguay and Venezuela.
Trinidad Jiménez Met with the Chinese Vice President The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, met in late November with the Vice President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, in Palma de Mallorca. The leaders discussed topics of bilateral and multilateral interest, focusing especially on economic relations relating to Spain's ambition to access the Chinese market in competitive sectors such as banking, construction, energy and tourism.
3rd EU-Africa Summit Held in Tripoli Following the summit held in Lisbon two years prior, the 3rd EU-Africa Summit was held in late November under the slogan “Investment, Economic Growth and Job Creation.” The gathering was marked by the efforts of both parties to increase economic collaboration in order to support improved development in Africa. Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero attended the meeting, together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
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38 A analysis
Hungarian Presidency of the EU Council. The Hungarian Ambassador to Spain explains the main priorities of the Hungarian Presidency of the EU Council during the first half of 2011.
Edit Bucsi Szabó “The primary objective of the Hungarian Presidency is the building of a stronger Europe” HUNGARIAN AMBASSADOR TO SPAIN
— What will be the main priorities of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union? — The platform falls within that of the Trio Presidency, and the priorities are based on the results of the Presidencies of Spain and Belgium. During the first half of 2011, Europe must focus on improving economic results and creating jobs to achieve sustainable growth and recover from the crisis. Some important lessons have been learned from the crisis, and the policy decisions made have strengthened economic coordination and fiscal control, while a framework has been created that ensures the competitiveness of the European economy over the long term. 2011 will be a year of action. We are going to begin implementation of the decisions adopted in 2010, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the Lisbon Treaty. We will perform the duties of the rotating presidency in a responsible manner, facilitating smooth operations and the cooperation of European institutions with the member states. The Hungarian Presidency has identified four important priorities, the common objective being service to the citizenry, in order that the focus of
European policies may return to the human side of European integration. As such, we will dedicate our efforts firstly to growth, employment and social inclusion to promote a European social model. In order to consolidate European economic recovery, which is a common European objective, we must strengthen European economic coordination and adopt new measures in this regard. It is essential that we begin to implement the decisions adopted during the Spanish Presidency regarding measures to strengthen employment, improve competitiveness and promote social inclusion, all included in the EU 2020 Strategy. Secondly, the Hungarian Presidency aims to promote a stronger Europe, building on its foundations while ensuring a sustainable future for Europe. The future of the European Union will be defined by the most important EU policies. We must find a suitable balance between EU policies that have enabled the European Union to achieve ever greater integration, and policies that are essential in successfully facing recent challenges. For this reason, we will carefully deal with a host of issues, such as the review of the Common Agricultural
Policy, the creation of a genuine common energy policy, and the fight against climate change. Thirdly, we will pay special attention to the strengthening of a Europe more connected to its citizenry. The Lisbon Treaty proposes new ways for European citizens to take advantage of the opportunities they are afforded by living and working in this shared space that is the European Union. And lastly, we must develop the role of the EU in the world, continuing expansion responsibly and maintaining a global commitment. — Specifically, what is the Danube Strategy you wish to promote? — The adoption of the Strategy for the Danube Region will be one of the main objectives of the Hungarian Presidency. It is encompassed within the second
PHOTO: IGNACIO GÓMEZ
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PROFILE. Born in Miskolc (Hungary) on May 28, 1966, Edit Buscsi-Szabó is an economist and a graduate of the University of Economic Sciences of Budapest. During her career in the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, she has served as head of the Secretariat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has specialized in European affairs. This is her third post in Spain, where she worked in Madrid from 1996 to 2000 as the Third Secretary and European Chargé d'affaires, and from 2003 to 2007 as First Counselor. She has been the Hungarian Ambassador to Spain since November 2008.
priority I mentioned before. This will represent the second macroregional strategy of the European Union whose objective is to include common policies, projects and actions, above all in the economic, social and environmental realm, simultaneously generating synergy and contributing to the development of the region in a more focused and integrated way. Macro-regional strategies also create value and open a new platform for cooperation to strengthen cohesion and minimize regional differences. With regard to the Danube Strategy, it is important that the participation of member states be coupled with that of the Western Balkan countries that are not EU members. Therefore, the Danube Strategy offers an appropriate tool for dealing with global challenges that can only be resolved through cross-border cooperation (such as energy security, climate change, flooding, drought) in a coordinated way. — And what actions do you want to take in pushing for a Europe of the Citizens? — The Presidency will work to bring Europe close to its citizens. We must achieve tangible results in the areas of liberty, security and justice. EU policies in this area have a direct impact on the daily lives of the people. Protecting the rights of the citizens is a priority, and for that reason the Hungarian Presidency will see to it that the debate on compensation for crime victims continues. Another key theme will be increasing efficiency in the fight against organized and computer-based crime. In keeping with the principles and objectives of the Stockholm Platform, Hungary will continue to work to achieve concrete and visible results from cooperation on matters of Justice and Interior Affairs. We must ensure that the right to freedom of movement does not compromise the
security of EU citizens, and vice versa. The Schengen Area, which has no internal border controls, is one of the most tangible accomplishments of European integration for EU citizens. It is important that both Romania and Bulgaria come to share this space during the first half of 2011, if they meet the necessary technical criteria, as provided for in their EU membership treaties. — What is your position on EU expansion during this six-month period? — We are convinced that the continued expansion and growth of the European Union has been a historic success for Europe as a whole. The Hungarian Presidency will promote continued expansion. Europe must remain open to countries that meet the established criteria and are willing to strengthen rule of law, democracy and human rights, and adopt and implement EU initiatives. Negotiations with Croatia have reached their final stage. It is very important to ensure that Croatia meets all the requirements for membership before these negotiations are ended. Likewise, it is important that we avoid needless delays. The Hungarian Presidency will do everything possible to support Croatia in meeting the membership criteria and thus closing negotiations. Similarly, it is important to keep moving forward in negotiations with Turkey and to begin negotiations with Iceland. The integration process of the Western Balkan countries must continue. The European Council's decision to request that the Commission issue an opinion on the membership request of Serbia offers a clear message that strengthens credibility in the process. Hungary is willing to assume the duties of the Presidency if the Member States decide to begin negotiations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
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Information campaign. Last November in Madrid, the AECID, the Secretary of State for Equality and the Spanish NGOs that combat gender-based violence organized the “Your Voice Counts. A week for a world without violence against women” campaign, which aimed to raise people's awareness in preparation for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
‘Violencias’ in the feminine plural When the organizations from Your Voice Counts began thinking of a slogan, the idea they had in mind was to make it apparent that violence against women is not only a problem limited to Spain, but something that is no respecter of race, borders, climate or social-economic class, and which is made worse in areas where the basic needs of the population are not met, where education is lacking or where conflicts have laid waste to the territory. The organizations and institutions also thought about how to get the community to participate actively in a campaign in which their voice, and that of the global community, is a vital tool for eradicating once and for all the pandemic of violence suffered by women and young girls all over the world. Violence against women is rife in its various forms, and it is for that reason that the campaign name highlights the plural form and attempts to raise awareness about an issue that concerns global society, and which is the principal cause of death among women aged between 15 and 44 across the globe. The vulnerable position of women and young girls in the face of violence is worsening in countries with fewer resources and which have only recently undergone their development process. Highlighting this fact and the work of Spanish cooperation in the fight against violence was also one of the campaign objectives, which through its website
www.sinviolenciascontralasmujeres. es showed some of the awareness campaigns that are being implemented with Spanish funding in countries such as Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Cape Verde, Vietnam, Ecuador and El Salvador. Spanish Cooperation lies in 2nd place in the world ranking of donors in the gender and development sector. Spain is also the leading donor to the United Nations' Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women. Your Voice Counts, which according to Miguel Lorente, Government Representative against Gender-Based Violence, is a very appropriate slogan if we consider that “the voice is the most important tool in the fight against gender-based violence: the first strike is a word and the second is silence”, was launched at the AECID headquarters in Madrid and throughout the week the message was circulating the media and the Internet, with a viral advertising strategy designed to encourage the community to participate, with their voice, in the global fight against the gender-based violence pandemic. Your Voice Counts could also be seen on the street, specifically at the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, where a human figure was formed with the female symbol and information was given out. Another of the activities was the Walk of Shame, in which they stuck on the Gran Vía in Madrid, in the style of Hollywood's Walk of Fame, stars with the names
and stories of women who had been attacked. Lastly, the International Seminar for Human Rights Defenders Under Threat in Latin America was held. UN Resolution 1325 and other protection instruments for women in conflict zones, with the aim of raising awareness of women's work in defense of human rights and in favor of social justice and peace, as well as specific
Image of the final act of the campaign in Madrid's Puerta del Sol. PHOTO MIGUEL LIZANA.
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Post-War Project by the School for a Culture of Peace The School of a Culture of Peace of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, run by Vicenç Fisas, is setting up a network for information exchange, reflection and debate on the building and consolidation of peace and, in general, transition and post-conflict issues. The project, funded by the AECID, is aiming to strengthen dialogue between the academic community, public administration and civil society. To achieve this, it is creating a directory of people and organizations with links to the area. Part of this involved the setting up of the following website: www.postbelica.org
Francisco Moza Zapatero, new Director of the AECID The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, presided over the investiture ceremony of the New Director of AECID, Francisco Moza Zapatero, who stressed the importance of cooperation policy during his speech. The challenges that Francisco Moza is undertaking at the head of the AECID are in continuance of the progress being made towards a quality cooperation policy, the commitment to effective and pro-active multilateralism, and the involvement of developing countries in their own development; in accordance with the priorities of the 2009-2012 Master Plan.
Inauguration of homes in San Pedro de Ycuamandyyú, Paraguay On November 26, twenty homes were inaugurated for the Basic Habitability Project, which aims to improve the quality of life of families from the Mandua´ra district in San Pedro de Ycuamandyyú, Paraguay. The project, which was part of the framework of the AECID's Heritage for Development Program, includes community training and urban environmental improvement courses.
Aid shipment for the Venezuelan people affected by the rains On December 8, the AECID, from the Humanitarian Logistics Center of Spanish Cooperation in Latin America (CLH), located in Panama, sent a plane carrying 15 tons of health and shelter materials for the Venezuelan people affected by the rains. This was Spain's response to the request issued by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry due to the powerful rains that affected over 24,000 families in the country. The excellent location of the CLH, which keeps enough stock to help 5,000 families, allows for an immediate response to any needs arising from human crises in the PanAmerican region.
Bartomeu Meliá, Bartolomé de las Casas Award situations that they face when carrying out their work. The final act of the 2010 campaign was to join the rally held every November 25 in the Puerta del Sol in Madrid for female victims of violence, which is specially dedicated to Spanish victims, which by November this year, had already reached double the amount of the victims in 2009. Laura Losada
Jesuit priest, writer, researcher and linguist, Bartomeu Meliá, of HispanoParaguayan nationality, won the 20th Bartolomé de las Casas award. The jury unanimously singled him out for his contribution to the causes of the indigenous communities of Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia; his determined and unyielding defense of the Aché community; his work as a defender of the Guaraní language; his contribution to the schooling of the indigenous people; and his ethnological and anthropological analysis of the Guaraní communities. The Bartolomé de las Casas Award, which the Secretary of State for International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and Casa de América have been announcing since 1991, comes with a prize of 50,000 Euros.
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Humanitarian Aid. Almost one year on from the earthquake that devastated the country, Haiti faces a new crisis that is yet to be contained. The outbreak of cholera detected on October 21 has already cost the lives of more than 2,000 people and has been exacerbating the precarious living conditions in the country.
Miren Gutiérrez, new director of Greenpeace The journalist Miren Gutiérrez will take the reins of the Spanish division of Greenpeace as of January, to replace Juan López de Uralde who has held the position for almost the last decade. Gutiérrez, who began her journalistic career 20 years ago at the EFE agency, has worked at some of the most internationally famous media companies. In recent months she has been working as Director of Communication at the MarViva Foundation.
First Observatory of Justice and Gender Trinidad Jiménez (center), together with Francisco Moza (right) and Pablo Yuste (left). PHOTO JAVIER HERNÁNDEZ
Contingency Plan against Cholera in Haiti From the first few hours of this new emergency, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) implemented all of its mechanisms for caring for the affected persons and coordination with all the involved humanitarian actors, both within and beyond Spain's borders. The early activation of the SpainPHO Fund enabled the World Health Organization to deploy a team of multidisciplinary experts to complete the diagnosis and confirm the outbreak, as well as provide immediate treatment to the sick. Since then, the AECID, with the aim of guaranteeing the constant flow of supplies, has carried out four aerial shipments and one sea shipment, containing over 90 tons of rehydration sera and supplements for administration, as well as purification materials, which have been delivered to the Spanish organizations that are
treating the patients on the ground, Doctors without Borders, The Red Cross and Doctors of the World. To assist the provision of safe water to the Haitians, thanks to the Emergency Fund that the AECID's Cooperation Fund for Water and Sanitation (FCAS) made available to Haiti's National Directorate of Drinking Water and Sanitation, there has now been a delivery of 99.5 million purification tablets that have met the chlorinated water needs of 2 million people and which have been added to the supply of 7.8 tons of powdered chlorine, 43,810 boxes of soap and 2,200 kilos of oral rehydration salts. Recently, the AECID and the InterAmerican Development Bank have agreed to increase the Emergency Fund to purchase another 80 million tablets and assist the push for the large scale purification of the country's water. Virginia Castrejana
In early December, the Supreme Court of Justice, the Commission for Gender Equality of the Judiciary and the AECID launched the Observatory of Justice and Gender of the Dominican Judiciary, which aims to monitor the rulings and other legal decisions issued in this area, to propose government policies and put forward guidelines for action in the judiciary. This initiative, which is pioneering in the region, is part of the Project for Improvement of Access to Criminal Justice in the Dominican Republic, which the Supreme Court of Justice and the AECID have signed up for.
Workshop on the latest trends in cooperation Going by the title “Governments and Companies Investing in Development”, the Carolina Foundation held the 4th Workshop for Companies of Our Patronage, in which new trends in public-private partnerships aiming to establish innovation as a driver of development and an instrument for combating poverty are examined.
c cooperation 43 ‘Human Journalism’ a new way of doing journalism Javier Bauluz, the only Spanish journalist to possess a Pulitzer Prize, has started a new professional project with the website ‘Periodismo Humano’ (Human Journalism). In the words of Bauluz himself, this website is “a means of communication with a focus on human rights. It is non-profit making and has a professional editorial team, correspondents, contributors and analysts in different parts of the world”. The goal is to “produce human journalism that is truthful, honest and independent, with the primary focus on people”. In short, the website is trying to recover journalism's social purpose, issues for which it offers the possibility of becoming a member to provide stability to this new challenge. Guatemala. Greenhouse Project. PHOTO JAVIER BAULUZ
The SECI's visit to the region
AECID Initiative
Spain promotes cooperation with Guatemala, El Salvador and Ecuador
The Cultural Ring of Latin America is Inaugurated
Participation in the conference on the rebuilding of Guatemala due to the floods last spring; the signing of a Framework Partnership Agreement; and the visit to several cooperation projects in Ecuador, were the focal points of the trip made by the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Soraya Rodríguez, to these three Latin American countries in October. Guatemala, El Salvador and Ecuador are included among the priority countries for Spanish cooperation and the Secretary of State was able to verify the importance of our task in its meetings with the respective
ambassadors, the Technical Cooperation Offices and representatives of the region's NGOs. The cooperation projects range from work to restore cultural heritage, such as in Quito or La Antigua, to the promotion of educational institutions or conservation of a special natural area. Proof of the importance that these three countries attach to the actions of Spain is demonstrated by the fact that Soraya Rodríguez was received by the presidents of Guatemala (Álvaro Colom), El Salvador (Mauricio Funes) and Ecuador (Rafael Correa).
On November 6, the inaugural event of the Latin-AmericanEuropean Cultural Ring was held; a network for cooperation and partnership that links Latin America and Europe in the field of contemporary cultural action based on the intensive use of Information and Communication Technologies. In the first phase of the project, cultural institutions from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Argentina and Spain took part to work, create and share content collectively through Internet2 technology.
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Thirty years of fighting against poverty. In 2011, Aid in Action celebrated its 30th anniversary of working to improve the living conditions of the most disadvantaged. Its president is backing the creation of an alliance that will help to reduce hunger by half by 2015 and will demand that governments protect the right to adequate food.
Jaime Montalvo “Aid in Action has been working since 1981 to help the marginalized” PRESIDENT OF AID IN ACTION
— What was the origin of this NGO and how does it function today? — Aid in Action first started out with links to the ActionAid organization, with which we still work today, to support the funding of programs it was implementing in developing countries, such as, for example, the program run by Vicente Ferrer in Anantapur (India). It was Gonzalo Crespí de Valldaura who started the work, with the help of other people, who were important during those early years of the Organization, such as Jesús Casaus. It was after 1986 when our organization began to manage its own projects in Latin America. That was when we set off on our own path, separate from ActionAid but always in collaboration with them. We currently work in 21 countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa, backing 126 development projects and providing support to almost 3.5 million people. We also work in partnership with ActionAid in 48 countries of Asia and Africa. For example, we worked with them, and what's more very closely, in the emergency that arose in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. — Where is Aid in Action's work focused and in which sectors? — We promote comprehensive development programs, which means we are involved in practically all areas of action. We could say that, in this sense, we are involved in all aspects of cooperation.
We try to ensure that basic needs are met, in all aspects of building and improving infrastructures, to guarantee that all children have access to a quality education, which is a priority area for us. We also work to strengthen food security, empower communities and provide them with the knowledge to enable them to control their own lives with dignity. Other areas we work in are risk management, which is essential for tackling natural disasters, and providing support to the people, enabling them to take control of their own development. — The realization of the Millennium Development Goals is the main objective of all organizations working in cooperation. How does Aid in Action work to realize them? Do they have confidence in their viability? —In reality the realization of the Millennium Development Goals isn't the main objective of most NGOs, but rather a minimum target that we share and to which we would like our work to make a contribution, both in the countries where we work and here in Spain through awareness campaigns. We are also involved in various campaigns that are directly related to achieving the MDGs: we play a very active part in the World Education Campaign, which is fighting to pressure governments into fulfilling their education commitments. We work on other campaigns on the right to food and we are involved in the activities of
the Spanish Coordinating Committee of Development NGOs with their Zero Poverty Campaign. Of course we think that the MDGs are viable. The cost of realizing the MDGs is nothing compared to what has been spent and what is being spent on other priorities such as the financial crisis and weapons. We believe that it requires political will. — What do you think about the involvement of the people in this fight? — There is an important statistic: despite the current crisis, nine out of ten European Union citizens are in favor of Official Development Assistance. Furthermore, many of these people continue working with our organizations; demonstrating their commitment to solidarity. These people are an example to follow. I also want to give a very special mention to the volunteers, whose effort I believe to be praiseworthy. At our organization, we have noticed how the crisis has heightened the feeling of solidarity and has led many people who find themselves unemployed to join our organization and offer their knowledge or professional experience. The effort these people make is very important and I would like to draw attention to it. — What advice would you give to government leaders in order to achieve the MDGs? — Governments have to listen to the requests of their citizens because, as
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PROFILE. Jaime Montalvo Correa has been the President of the Patronage of Aid in Action since October 2003 and a member of the Patronage since 1999. A professor of Employment and Social Security Law, he has held senior positions in public and private organizations and taken part in national and international negotiation and arbitration processes. He is currently also a member of the government body, Sagardoy Lawyers and Vice President of the Madrid Mutual Society. I've already said, many of them are highly committed and are demanding that their governments meet their commitments. That is one aspect. The other, speaking from an organizational point of view, is the cuts to Official Development Assistance announced this year by the government. These seem like very bad news to us because they penalize the people who are most in need, who ultimately are most affected by the crisis. In this sense, governments have to continue to assume collective responsibility for pushing for a fairer world. — What are the main challenges
for Spanish cooperation from the perspective of your NGO? — Our responsibility, from the organizations, is to continue working to bring an end to poverty. There are currently over 1 billion people suffering from hunger in the world and that is a extremely serious situation. We cannot use the current economic crisis as an excuse to abandon our commitment to the countries of the Southern Hemisphere. That's why we support the creation of an alliance that will help to reduce hunger by half by 2015 and will demand that governments protect the human right to adequate food.
— What is the future of NGOs? Is Spain moving towards a stronger NGO sector? — For us, 2011, which is the most immediate future, marks our 30th anniversary of working to improve the living conditions of the most disadvantaged children, families and communities. In spite of the fact that years of great uncertainty lie ahead, I can say to you that our greatest strength is the conviction that, between us all, we will be able to find the best way of achieving our mission. We are sure that, at the same time, we are going to continue working with other organizations through networks and partnerships, to build a fairer world. I think that all organizations have this same goal for the future; to redouble our commitment to those who are most disadvantaged. — Among other responsibilities, you have undertaken the role of president of the Economic and Social Council. In your experience, how do you judge the contribution of companies to human development? —They make an important contribution. Companies are a strategic partner due to the genuine influence they have over the economy, people's lives and the environmental impact of their actions. As such, we consider business to be a principal actor in development. — Do you consider the framework offered by so-called Corporate Social Responsibility to be the best way of evaluating this contribution? — Of course. Corporate Social Responsibility is the way in which the companies become more aware of the impact their activity can have on their customers, employees, shareholders, communities, environment and society in general. In fact, subscribing to CSR criteria involves the obligatory commitment to social, employment, environmental and human rights legislation, both nationally and internationally. If this commitment is actually met, CSR seems like a wonderful tool.
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Avant-garde novelist under the reign of King Alfonso XIII, journalist critical of the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, Spanish Ambassador in London and voluntary exile after the Civil War, Ramón Pérez de Ayala (1880-1962) adopted various identities and strategies to make his voice heard above the widespread pandemonium and maintain his place in the political center continuously displaced by the country's political upheaval. DIPLOMATIC AUTHORS (5th installment)
by Jacobo García
Ramón Pérez de Ayala
Professorial Literature Four years of boarding with Jesuit priests perhaps provided excessive exposure to an overly eschatological life vision for a boy between the ages of eight and twelve years. This experience is not only testified to in the novel, A.M.D.G. (1910), which made Pérez de Ayala famous, but throughout his entire works, which are impregnated by a negative view of humanity. In London at the age of eighteen, as correspondent for an important Madrid newspaper, he found himself at the opposite end of the spectrum, but his experience came to an abrupt end with the suicide of his father, which was provoked by the failure of his business in Oviedo. The young Ramón emerged from this difficult moment by leaving for Madrid and immersing himself in the literary and bohemian life of the capital. Moving from hostel to hostel, he met a vast array of intriguing individuals and he set about describing them against the poor, rarefied backdrop of a tyrannical society with sixty percent illiteracy. This first stage in his career as a narrator was brought to a close with Troteras y danzaderas (1913), a stroll
through a hungry and badly-lit Madrid in the company of politicians, journalists, theatre folk, gamblers and prostitutes. His novels, considered more as tools with which to moralize than as vehicles for aesthetic pleasure, recount the conflict between the individual, with has laughable aspirations for happiness, and the avarice of social predators, while introducing to the genre the structural and technical innovations that would later appear, modified and developed, in the European literature of the inter-war period. After Annual, when the political system of Restoration was taking its last breath, the author felt obliged to put pen to paper in the service of the Regime's opposition. These were the years of his last narrative stage, which spans from Belarmino y Apolonio (1921) to Tigre Juan and its sequel, El curandero de su honra (both from 1926). The premature end of his literary life, accepted with perfect stoicism, signaled the beginning of his full immersion in political life. His was the literature of a university professor, rather than that of a jester. A a result of being written in a complex,
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On the left, author Ramón Pérez de Ayala photographed in front of the building housing the Spanish Courts in 1949, the year he returned to Spain after his exile in Argentina. Above: Ramón Pérez de Ayala, theatre director Cipriano Rivas Cherif and the toreador Juan Belmonte at a play in 1920's Madrid; image of the writer in his post as Ambassador to London in 1931 under the Republic, together with his North American wife, Mabel Rick. PHOTOS: EFE
laborious style - the product of an intensive reading of the classics and the continual search through the Spanish dictionary-, they lack emotion and naturalness, those essential gifts which the French authors of the 18th century referred to as writing with happiness. From the moment the Tricolor was flown at the Puerta del Sol his early support for the Republican program earned him the triple prize of a mandate as representative for Asturias, a post as the director of the Museo del Prado and the role of Spanish Ambassador to London, all at once. Up until that time, his only experience as a servant of the State had been an auxiliary administrative charge in the Ministry of Public Instruction, but this did not stop him from negotiating the twists and turns of diplomatic life with great skill and from doing an excellent job in the Court of St. James. His professed anglophilia and the fact that he was married to a North American were not unrelated to the warm welcome he was given by the ministers of the Crown upon his arrival in Buckingham Palace at such a young age. Though it did not sit well with Republican Madrid, it did
prove very useful for him personally, ingratiating him with the government of the then foremost world power. The pride he felt in having contributed to the construction of the fine rationalist edifice that was the Spanish Republic was slowly diluting. His brilliant diplomatic career came to an end with the victory of the Frente Popular. Together with two other, more famous companions of the Group at the Service of the Republic, Gregorio Marañón and José Ortega y Gasset, he too had to intone a bitter "That is not it, that is not it" (“No es eso, no es eso”). At the outbreak of the Civil War he was about to be called up, however, thanks to his anarchist chauffeur, he managed to leave Madrid for Cartegena, where his English friends had sent him a frigate that took him to Marseilles. While his two sons fought in the national army, Pérez de Ayala settled in Paris from where he would make regular visits to London to help the Francoist diplomatic corps gain Great Britain's recognition. His discreet service was sufficiently appreciated in Burgos to permit his eventual return to Spain once the war had ended. However, the country,
trapped as it was in one of its repressive spirals, did not provide the space for one to imagine a swift return to normality. In 1940, despite already having reached sixty years of age, he decided to go into exile. There was no shortage of offers for him to go to London but he preferred Argentina, as he had been writing for the country's principal mouthpiece, La Prensa, since the First World War. After a few years he was joined there by his sons. His life seemed to have straightened itself out once again. However, the amputation of his younger son's leg and the subsequent death of his eldest son led to his return to Madrid in 1954. He was 74 years old and had spent more than twenty of those years outside of Spain. The tale of these last years of his life is remembered in Las Terceras del ABC, a reference to the Spanish newspaper which welcomed him back like a prodigal son. In these memoirs we find the discreet acknowledgement, given the limitations on freedom of expression at that time, of his disappointment with his compatriots' lack of real desire to share his old institutionalist dreams of regeneration and collective improvement.
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Flamenco, the ‘castells’, Majorca's chant of the Sybil, the Mediterranean diet and falconry are, as of November, an Intangible Cultural Heritage. With this decision, UNESCO recognizes the intangible value of these expressions of Spanish culture, living examples of the human capacity to pass down knowledge and emotions from generation to generation. by Beatriz Beeckmans
Spanish traditions now belong to everyone In Nairobi on November 16, 2010 the Intergovernmental Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided to include five of our most deep-rooted traditions on their list of expressions of culture considered worthy of being Intangible Cultural Heritage. This act was an official recognition of the importance of arts, rituals, skills and customs that must be acknowledged, protected and promoted in the interests of all. Since its creation in 1945, UNESCO, through its conventions, has concentrated its efforts on developing a framework for international regulation that might
act as a basis for the creation of the cultural policies of Member States, and reinforce cooperation between them. In 2003, UNESCO's General Conference approved the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at its 32nd meeting. Its approval marked a milestone in the development of international policies for the promotion of cultural diversity, as it meant that for the first time the international community has recognized the need to lend support to those cultural expressions and manifestations that, until then, had lacked any legal framework of this magnitude. The principal aim of the 2003 Convention, complementary to other international tools for the
protection of cultural heritage, is to safeguard the usage, representation, expression, knowledge and techniques that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals hold to be an integral part of their cultural heritage. It is comprised of three key components: a representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, an Urgent Safeguarding List and the register of best practice for safeguarding.
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Images of the famous ‘castells’ from Catalonia, Flamenco, a chant of the Sybil in Palma Cathedral and a still life of some of the fundamental ingredients of the Mediterranean diet.
In its 2010 edition, 47 nominations from 77 countries were considered, and a further 4 elements were included on the Urgent Safeguarding List, citing those cultural manifestations for which UNESCO will draw up concrete plans in order to ensure they do not disappear from the face of the earth. These are: watertight-bulkhead technology of Chinese junks, wooden movabletype printing of China, Meshrep and
Ojkanje singing, a song for two voices found in the Croatian regions of the Dalmatian hinterland. Flamenco. After a failed attempt in 2005, Flamenco is now officially Intangible Cultural Heritage. In so doing, UNESCO has recognized an art form that has been central to our culture for centuries, becoming a symbol for Spain throughout the world An expression of pain and
strength, Flamenco is, according to the Committee, "an artistic expression fusing song (cante), dance (baile) and musicianship (toque) that is deeply rooted in the community in which it is practiced, strengthening its identity and is unfalteringly passed down from generation to generation". Flamenco was made candidate for this honor in 2009 when its nomination was made in Paris, and at the beginning of 2010 a
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What is Intangible Cultural Heritage? According to UNESCO, cultural heritage is not simply monuments and collections of objects, but also living traditions
and expressions that we have inherited from our ancestors and pass on to our descendents. These include oral traditions, performance arts, social customs, rituals, celebratory events, knowledge and practices
promotional campaign was launched both in Spain and abroad. The nomination was made by the Junta de Andalucía and enjoyed the support of the Spanish Government and the Autonomous Communities of Murcia and Extremadura, as well as that of a long list of artists and stars from the world of culture. In addition to a well-organized project, the Spanish nomination also had the backing of more than 30,000 signatures gathered as part of an internet campaign, numerous international showcases and a large-scale concert by Paco de Lucía in Madrid's Teatro Real. UNESCO's recognition means that the world officially takes its hat off to our art form. The 'Castells'. On November 16th, Valls, the heartland of ‘castells’ or human towers, was also set for a party. After three years of hard work promoting their nomination, the 'castells' or human towers - a tradition that is over 200 years old - became Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Committee ruled that this tradition of erecting human towers to celebrate annual festivals in cities and towns throughout Catalonia "is passed down from generation to generation, providing the members of that community with a sense of continuity, social cohesion and solidarity". Anna Guasch, coordinator of the castlebuilding teams, expressed her happiness upon hearing the result, commenting that “building a 'castell' is an enormous collective
relating to nature, such as the know-how and techniques of traditional artisan production. Despite its fragility, Intangible Cultural Heritage is an important factor in the preservation of cultural diversity
achievement”. In Catalonia there are some 7,000 people involved in over 70 Castell-building teams ('collas castelleras;) who are hoping that the UN declaration will lead to greater support: “We hope that this recognition makes the Castells more popular and brings them closer to people”, said David Miret, from the Castellers de Vilafranca del Penedés team.
in the face of growing globalization. According to UNESCO, its importance rests not only in its cultural manifestation, but in the legacy of skills and techniques that are passed down from generation to generation.
between the official bodies of four Member States.
The chant of the Sybil. The chant of the Sybil is sung on the night of December 24th in all churches on the island of Majorca. It is sung by a boy or girl during the procession to the Church, until they reach the choir; the singer walks with a sword held upright in front of the face, while the altar boys or girls carry candles. At the end of the The Mediterranean Diet We song a cross is drawn in the air with consider it our own, though the the sword. UNESCO believes that this nomination was shared chant, which is performed with Greece, Italy and on this night in all parishes Morocco. UNESCO wished The 2010 on the island, "provides to recognized the intangible edition local communities with a value of the "nutritional considered 47 strong sense of identity and model provided by this nominations represents a source of pride diet, which has remained from 77 for them”. With this in mind constant through the countries, it has supported the proposal passage of space and time”. of which of various safeguarding Spain, with its magnificent five Spanish measures including oils, its fruit and vegetables nominations documentation and research, of the highest quality, its were approved. and activities that will raise wines and its extraordinary public awareness of this seafood, has managed to event. make our traditional way of feeding We should also mention the ourselves, and enjoying it, world- inclusion on the list of Falconry, the famous. UNESCO acknowledged art of hunting with birds of prey that the Mediterranean diet - a word which has been practiced in Spain deriving from the Greek 'diaita' since the Middle Ages. This year meaning 'way of life' - does not refer Chinese acupuncture, the traditional solely to food but is a culture that art of Azerbaijani carpet weaving, "promotes social interaction, since the Aalst carnival in Belgium and communal meals are the cornerstone the Peking Opera have all been of social customs and festive events". included on the list, among others. In making its decision, UNESCO The next meeting of UNESCO's also paid particular attention to Intergovernmental Committee the fact that the nomination came will be held in Bali (Indonesia) in about as a result of close cooperation November 2011.
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Flamenco: a fusion of emotions Mª Ángeles Carrasco
director of the agencia andaluza del flamenco
On November 16, 2010, UNESCO included Flamenco in its periodicallyupdated list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It was nominated by the Agencia Andaluza del Flamenco and the Dirección General de Bienes Culturales for the Consejería de Cultura of the Junta de Andalucía with the support of Extremadura and Murcia. Fundamentally, its inclusion constitutes the recognition and elevation of an artistic tradition that its creators have maintained against all odds over the course of centuries and often to the ignorance of the State. The dance, the 'cante', the 'toque', the percussion, the customs, the grace, the 'pellizco', the phrasing, the 'taconeo', the 'quejío', the pentagram, the 'barrio', the inn, the cabaret, the 'tablao', the 'cuarto de los cabales', the 'peña', the theatre and the stadium. These are just a few key elements of that fusion of emotions we know today as Flamenco: a historical and cultural phenomenon of the first degree that has a great deal of attitude on top of its physical expression or musical legacy. The great achievement constituted by the UNESCO decision obliges those of us in all administrative bodies to make a serious commitment to preserve this collective heritage, with the central aim of strengthening its conservation, both in terms of documentary sources of all kinds and in terms of its oral and visual transmission - a practice that could die out along with some of its
greatest masters. For those of us at the Agencia Andaluza del Flamenco this will mean going further in the work that we have been carrying out for over twenty years at the Centro Andaluz de Flamenco, the largest documentation centre of its kind in the world. Documentation that we have already started to digitize and make available through information points, and which will now have to grow in number. However, our efforts are also concentrated on other aspects, such as a greater knowledge of its history, the economic issues facing Flamenco and the denigration of its music. Democracy suits Flamenco. While the 1978 Constitution meant the eradication of all laws discriminating against and persecuting gypsies, an ethnic group absolutely central to the establishment of this art form, the Ministry of Culture did not forget this highly important bastion of our emotional memory. Nor was it forgotten by the rest of the Administration, from local cooperatives to Autonomous Communities such as the Junta de Andalucía, which took on a special role in this regard, making its preservation an express commitment in its Statute of Autonomy; those of Murcia and Extremadura which took part in the bid for its nomination, and others from Madrid to Castilla La Mancha, Catalonia and the Basque Country, to name some of the most vital. The institutional protection enjoyed by Flamenco has helped to dignify
From the Agencia Andaluza del Flamenco we will further the work we have been doing since the creation of the Centro Andaluz de Flamenco, the largest documentation center of its kind in the world
the role played by its artists, placing them at the same level as those from other creative disciplines. Because this protection does not just ensure the promotion of Flamenco; it does much more than that. It involves the study and gathering of knowledge on the subject, a strengthening the professional recognition of its artists and that of the channels associated with it. It involves its consolidation as a cultural industry and the reinforcement of its power as a tourist attraction. The Consejería de Cultura de Andalucía, led by Paulino Plata, much like the Agencia Andaluza del Flamenco, which I represent, wish to continue to accompany Flamenco without hindering it, without keeping it on a tight rein or silencing it. We wish to lend it the support of the public sector so that it can continue along its own path negotiating the jungle that is the market. And we wish to defend it, as far as possible, from those visionaries who continue to disregard Flamenco, believing that all of Spain's ills lie in one of its most crucial musical and vital forces. We must help to change the imaginary that marginalizes and caricatures Flamenco, that relegates it to the underworld, to the fairs and taverns, that continues to humiliate the 'jondo' despite the fact that those who practice Flamenco (Flamencos) have done nothing but bend over backwards so that they may continue to proudly stand tall and not be forced to their knees. May Flamenco be what the Flamencos want it to be.
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In 2010 Puleva, the Spanish company with groundbreaking development into healthy food, celebrated a double anniversary. It celebrated not only the centenary of its creation but the tenth birthday of Puleva Biotech, a brand dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of new food products. Recently, following the acquisition of Exxentia, the bio-technology subsidiary revealed its new name: Biosearch. With this new name it hopes to strengthen its presence in both the national and international markets in the pharmaceutical, nutrition and dietary sectors; sectors in which it excels. by Javier Hernรกndez
Puleva Biotech, the growth of Spanish food technology
Puleva Biotech was founded in 2000 as part of the Ebro-Puleva group, number one in the Spanish food sector in terms of turnover, benefits, market capitalization and international presence. The group is currently present in over 23 countries and is world leader in the rice sector and the second largest pasta producer in the world. In September 2010, Puleva joined the French Lactalis group: the third largest in the international dairy sector with a presence in over 140 countries. This impressive calling card is thanks to the business philosophy embraced by Biosearch: the research into the development and commercialization of new foodstuffs, based on natural ingredients with health benefits which could potentially improve the consumer's quality of life. With these guidelines, Biosearch
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in numbers. In 2009 Puleva Biotech, recently renamed Biosearch, reported a turnover of more than 18 million Euros. 24% of this corresponds to the sale of services, while the remaining 76% is thanks to product sales. It has a presence in 23 countries.
has an added value in international prevention of cardiovascular disease, terms with respect to its competitors, obesity, diabetes, the ageing process, and this is for various reasons such the promotion of gastrointestinal as: a range of quality products, the and bone health (prevention of design of product concepts, the joint osteoporosis) and the provision of a development of products, the sale defense against oxidative stress. These of ingredients, scientific support challenges show the company to be a approved by the medical and scientific clear example of scientific innovation communities and the carrying out of and a driver of progress from its studies into nutritional intervention in four headquarters based in Granada, humans on behalf of its clients. Madrid, Valladolid and C谩ceres, Biosearch's innovative application where more than one hundred of biotechnology and biomedicine to scientists work in various areas. Its the food sector has led to a number strength lies in ten international of significant achievements. One patents and the collaboration of more that stands out in particular than 35 universities from all is the development over the world, making it a and international Puleva reference point of the first commercialization of Biotech is a order in international food the first infant formula pioneer in the research. supplemented with development Proof of the quality of nucleotides. Similarly, the of functional its research and advances development of one of the food in Europe can be found in the fact first mixtures of oils and with ten world that the EU's European fat for infant nutrition has patents. Regional Development Fund proven groundbreaking has decided to co-finance for the sector in Europe. For the some of its projects, such as the consumer, these advances mean development of new functional dairy a substantial improvement in the products, the design and development products they might find on any of new technologies for the processing, supermarket shelf. These include treatment and the packing of dairy milk enriched with calcium, products and the development of a Omega-3 fatty acids, soy isoflavins, new range of infant foods. muesli or nuts; advances that allow for the optimization of beneficial A pioneer in R+D Although it was effects on the body and for their formally incorporated as a company adaptation for people with various in 2000, Puleva Biotech had been food intolerances. managing Puleva's research and The company is currently focusing development department for thirty its research on the development years. The boost provided by this of food products aimed at the department from 1994 became crucial
not only to the later creation of Puleva Biotech, but to the future development of the company itself. Puleva became the sector's first company with its own R+D department and quality control. Its collaboration with public and private research bodies, through the development of coordinated research projects, allowed the company to improve the quality of its products and face up to new challenges set by the market. The business policy developed since 1996 defined Puleva as a brand linked to well-being, health and quality, strengthening its brand image and clearly defining its place in the market. In 2000, as a consequence of this fruitful business direction, Puleva created Puleva Biotech, which was introduced on the stock market one year later. In April 2010 after the acquisition of Exxentia, Puleva Biotech renamed itself Biosearch (though it is quoted on the Stock Market with its original name) in order to continue its growth within the food research sector and its commercialization for the wider public. Puleva's origins lie in the Uni贸n Vinicola Industrial, which produced wines, alcoholic and sparkling drinks. The huge demand for dairy products in the Spanish postwar period led the business to change direction, concentrating on the commercialization of milk and its derivatives. In this sector, with its business policy aimed at differentiating theirs from other products, Puleva defined its brand as one of quality and health for all.
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Técnicas Reunidas, a wholly Spanish-owned private company specializing in the engineering, design and construction of all kinds of industrial installations, closed 2010 as one of the only company's with shares in profit in Spain's blue-chip stock index, IBEX 35. The company's specialization and its international vocation have been fundamental to its confirmation as a market leader, both in Spain and abroad. By Javier Hernández
In addition to ending last year with a 22.61% rise in its market profit on 2009, in 2010 Técnicas Reunidas released some very positive business results that placed it within the world's top ten engineering firms, with large-scale projects in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Algeria, Kuwait, Turkey, Russia, Vietnam, Chile, Mexico, Portugal, France, Holland and Spain, to name but a few. On January 5th, the Vietnamese Government awarded Técnicas Reunidas the contract for the construction of the largest oil refinery in Vietnam, with a predicted investment of 5 billion dollars (3.765 billion Euros) Together with France's Technip and the Japanese JGC Corporation, with whom it has formed an international
Spanish engineering, at the forefront with Técnicas Reunidas in numbers. Currently, 70% of Técnicas Reunidas' turnover comes from its overseas projects. The company has a staff of more than 4,500 employees, 500 of whom work outside of Spain. In its 50 year history the company has designed and built more than 1,000 industrial plants
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consortium, the Spanish company will undertake the project's engineering, construction and the provision of all necessary material for the refinery which will have a daily production capacity of 200,000 barrels. The international projection of Técnicas Reunidas has been a defining factor in its success. And this move was not in vain, as since the 1980s the company's foreign turnover has progressively increased, totaling 70% of its current turnover. Over the course of its 50 years, Técnicas Reunidas as worked in over 50 countries on all five continents, and among its largest clients and licensors we find some of the world's largest companies, ranging from state oil companies to large multinationals.
Técnicas Reunidas is a leader in Técnicas Reunidas divides its large "turnkey" industrial projects, activities between three large business meaning projects of notable sectors. The first is oil and natural gas. complexity, size, responsibility and The work the company carries out cost, which are often carried out in in this sector covers refineries and international markets. The company petrochemicals, and the production of began working beyond the Spanish crude oil and natural gas (development borders in 1968, with a project for the of oil and gas fields, oil and gas YPF oil company in the Luján de Cuyo pipelines, regasification terminals, refinery (Argentina) at a cost of 128 gas tankers and so on). Another of the million US dollars. However, it was not company's key areas is that of energy until the 1980s that it made a decisive production, with the company's bid for international expansion. Since experience spanning nuclear energy, then, the company has designed and combined cycles, conventional built more than 1,000 industrial plants. thermal energy, renewable energy The majority of Técnicas Reunidas' and cogeneration. The last business business takes place outside Spain. sector in which the company has The geographical areas in specialized is that of which the company carries infrastructure and industry. out most of its work are Técnicas In these sectors Técnicas the Middle East, Latin Reunidas is Reunidas has carried out America, the Far East and among the work involving water the Mediterranean (chiefly world's top ten treatment, desalination, North Africa and Turkey). most important waste management and the Of the company's 4,500 engineering provision of infrastructure employed professionals, 500 firms. for ports and land and air are based in various offices transport. outside of Spain. Its international Técnicas Reunidas was created expansion has been so impressive that in 1959, the result of an association Técnicas Reunidas was one of the first between a number of Spanish engineering and construction firms businessmen and the North American to establish itself in China, having engineering firm, The Lummus developed projects with a value of Company. That agreement led to 1.6 trillion US dollars in sectors such the creation of Lummus Española, as iron and steel, petrochemicals and S.A. In 1972, following the takeover fertilizers during its 20 year presence of Tecniresa (previously Técnicas in the country. Reunidas, S.A.), the company adopted its current name and became a wholly 50 years of constant growth. The key Spanish-owned private company. It to the company's fruitful international was in the 1980s that the company expansion and its brilliant trajectory is began to take off both nationally Técnicas Reunidas' capacity to offer its and internationally, with the design clients integrated services, comprising of nuclear plants in Spain and the of financing, design, construction and contracting of all manner of large assembly, commissioning, start-up, international projects. The company operation and maintenance of the is currently enjoying sustained installations. Its ability to adapt to the growth as attested by the business specific needs of each client, together portfolio from the first trimester of with its dedication to the research and 2010, totaling 6.230 billion Euros, development of its own technology, which includes new contracts for provides the company with an the Petroperú refinery and the enormous differentiated value for an modernization of the Izmit refinery in engineering and construction firm. Turkey.
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In 2010, the Residencia de Estudiantes will celebrate its centennial with a program of activities aimed at sharing the past and present of this site, famous for its place in contemporary European culture and history.By Miradas al exterior
Photo of la Residencia de Estudiantes, on its centennial. PHOTOS: EFE
Residencia de Estudiantes, Symbol of Our Cultural History On October 1, 1910, the Residencia de Estudiantes (the Students' Residence) opened its doors in Spain's capital, after its creation was decreed by the Ministry of Public Education in May of the same year. From the moment of its founding in 1936 by the Junta para Ampliación de Estudios (Council for the Expansion of Studies), through 1936, it was not only the first Spanish Cultural Center, but also one of Europe's most lively and fruitful spaces for scientific and artistic creation and exchange during the interwar period. Alberto Jiménez Fraud, the director during this first stage, transformed the Residencia into an environment suitable for creation, thought and interdisciplinary dialogue. Both the Council and the Residencia were products of the Institución Libre de Enseñanza, founded in 1876 by Francisco Giner de los Rios. The primary goal of the Residenciawas to complement university teaching through the creation of an environment of intellectualism and coexistence for the students. It distinguished itself by promoting a permanent dialogue between the arts and sciences and by acting as a reception
center for the international avant-garde movement. Thus, the Residencia became a fountainhead of modernity in Spain, and many of the most prominent figures of twentieth century Spanish culture figured among its residents, including poet Federico García Lorca, painter Salvador Dalí, film maker Luis Buñuel and scientist Severo Ochoa. Others spent time at the Residencia, either as regular visitors or residents, during their stays in Madrid, including Miguel de Unamuno, Alfonso Reyes, Manuel de Falla, Juan Ramón Jiménez, José Ortega y Gasset, Pedro Salinas, Blas Cabrera, Eugenio d'Ors and Rafael Alberti, among many others.
The Residencia Celebrates One Hundred Years. One hundred years later, the Residencia, from its headquarters in Madrid, has proposed a truly international (and especially European and Ibero-American) anniversary celebration, with a vast and global participation synonymous with the cosmopolitan essence that made it the cradle for the most relevant cultural expressions and scientific discoveries of its time.
Just as in times past, the Residencia has once again become a world-renowned center, cultivating intercultural and interdisciplinary communication and housing scientists and artists from around the globe. The various activities currently held at the Residencia are guided by two main principles: to conserve the memory and redeem the culture of the Silver Age and to be a meeting place for exchange and innovation through constant attention to the transformations occurring within contemporary culture. As such, today the Residencia is an internationally recognized institution for research, study and the dissemination of European contemporary intellectual life. Additionally, since March of 2007, the Residencia de Estudiantes bears the hallmark of being a European Heritage Site, an accolade granted by the European Heritage Committee to places or cultural routes that allow for the continued cultural construction of Europe and that highlight the importance of a shared historical heritage. The Residencia was selected due to its role as a singular environment of scientific and artistic exchange during its historic period
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"TRAVELERS THROUGH KNOWLEDGE" EXHIBITION Dedicated to the scientific expeditions and voyages led by renowned archaeologists, anthropologists, scientists and explorers from multiple countries at the turn of the twentieth century who were invited to present their conclusions at the Residencia between 1924 and 1936. The exhibit ranges from Howard Carter and the discovery of Tutankhamon's Tomb, to Hugo Obermaier and the Altamira Caves. It also includes unpublished documents and objects pertaining to Charles Leonard Woolley and the City of Ur, and Francisco Iglesias and his Amazonian expedition. Knowledge about these remote civilizations and geographic regions denotes interest for other people and cultures, respect for their customs, the exchange of information and the promotion of tolerance and human values. It is this same spirit of exchange of knowledge that inspired projects like the Pedagogical Missions, the university theater La Barranca, and the University Voyage on the Mediterranean.
between 1910 and 1936, and for its work today, forging the same path as in those most significant years.
Extensive Commemorative Program. As a part of the exhibition program, open through April 24, 2011, Viajeros por el conocimiento (Travelers through Knowledge) presents an exhibit dedicated to the great travelers invited to the Residencia during the first decades of the twentieth century, who told residents tales of their experiences in and discoveries about different cultures and civilizations. A visit to this exhibit ends with the restoration of one of the Residencia's historic rooms, complete with its characteristic furniture and unique atmosphere, and recast through vintage photographs conserved by the institution as well as the written testimonies of some of the former residents. Likewise, visitors may contemplate the works that five young artists-- Juan Manuel Artero and María Andueza from Madrid and Daniel Silvo, Antonio R. Montesinos and Sandra Rein from Andalusia-- have created in the gardens. The Residencia's centennial will also be celebrated in other national
headquarters, such as the CaixaForum in Madrid where the exhibit "Dalí, Lorca and the Residencia de Estudiantes" may be visited until February 6, 2011. This exhibition attempts to reconstruct the intellectual link established between these two geniuses within the international avant-garde movement. The exhibition presents the most significant works of both artists alongside a selection of pieces by the likes of Picasso, Cézanne, Le Corbusier, Miró and De Chirico. Alternatively, the theatrical arts program began in 2011 with a touring production of the play La colmena científica o El café de Negrín, coproduced with the Centro Dramático Nacional and in collaboration with the El Cruce theater company. Together with the La Abadía Theater, and as part of a research process, Los sueños de mi prima Aurelia, a never before presented, unfinished work by Federico García Lorca, has been staged. Additionally, a theatrical adaptation of the documentary film Coloquio en la Residencia by Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón will be performed, and tribute will be paid to Leandro Fernández de Moratín. Several lecture series will be held throughout 2011, concerning contemporary society, science, education and the latest research on knowledge about the brain. Additionally the program includes the commemoration of lectures given in the Residencia between 1919 and 1936 by the likes of Albert Einstein, John M. Keynes, Marie Curie, Igor Stravinsky, Paul Valéry and Alexander Calder, designated by Alberto Jiménez Fraud as the unofficial lecturers of the Residencia. Commemorative centennial publications will include, as new items to the collection Conferencias en la Residencia, the play La colmena científica o El café de Negrín by José Ramón Fernández, the study "Masters of Modern Architecture in La Residencia" and the catalogues of the various exhibitions.
GRACIA GARCÍA RODERO
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— What is the best thing about photography? — The best thing about photography is that it's democratic. Even without a lot of knowledge or money, everyone can have a family photograph or a photo to remember the places they enjoyed. That is the power of photography's reach. You don't even need anyone to tell you anything; a photograph says thousands of different things, according to the eyes of the viewer. My photos sometimes inspire interpretations quite different from what I intended. If there are twenty photographers at a scene, you will end up with twenty different versions of what happened. — Who have been your influences? Does it excite you to think that some of them are the founders of the Magnum agency, where you are now a member? — I started with portraits, perhaps because of my inherent need to understand others. When I was a child I would read things about temperaments and facial morphology. I had a great
A cultured look at reality. "To photograph is to want to see," affirms García Rodero convincingly, the first Spanish woman to join the agency Magnum Photos, the Mount Olympus of photography. "Now I know that when I am no longer here, my photographs will be in the hands of professionals, who will keep them alive."
Cristina García Rodero PHOTOGRAPHER
“Photography is my way of relating to the world." need to understand other people. My first influences were the great portrait photographers, such as Avedon. A work on Grecia de Penn also impressed me greatly. When Diane Arbus died, photography magazines began to publish her photographs and I think that she is the person who has most impacted me, due to the dramatic quality of her images. I recall the strength and the originality of
her look, and sometimes the sadness. She is the person who has influenced me the most. When I began to work with parties and celebrations, I had to learn to be fast, because it's all about movement. And I had to start learning how reporters work, and that's when others appeared. Those who interest me are those who have an affectionate gaze towards life: Cartier Bresson, Eugene Smith…
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PROFILE. “I began as a child, because it was a way to grab hold of reality, to preserve it." That is how Cristina García Rodero (Puertollano, 1949) describes her beginnings, now the first Spanish photographer to join the Magnum Photos agency, after a career of more than forty years dedicated to depicting the sacred, the pagan, the spiritual and the mundane. With a Fine Arts degree from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, she has combined her teaching work with photography and collaborating with various publications. Her work can be viewed in permanent collections around the globe. From the beginning she has specialized in traditions and rituals, since the publication of España Oculta in which she photographs customs and celebrations throughout the country.
— Why have you specialized in photographing everyday situations? — Rituals, traditions, festivals... What I have always wanted to talk about is life, and life as seen through the emotions, how others live it and how I feel it. And to learn about other cultures. — ¿How do you face an unjust situation, camera in hand? — Sometimes with a great deal of frustration. Other times you tell the story. I remember a situation when a gypsy transvestite was being beaten, and I ended up threatening to publish the photos. Photography has a very strong power to condemn. — It has immortalized decisive historic moments... — Those are the images we know as icons. They bring us closer to life, they are recorded and are reference points that help us to understand the most important moments of history. Sometimes fractions of a second can change everything, sometimes everyday moments are magical, or they help us to understand a
year or a decade. There are photos that have made the world reconsider things and change situations. — What more do you want to do in photography? — Finish all my unfinished projects. My projects take a long time because they themselves are long and take place in many locations. For example, the one on the María Lionza Religion in Venezuela has meant going to a specific place, the Sorte Mountain, for ten years, observing how people come and how the diversity of rituals varies. But in general, I go to a lot of places, which occupies a lot of time, because I often have to go on specific dates within the year. I would like to start finishing up my projects, and I think that as long as I have my health and keep dreaming, I will continue photographing. Because it gives me life, even if it takes it from me in a physical sense. It excites me to come home with good images. It is the sense that you have conquered the image and the space: that you have known how to see and to understand what you photographed, that you have shot at the precise moment. And additionally, you bring back good memories because you have had good experiences. — Tell me that you don't feel a lot of remorse for photos you haven't taken. — When you photograph, you make an enormous effort so that nothing escapes you, but when it does, those frustrations stay with you. And sometimes when you get something, it seems like a miracle. And you say: That photo is mine! Because with that photo I am saying everything I want to say. But yes, the frustrations stay with you. — They say that proximity is your strength... To get close to people, do you have to become a little bit invisible? — Not being noticed is something I can't do: I am a tiny woman loaded with cameras. Sometimes I'm the only white woman in a given place and I don't speak the language. But I do try to get people to accept me. People get used to you, if you are there from dawn until dusk, and they start forgetting about you and they're not
hung up on the camera. You notice when they want to be photographed. And life goes on. Sometimes I don't care that they look at me, because I always say that photography is my way of relating to the world. You photograph that curiosity: Who is that? Why is she here? Why is she taking pictures of me? There is a silent dialogue. It tells me a lot about who they are and who I am. — You have received many accolades during your career. ¿Was joining Magnum the greatest? — It wasn't a coincidence, because I worked hard to be accepted, but it was never my dream because, although I have an overflowing imagination, I have always wanted to keep my feet on the ground, to know where you are at any given time and not be disappointed. I didn't think I fit the profile, because I don't photograph current affairs or great events. I speak about everyday life and life's special moments, like festivals or rituals. I didn't think I was the appropriate person. It was never my goal, but, well, a photographer from Magnum, without trying to convince me, told me, "It would be good for you." And I decided to try. And perhaps because nobody dares go out to villages and then show up at a great agency afterwards, it has made me original. I'm not thirty years old either, which may be the ideal age to join Magnum. What I have done is solid work that can be valued. — Have your work dynamics changed much? — Not at all, I'm just in good hands. There is a staff of specialized people: four agencies throughout the world, London, Paris, New York and Tokyo, with directors and specialized personnel to help promote your work. But my manner of working is still the same. And I don't want to change it now. I want to continue doing what I have always done, but on a more professional level. Now I know that when I am no longer here, my photographs will be in the hands of professionals, who will keep them alive. It is very important to be among the wise and to have my work in the best of hands.
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Highest award in Spanish literature. The Catalan author, an eternal candidate for the Cervantes Prize, finally achieves unanimous recognition from the literary world as an author who has amassed the highest honors for literature in the Spanish language.
Ana María Matute, 2010 Cervantes Prize Winner Ana María Matute stood out this year by winning the Cervantes Prize, after multiple candidatures. Now, the author has become the third woman to achieve this recognition, after María Zambrano in 1988 and Dulce María Loynaz in 1992. Matute, an academician of the Royal Spanish Academy since 1996, is one of the most renowned authors in the literary world, characterized by a unique combination of realism and the
fantastic. Born in Barcelona in 1925, Ana María Matute did not have an easy life. She obtained her high school diploma, subsequently studying music and painting, but from an early age always exhibited a literary gift. At the age of 17 she wrote her first novel, Pequeño Teatro (Little Theater), which was published eleven years later, winning the Planet Prize in 1954. That same decade she would go on to win multiple accolades, including
the Nadal Prize (1952), the Café Gijón Prize (1952) and the National Prize for Children's Literature (1965). Separation from her husband in 1963 meant the loss of custody of her son, which catapulted her into a depression that led to nearly twenty years without publishing. Once reunited with her son, Matute reignited her prolific work with titles such as "Childhood Tales," "The Forgotten Gudú King," and "Uninhabited Paradise," which transformed her into one of the main representatives of contemporary fiction and children's literature. The Minister of Culture, whose office has awarded the Prize for the past 36 years, made her admiration for Matute public, as a writer "with her own world and her own language."
José Manuel Blecua to be Director of the Royal Spanish Academy José Manuel Blecua has been chosen to replace Victor García de la Concha as director of the Royal Spanish Academy. Blecua, born in Zaragoza in 1939, has been responsible for the Phonetics and Phonology portion of the New Grammar of the Spanish Language since the year
2003. The new director of the RSA became an academician in 2006 and is the author of numerous works on lexicography and Spanish as a foreign language. Victor García de la Concha leaves the RSA after three terms (the last of which
was extraordinary) during which for twelve years he has forged permanent collaborations with the HispanoAmerican Academies, engendering important synergies such as the New Grammar and the recently presented New Spelling of the Spanish Language.
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Iberia Alliance to Boost Development at Barajas The recently debuted transatlantic alliance between Iberia, British Airways and American Airlines will mean a boost for development at the Barajas Airport now that Madrid will be the hub for most North Atlantic-bound routes. Likewise, the first measure of the Iberia/British Airways merger will be to increase flights to Latin America, a strategic market for both companies' growth.
Spanish Companies Lead Environmental Management According to the most recent published ranking, Spanish companies have the highest rate of environmental management certification in Europe, and rank third worldwide. Spain heads the list for the third consecutive year, with more than 16,527 ISO 14001 recognitions, a tool to minimize the environmental impact of a company's economic activity and to optimize its consumption of electricity and raw materials, among other objectives.
The Military and the Monarchy, the Highest Ranked Institutions The Armed Forces and the Monarchy are the institutions ranked highest by the Spanish people, according to the latest CIS survey, published in December. At the opposite end are the political parties, who finished last. This survey also indicates strikes as the Spanish people's main problem, closely followed by economic issues. The study has produced interesting data, such as the fact that 54.1% of the Spanish believe constitutional amendments to be necessary, principally regarding the justice system and the autonomous system.
Zara Opens its Largest Store Worldwide, Number 5,000. The multinational Spanish company opened its largest store worldwide, measuring 5,260 square meters, in Rome in December. Located in the Palacio Bocconi, this store represents number 5,000 for a company that occupies a hegemonic position in the business of fashion at the international level. This store is also Inditex Group's first establishment in their Sustainability Plan, with the goal that in the next ten years all of the company's retail locations will be managed in an environmentally-friendly manner.
The European Union Chooses Spain for Solar Research The Advanced Technological Center for Renewable Energy, with more than thirty years' experience in the field of research, has been chosen by the European Union to develop one of their three solar research projects. The chosen project, known as EU-Solaris, will involve infrastructure construction valued at 80 million Euros, aimed at studying this alternative energy source, for which Spain is recognized as an international leader.
2010 International Awards for Journalism Presented For twenty-three years, the International Press Club has bestowed awards upon those who excel in the field of journalism. This year's winners are journalist Almudena Ariza, Asian-Pacific Regional Correspondent for TVE based in Peking; German philologist and reporter Walter Haubrich, residing in Spain for over forty years; intellectual Jorge Semprún, and the Mexican journalist Jacobo Zabludovsky. Likewise, the IPC awarded the institutions promoting the Bicentennial of the Cádiz Cortes and Constitution of 1812 with the prize for defending and supporting of the media.
New Madrid-Valencia Line
Spain Now European HighSpeed Leader With the inauguration of the high-speed rail line connecting Madrid and Valencia, Spain has become the European leader in kilometers of high-speed railways (2,665 km) and in average commercial speed (221 km/hr). Spain continues construction on other lines that will raise the total to 3,871 km over the next several years. Worldwide, only China exceeds Spain in kilometers of high-speed rail. Today, high-speed transportation stations are located within 50 kms of at least half of the Spanish population. Spanish leadership in the field has opened new areas of expansion for businesses in this sector with presence abroad.
Seven Planes Dispatched
Spanish Companies, in Air Transportation to Mecca Spanish companies Pullmatur Air, Iberworld and Mint Airways have begun transporting pilgrims from Southeast Asia to Mecca, a gap in the market that they will cover by the end of the year. This year a total of seven planes have been dispatched to destinations such as Bangladesh, Indonesia and India, where daily flights leave for the Muslim holy city of Mecca. This important migratory movement is estimated at more than four million travelers annually, for which reason these airlines have increased their presence in the last several years.
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Shanghai Expo The World Expo in the Chinese city, which ended on October 31st, was the most visited in history, with a total of 73 million people.
Spain Honored at Shanghai Expo The Spanish Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo received the bronze medal in the international architecture contest, the third most prestigious prize of the 33 awarded by the International Expositions Bureau (BIE). The pavilion was designed by Benedetta Tagliabue, from Barcelona's BMT studio, at a cost of 18 million Euros. The Shanghai event has been an
Álvaro Leonardo Pérez ARCHITECT AFFILIATED WITH THE CSCAE AND THE COACV AND COFOUNDER OF WWW. POLIFACTORY.COM
Abelardo Lafuente, a pioneer of Spanish architecture during the Shanghai International Settlement
excellent shop-window for Spanish life. More than seven million visitors who passed by the Spanish Pavilion attest, making it one of the most visited exhibition sites of the more than 190 countries present at the International Exposition. The pavilion's excellent reception was also evidence by the Spanish building's mascot, Miguelín, the electronically-animated baby,
Abelardo Lafuente García-Rojo (1871-1931) studied in Madrid and moved to Shanghai after more than ten years working in the Philippines, already under American influence. Initially he lived and worked in Manila where he constructed multiple projects, but it wasn't until 1918 that he legally established his professional studio in Shanghai. It was in dynamic, convulsive, opportunity-rife Shanghai where, in spite of setbacks, he developed a successful and important professional career. For over a decade he has faced huge problems finding work, as he didn't belong to the city's prominent nationalities. Nevertheless, his performance and perseverance allowed him to construct some of the city's best architectural benchmarks. Thanks to the fact that the small Spanish community in Shanghai was also one of the most active and enterprising, he was able to introduce and cultivate several architectural styles in China, particularly the Mozarabic style. The best example in the city is the Star Garage, at 702 Nanjing Rd. Abelardo Lafuente's career
who will subsequently be exhibited in the Expo Museum. Spanish filmmaker Isabel Coixet imagined Miguelín as a platform for urban improvement. Chinese authorities invested more than 40 billion Euros in the Shanghai Expo (double the investment for the Beijing Olympic Games), mainly funneled towards modernization of city infrastructure.
The Star Garage, at 702 Nanjing Road in Shanghai, one of Abelardo Lafuente's architectural masterpieces in Shanghai. PHOTO BY MONTSE ZAMORANO.
unfolded mainly during the 1920s, and during the nearly five years that he worked in the city, Lafuente passed through different stages, associating with G.O. Wootten at the beginning, later individually, and subsequently associating with A.J. Yaron. He is credited with some of the most important cinemas in Shanghai thanks to his relationship with the Spanish film tycoon Antonio Ramos, the businessman who brought film to China. He also designed hotels, churches, mosques, cathedral plans, a hospital, several social clubs and multiple mansions for the era's wealthy foreign class, as well as being responsible for the design and construction of the best dance halls in all of Asia.
The smallest of these dance halls has been preserved in the Astor House Hotel at 15, Huangpu Rd., Shanghai. Abelardo Lafuente won one of the most important bids of the period in 1918--the new General Consulate of the United States of America, and its annexes. He was not only an important architect, but also a great entrepreneur. In his final years, he moved to California to open a studio parallel to the one in Shanghai. There, in spite of the 1929 economic crash that ruined his plans, he constructed several projects. He also left his footprint in Tijuana (Mexico) before returning to Shanghai where he died in 1931.
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Lynx Population Increases to 253 Specimens According to the latest species census, the Iberian lynx population has risen to 253 individuals, a 148% increase since the previous census performed in 2002, which counted 102 specimens. This species, endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, is the most threatened feline on the planet, and the government is consolidating efforts for its preservation.
Foreign Tourism in Spain on the Rise According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, foreign tourism is up by 4.2% since last year. These data reinforce the trend over the last seven months, demonstrating a sustained increase in foreign visitors to Spain.
Renaissance Painting. After two years of delicate restoration, ‘Adam and Eve’, by Albrecht Dürer, once again dazzle the Spanish art gallery.
After Restoration, Adam and Eve Return to the Prado Museum The Prado Museum itself embarked upon the complicated restoration process, lasting two years, in collaboration with the New York Metropolitan Museum and the Getty Foundation. These two excellent works by the German Renaissance genius, Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), had suffered significant deterioration, both to the paintings themselves as well as
the boards supporting them, due to very aggressive prior repairs. Christina, Queen of Sweden, gave Adam and Eve to Phillip IV in 1654. After arriving in Madrid in 1655, the paintings were moved to several locations, such as the Alcázar de Toledo, before finally becoming permanent pieces of the Museum's collection in 1827.
Talgo to Modernize Kazakh Railway Fleet The Spanish company Talgo has reached an agreement with Kazakh railways to replace 3,000 passenger cars with modern Talgo Intercity cars, a deal valued at over 300 million Euros. Talgo is carrying out major projects in the United States, the Middle East, Central Asia, India and China.
Posthumous Prize Awarded to Poet José María Millares The book, Cuadernos. 2000-2009 ("Notebooks. 2000-2009") by the Canary poet José María Millares, who died in September of 2009, has received the National Poetry Prize awarded by the Ministry of Culture. Born in Las Palmas, the honored poet spent the last years of his life working intensely on the book acclaimed with the National Prize.
Dürer's "Adam and Eve" at its New Location in the Prado Museum
The First List of Invasive Species Hopes to Protect the Ecosystem
Spain Protects Itself from Invasive Species The Ministry of the Environment has presented a draft of the first list of invasive species. The total includes more than 168 foreign species that the autonomous communities must either eradicate or control. Many of the species have uncontrollable reproduction patterns that alter their ecosystems, such as the
American mink, the zebra clam and the raccoon. The new draft will allow some of these species a controlled existence, as due to their ecological roles, complete eradication is not advisable. Such is the case for the Wels catfish of the Ebro River, the catfish of the Júcar, and the red crab of Guadalquivir.
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In the Gregorio Marañón Hospital. The laboratory is the first in the world designed to create bioartificial human organs.
Cutting-Edge Center for Creating Transplant Organs Spain, a world leader in organ donation for transplants, is now the first country to install a laboratory specialized in creating human bioartificial organs. Located in the Gregorio Marañon Hospital in Madrid, the laboratory was recently inaugurated by Cristina Garmendia, Minister of Science, and Esperanza Aguirre, President of the Community of Madrid. The laboratory forms part of the SABIO project (Scaffolds and Bioartificial Organs for Transplantation), run by the Madrid hospital, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, the University of Minnesota and the National Transplant Organization (ONT, in Spanish). The creation of bioartificial human organs is the first step to subsequent implantation in patients. Two current problems would thus be resolved: the lack of donors and the lack of suitable transplant organs; additionally, rejection of the transplanted organ
After Kuwait awarded them with a contract valued at over 20 million Euros, the Spanish company is consolidating its position in the Persian Gulf, with a portfolio totaling 105 million in air traffic control systems. The Spanish company has presence in more than 80 countries on four continents.
Ship ‘Hespérides’ to Study Climate Change
Inside the laboratory located in the Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid PHOTO: EFE
will be prevented. The scientists' technique involves taking donated organs deemed unsuitable for transplant and then "stripping" them of the cells that transform them into a heart, liver or kidney, leaving just a "scaffold." Stem cells from the patient are then applied to this framework to "revive" the organ. According to Francisco Fernández Avilés, the cardiologist responsible for the project he calls a "milestone in regenerative medicine," results will not be available "for at least ten years, minimum."
Spain to Double its Investment Share in the A350XWB Aircraft
EADS Confident in Spanish Aeronautics Spain obtained an 11% industrial share in the European aeronautic company, EADS, through the Airbus program, the group's commercial aircraft subsidiary, and the A350XWB aircraft project. Spanish technological leadership prevailed in this decision, as its Illescas (Toledo) factory is the world leader in the production of composite materials,
Indra Strengthens its Presence in the Persian Gulf
such as carbon fiber. This decision is estimated to generate more than 4,000 jobs and 4.6 billion Euros in billings. The challenge for Spain consists in manufacturing the largest piece of carbon fiber in global aviation, the model's lower wing shells, which measure 32 meters long by 5 meters wide.
With a six million Euro budget and 400 scientists working on the project, the ship "Hespérides" set sail from Cádiz on an aroundthe-world expedition. The largest Spanish oceanographic vessel's new adventure aims to evaluate the impact of climate change and other global alterations to the ocean, and to study its biodiversity.
Mario Vargas Llosa, Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature Vargas Llosa, one of the most prominent figures in world literature, became the first Peruvian to be honored with the esteemed award. Author of La ciudad y los perros ("The Time of the Hero") and La guerra del fin del mundo ("The War of the End of the World"), Vargas Llosa, is, at age 74, an author recognized for his battle for freedom of expression and human rights.
Gas Natural Strengthens its Position in the United States The Spanish company Gas Natural Fenosa has accepted the U.S. company Cheniere's offer to acquire a significant volume of gas liquefaction capacity at its Texas facilities. This is a "large-scale project," according to the Spanish company.
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If every generation has a unique gift of poetic inebriation, the Generation of '27 drank the quota destined for several decades. A humble, nearly secret, fruit of that wild blooming, Ángeles Santos committed her share to the pictorial splendor of an unrepeatable era. BY JACOBO GARCÍA. JOURNALIST
With thanks to... Ángeles Santos
Aboard the Drunken Ship An astonishing amount of energy was burned in just three short years of frenzy. Between 1928 and 1930, she painted dozens of scenes from the calm haven of the countryside, only 26 of which have survived, the majority enlivened by the experimental rebel spirit of the avant-garde movement. Then one day, that mysterious impulse abruptly vanished, leaving us to wonder how a revolution could be possible in conditions of isolation. Everything started simply: with the portrait of a villager, Uncle Simón, and, in a progressive drift towards things more intimate, ended prematurely with a disturbing still life presided over by a skull. During this brief lapse, Ángeles Santos evolved from clean realism, made up of family scenes and domestic interiors, into a feverish self-analysis more typical of expressionism. Her early paintings announced a desire to abandon the style she had been taught: warmtoned portraits of adults and
children from her family and urban landscapes in which the correct perspective of buildings combines with a naive interpretation of the human form. The Glass of Wine (1928), quite appropriately, is perhaps the first sign of her inebriation, followed by the Portrait of the Marchioness of Alquibla and a Self Portrait that raise her poetic pulse from the placidness of a country nap to the racing heartbeat of those fleeing the Europe of antiquated rationalist parapets. The marchioness..., who could equally be seen as a disenchanted mistress of the house waiting for her handmaiden to bring her ironed skirt, or as a carnivorous plant waiting for its next victim, an audacious and early example of the flight of erotic imagination in the era's repressed Spain. The Self-Portrait, filled with a Theresian intensity and sobriety, interrogates us with an inquisitive gaze that poses unsettling questions. All of a sudden, in 1929, the
symbolic dimension appears. It is the portrait of a young woman whose head rests on a table with three eggs. And later, with more audacity, it returns in A World, which openly breaks with academic methods. Naïf in style, it may well have been an ironic commentary on Descartes' theory of the "falling worlds," while also a deliberate attempt to break away from conventional forms in painting. She would reach her peak in 1929 with Gathering. Four young women appear to be waiting for something. Two of them read loose papers, perhaps letters. One of them smokes a cigarette. We have come across them in a moment of rest and introspection. Perhaps the conversation will pick up again, but at this moment each of the participants is absorbed in her own thoughts. The spectator would give anything to know what any one of them is thinking, particularly the girl in the red sweater, the same color that decorates the wings of another miracle of ephemeral beauty: the red
admiral butterfly, or Vanesa Atalanta. After this pinnacle-painting, in which Ángeles scales her own personal Everest, there are a few other attempts that explore primitive and colossal forms. And at the end of this frenzied journey towards the unknown? Abandonment, silence, resignation. Like Arthur Rimbaud setting down his pen and escaping to the shores of the Red Sea, the young painter, at the age of nineteen, abandons her personal search and begins a second life in which painting is no longer an erupting volcano but rather a cozy brazier. A fragile psyche was the cause of her surrender. We have scored sufficient plunder from those three years during which the painter lived a perpetual orgy aboard the ship that flung forth, undaunted, over the roaring forty leagues of art's ocean, not fearing the gigantic waves or the mountains of ice that rose up like walls along her course.
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a cardinal. In this book, Alfredo Alvar, specialist in the Spanish Golden Age, undertakes a brilliant, painstaking investigation that uncovers hitherto unknown aspects of this controversial figure and of his era. ● Atrapados en la
discordia. Pilar Rahola and Tomas Alcoverro. Destino
● El duque de Lerma.
Alfredo Alvar Ezquerra. La esfera de los libros
The First Duke of Lerma, Don Francisco de Sandoval y Rojas (1553-1625), came to be the most powerful Spaniard of his time... and also the visible head of a web of immorality and corruption. A favourite and confidant of Felipe III, he was in reality the true governor of the kingdom, a situation he took advantage of to make himself extremely wealthy. Born into a family at the faithful service of the Crown, but with very few economic resources, he managed to amass the greatest fortune of his day and to control so many offices, favors and titles that he went mad with his greed and passion for power. During his administration, influence peddling, nepotism and the sale of public positions surpassed the limits of the tolerable. Many voices were raised against him, including that of the queen herself. Ever anxious to accumulate wealth and to obtain God's forgiveness, the culminating moment of his mental bipolarity came when he sought to be made
The confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians constitutes on of the most stagnant focal points of tension in our world. It is a conflict that has wrought division and tragedy for more than seven decades and for which there is no end in sight. Two peoples, two cultures, two religions try to coexist, trapped in discord, in a territory threatened by the constant presence of war even before the foundation of Israel in 1948. Committed to dialogue and peace, the journalists and writers Pilar Rahola and Tomás Alcoverro – two authoritative voices with a profound understanding of the problem - take part in a heated argument that sheds
light on the origins of the clash between two peoples and its current situation of stagnation. Demographic, political, religious and military factors form the core themes of a passionate debate that tackles, among other key questions, the legitimacy of Israel, the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, the role of terrorism, the viability of a Palestinian State and the mediation of international forces. In this lucid confrontation of arguments, Alcoverro and Rahola, with the contribution of fellow journalist David Guzmán, put together a much-needed dialogue that rigorously analyzes the key points of the conflict and helps to clarify the reasons behind the present and the uncertain future of the Middle East. ● Guerra o revolución,
el Partido Comunista de España en la guerra civil Fernando Hernández Sánchez. Crítica
There are few topics related to the history of the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939 about which more has been written than the role played in the war by the Communist Party. Its apologists have celebrated its contribution to the Republican resistance, while its critics have suggested that it was intent on establishing a totalitarian regime subordinate to Soviet interests and accuse it of having hindered the development of a social revolution that might have changed the outcome of the war. Both groups, however,
tend to limit their arguments to speculations with little documentary support, generally undermined by a strong partisan bias. This is the first serious historiographical study which, using the considerable documentation now available, attempts to answer the basic questions about the communist party's leaders and militants, its organizational strength, its regional presence and its penetration into Republican society. And it uses the results of this research to offer us an objective view of the actions it took in defense of the Republic. ● Historia de España.
Volumen 4. La crisis de la Monarquía. Pablo Fernández Albaladejo. Editoriales Crítica y Marcial Pons
“Decay” is the term used by ancient and modern historiography to describe the complexities of the change that occurred in 17th century Spain, which is the topic of this 4th volume of Spanish history, edited by Professors Fontana and Villares. Armed with the most recent bibliography on
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✱... a must read ● Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo, un retrato intelectual. Various authors. Ediciones Marcial Pons What books had one of the leaders of the Transition read before entering public life? What books appealed to an engineer who was also a tireless traveler, a good navigator, a great lover of music, mountains and the observation of the skies? What are the intellectual concerns of a generation of Spaniards? When an unusual vocation for reading is guided by the desire to know the world in which you live, the resulting library will reflect both the intellectual biography of an erudite politician and a window into a time in the life of Spain and Europe. Various specialists (members of Royal Academies, university professors, experts) analyze the readings of Leopoldo CalvoSotelo (1926-2008) on history and politics, economics, philosophy, religion and theology, science and biology, physics and mathematics, geography, music, the press and poetry. Others study the formation of a polyglot's library (12,000 books, in Spanish, French, English, German, Italian, Catalan and Galician), an archive and a large map library (800 maps). An innovative investigation, as well as an intellectual portrait of an era through the finest books.
the Spain of the Hapsburgs, Professor Fernández Albaladejo analyzes the Spanish 17th century as a time of crisis, of stagnation in material and human terms and of political impasse, but not of decay, because this negative dynamic did not last indefinitely, nor was every dimension of Spanish society and economy afflicted with it to the same degree. Moreover, the author tells us, the response to the crisis - yes, there was one - had much to do with political change and the modernizing measures that Spain attempted to
implement even before 1640. The Ministry of Culture has awarded the National History Prize to Pablo Fernández Albadalejo for this work. ● Rey, Constitución y
Política Exterior. Miguel Fernández-Palacios. Editorial Marcial Pons – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
This monograph constitutes an essential point of reference for understanding every aspect of the legalconstitutional framework governing the participation of the King in Spanish foreign policy. Its author, Miguel Fernández-Palacios, analyzes the two articles in our Constitution that address these functions (56.1 and 63), and poses the question of the apparent contradiction that emerges between the roles of the King (the highest representative of the State in international relations) and of the Government (director of foreign policy) when examining Spanish action in
foreign affairs. The answer to this question - sometimes debated - is provided by the Spanish Constitution itself, which defines in some detail the duties of the King in foreign policy. The author, a diplomat and doctor in law, concludes his study with a proposal for a constitutional formulation more in keeping with existing international law. ● Pensamiento
Iberoamericano. Presente y futuro de la educación iberoamericana. Álvaro Marchesi and Margarita Poggi, coordinating editors. Carolina Foundation/AECID
This issue of the journal "Pensamiento Iberoamericano" - the theme for which was chosen in honor of the Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government held recently in Mar del Plata - offers a thorough analysis of the social setting in which boys, girls, youths and adults are educated today in the
countries that comprise Ibero-America. It does this both from a macroscopic perspective, which allows the construction of a general map, and through the examination of specific issues. It also highlights the main challenges that need to be faced to guarantee the education to which both governments and international and regional organizations have committed. This issue has been coordinated by Álvaro Marchesi and Margarita Poggi, and includes contributions by the authors Juan Carlos Tedesco, César Coll, Alejandro Tiana, Elena
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✱... a must read ● La clave Embassy. Patricia Martínez de Vicente. La esfera de los libros. During the Second World War, the Embassy tea room, one of the most elegant social centers in Madrid at the time, became the meeting place of numerous secret agents and collaborators with British intelligence services. Among them, one of the most remarkable was Doctor Eduardo Martínez
Martín, Denise Vaillant, Frida Díaz, Bernardo Toro, Maria Victoria Peralta, José Rivero, Sylvia Schmelkes, Ernesto Espíndola and Ivana de Siqueiros.
● Atractores extraños
y otros relatos de amor y de desamor. Manuel de la Iglesia-Caruncho. Colección Máquina de las Palabras.
Strange attractors are phenomena that afflict human beings and change
Alonso, the father of the author. In this fascinating historical novel, his daughter brings to light unpublished documents that reveal how this physician collaborated directly with the humanitarian network organized by the British Secret Service, which, through Spain, evacuated European refugees to Portugal and Gibraltar. Thousands of people persecuted by Nazism, undocumented immigrants, stateless persons and Jews
the course of their lives. In their wake, humans can be driven to declare unjust wars, to break sacred bonds, to seal themselves forever in hermetic containers, to expose their loved ones or defend them with their lives, to cling inexplicably to freedom and even to communicate with the next world. Even death offers no escape from them. In his first book of fiction, Manuel de la IglesiaCaruncho penetrates the invisible web of love and indifference, in contexts which in some cases are doomed to destruction or impossibility, but in others are a daring song to life that invites us to reinvent its meanings. ● La educación del
talento José Antonio Marina. Ediciones Ariel.
We would all like to have talent. We all admire it. The question is how to develop it in our children and in ourselves. Indeed,
(mostly Poles and Czechs) were rescued by Doctor Martínez Alonso, who issued false medical certificates, created the escape route from the concentration camp in Miranda de Ebro to Vigo, and even offered his house in Galicia as a shelter for fugitives fleeing to Portugal. With significant testimonial support and following indepth research of Spanish and British archives to compare the testimonies of relatives,
the development of talent in individuals and groups is the main objective of education. Management gurus constantly remind us of the need for talent and there are professionals dedicated to seeking it out. But there are no miracle solutions. It is not possible to be a “millionaire in a month”, or to “learn Chinese in fifteen hours”, or to achieve any of those wonders promised in books by con artists. Talent is a habit and, like all habits, difficult to attain. There are also many types of
in ‘La clave Embassy’ the author offers a unique chapter in Spanish history, novelistic but real, with a true, happy ending.
talent. However, just as we all have our own strengths and weaknesses, there is also a “basic talent”, which everyone in the world must try to develop, and this more than anything is what this book is about: the talent to know what to do with our other talents, and also with our limitations. Spanish philosopher and writer José Antonio Marina combines his research into intelligence with his work as a professor of philosophy and his studies related to phenomenology, genetic psychology, neurology and linguistics, work that has occupied the last twenty-five years of his prolific life. ● ¿Cómo salir de la
crisis? El papel de las mujeres. Various authors. Carolina Foundation
This publication compiles the talks of the Fifth Meeting of Ibero-American Women Leaders held in Madrid in October 2009, along with
c publications 69 a communiqué by Rebeca Grynspan, Associate Administrator of the UNDP, on the challenges of the international economic crisis and the role that women can play. Among other issues, the authors discuss topics related to innovation, female employment, sustainable economies, communications media and public opinion.
● Lealtad y traición.
Jorge Semprún y su siglo. Franziska Augstein. Tusquets Editores
‘Lealtad y traición’ ("Loyalty and Treason") traces the different phases of an existence as rich in adventures as in reflection: exile in France following the defeat of the Republic in the Spanish Civil War, a perilous adventure as a member of the Resistance, capture and torture at the hands of the Gestapo, Buchenwald and the experience of absolute evil, his commitment to communism, the clandestine struggle in Franco's Spain, when he became the activist most wanted by the police, his break with the leadership of the Spanish Communist Party and his disenchantment with the communist utopia.
✱... a must read ● Ciudadano Azaña.
Miguel Ángel Villena. Editorial Península.
Manuel Azaña (Alcalá de Henares, 1880-Montauban, 1940) was a government minister, prime minister and president of the Second Republic and is, without doubt, one of 20th century Spain's greatest politicians and intellectuals. However, his high political profile and his status as a symbol of a democratic government drowned in blood by the military uprising of 1936 have largely eclipsed his work as a writer and his more human qualities. This biography retraces the course his life took, against the background of the changes occurring in the Spain of his time, and
From the 1960s up to the present, free of any ideological hindrance, Jorge Semprún (b. Madrid, 1923) has dedicated himself to his career as a writer and essayist, producing works notable for their condemnation of totalitarianism and their exploration of memory as an incantation against death. Now one of the most awarded, read and sought after writers in Europe, Semprún is the author of books which are essential today for making sense of the 20th century. ● Los Príncipes.
Preparados para reinar. Carmen Enríquez and Emilio Oliva. Aguilar
Following the success of
places special emphasis on the lesser known aspects of his life. A prolific author who cultivated several genres and won the National Prize for Literature in 1926, Manuel Azaña was a model of the learned Spaniard, a reformer who was open to Europe and who represented the highest values of our liberal tradition.
‘Doña Sofía. La Reina habla de su vida’, ("Sofia: The Queen Talks about her Life"), journalists Carmen Enríquez and Emilio Oliva give us ‘Los Príncipes. Preparados para reinar’ ("The Prince and Princess: Ready to Reign"), an in-depth portrait of the future heirs to the Crown their personalities, habits, image, their approach to their work, the education of their daughters and their commitment to Spain - based on the testimonies of people who have shared their doublefaceted lives as Royals and as citizens. And they provide specific data on the value of the monarchy as a form of government just as the royal
palace prepares its strategy to promote the political profile of the Prince. An enjoyable book, and indispensable for gaining a better understanding of Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia, a couple truly ready to reign. ● La Europa mestiza.
Inmigración, ciudadanía y codesarrollo. Sami Naïr. Galaxia Gutenberg. Círculo de Lectores
The latest work of Sami Naïr brings together the most important elements of a long reflection on immigration, presented systematically. It is the work of an intellectual probably already well-known to the vast majority of readers who will pick up this book. Readers will find in this work an interpretation of immigration, an analysis of its causes, and several proposals for improving the condition of millions of women and men who are just simple human beings who want only to live in peace, being honest, hard-working people and representatives in flesh and blood of the universal nature of the human species.
70 e interview
"The theatre helps me better understand the world" says, citing Shakespeare, the new artistic director of Madrid's Teatro Real. He gets to work everyday on foot: "those 25 minutes give me time to reflect. I always say that a person's life lies in the path before them". In the case of this Belgian, born in Ghent, that path is intimately tied to opera and leads him to state unequivocally: “It is better for people to protest than for them to sleep”. By Beatriz Beeckmans.
Gérard Mortier:
“There is just one life: that of the Theatre”
Described as polemical and defiant, this 'enfant terrible' and indispensable reference point for international opera received us one autumn morning in an austere office at the Teatro Real. He keeps one hand on the dictionary - because "my Spanish is not too good yet" - which he never gets around to using. One of the few decorative elements found in the room, a bust of Mozart, guides our conversation: “Mozart always smiled, even in the most difficult situations. All of his works end with a utopian view of life, and I like this; I feel passionately about culture's potential to create belief in a possible utopia”. — Talking of imaginary worlds, how would you explain opera to a child? — Children do not need us to explain opera to them, they need us to take them
to see it. The earliest age for beginning is between 7 and 12 years old. My mother always went and I wanted to see what it was. When I was 11 she told me I could go with my grandmother. It was a wonderful experience. I don't think children need an explanation, instead they need to go see a performance and talk about it. I know from experience that they always want to see the same opera later on DVD. It's better for them to watch opera rather than Disney films, not least because the artists sing better than Donald Duck… With young people between the ages of 18 and 25, we shouldn't talk about opera as something unique, but place it in the context of the music genres they already know and love. For example, I often say that some of the music is very
similar to rap. It is a story told through accents, though at a somewhat slower pace. It's a case of drawing comparisons: let them listen to rap, but make sure they know that opera could also be of interest to them. — You made it clear that one of your main aims since your arrival is to open the opera and the Teatro Real to a younger audience. How will you do this? — There are lots of possibilities that we are currently developing. For example, 'last minute' seats that can be bought four hours before the performance at a 90% discount. We have seen the sale of these seats grow exponentially. As of next year we are going to set aside the two front rows for young people. We will have subscriptions, which
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PHOTOS JAVIER DEL REAL
give you access to the best seats in the theatre. It isn't actually simply an issue of cost, but one of interest. In order to generate this interest we need to work with colleges and universities. For me, universities are particularly important; we have begun to organize visits so that they will come. I find it incredible that many university students have never been to the Teatro Real. When they do come they find it fantastic; it really opens their eyes. I used to think that the Teatro Real looked like a prison. But it's a theatre, not a hospital or a temple for a small group of people. This is why we have put up photographs and banners, to make it more lively. We are trying to communicate more, and more effectively. For example, with our new magazine, of which we have 25,000
copies, everyone can learn about what we are doing at the Teatro. There are shows for children. For example, 800 children between the ages of 4 and 8 years came to the first “La mañana sinfónica” (Symphonic Morning) concert and were fascinated. It is very simple but it has to be done; it is a shame that no one did it earlier. — Why did you decide to come to the Teatro Real when you were also offered the opportunity to direct the New York City Opera? — I had often thought about coming here. I've known the history of this theatre since it reopened, so when Miguel Muñiz and Gregorio Marañón - general director and president of the board - suggested it to me it was an easy decision to make. It was easy to decide
how we were going to work, because they are people with a great aptitude for teamwork. When I was in Salzburg, a group of three people were in charge, so the structure at the Real is not new to me. And it is much better if you can talk over your ideas with someone else. However, it is true that I have a general vision that has to be accepted: the opera is not a circus with singers, it isn't a marketplace with expensive sets. Opera is an art form to which singing is central. Not artificial singing, but song as a vision of the soul. In the opera the singers are the protagonists, but the orchestra and the chorus are of vital importance. — Continuing with this idea, where do you want to place the Teatro Real? — I want the Real to be counted among Europe's best. In order to do this it
72 e interview
needs to have its own productions, new audiences and 20th century operas. The singing, as I have said, comes first. But if the orchestra and the chorus are not up to par, the singing cannot carry out its function. The orchestra and the chorus provide the set for the singer. Our Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid has made fantastic progress and I am happy to work with it. I want to make it a group like Milan's La Scala Orchestra, because I have decided that its foundations are essentially no better than those of Madrid's symphonic orchestra. The difference with Milan is that they are conducted by Muti and Abbado. I am going to work so that we can attract this class of conductors. My experience in Paris, which has been criticized a lot, of doing away with the role of musical director and creating a team of conductors, showed me that having different conductors involved leads to a rise in quality. In regard to the productions, the Teatro Real needs to get productions off the ground that are specific to this theatre and this country, and which are, of course, exportable. The opera cannot afford to project the image of a rigid statue in a museum and so it must move with the times. At least 30% of our repertoire needs to be 20th century pieces, without ignoring the classics from the 18th and 19th centuries. — Your Ambassador, the Belgian Ambassador to Spain, Johan Swinnen, said at the beginning of the Belgian Presidency of the EU that artistic manifestations are one of the best ways to reinforce ties between European countries. Do you share this belief? — Europe is a cultural word, not a political one. European culture has existed since the Ancient Greeks and the European character can be perfectly defined. For me, Europe is a secular continent. Of course it has three religions at its foundations: Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Toledo is a fantastic example of this. But, at the same time, it is a secular continent: the King or
PROFILE Born in Ghent, Belgium, in 1943, Mortier is anartistic director and in this role he has revolutionized the world of opera over the last three decades. From 1981 to 1991 he was general director at the Théâtre de La Monnaie in Brussels, making it an international name.
The decade spanning 1991 and 2001, during which time he directed the Salzburg Festival, saw the event undergo a transformation. He has directed the Ruhrtriennale and the Paris National Opera and, as of 2010, he is artistic director at the Teatro Real de Madrid. He says "I want the Real to be counted among Europe's best". "In
order to do this it needs to have its own productions, new audiences and 20th century operas". His decisive move towards modernity, captured within an innovative understanding of the programmed and its productions, has earned him international recognition reflected in his numerous prizes and accolades.
e interview 73 Emperor in Europe was never God. In Japan, China or Egypt, it was. In the Middle Ages, the fight for “investiture” was the classic struggle between the Pope and the Emperor. We can see a great deal of influence from those three religions. The European character is Don Juan, Faust, these are the great myths. We can define Europe very, very well and I don't think that many politicians are aware of this. But this is not my problem. How would you defend the concept of Europe before a large audience who don't have the possibility to feel it? It is the same problem that they had in the 19th century with nationalism.... In Germany it was Goethe and Richard Wagner. There are always artists who shape an era, and Europe. In my opinion, Europe will never be a success if culture is not its cornerstone. Take, for example, the debate over the gypsies in France. I believe we need to take more time to reflect. The gypsies have always been well-integrated in, for example, the Spanish culture and the culture of Flamenco, among others. They are present in many operas: Il Trovatore, a Spanish text, and Carmen, who was herself a gypsy. Last week I read Amin Maalouf who said that it is not a question of tolerance, but respect for culture. And respect always comes from culture: we go to watch Flamenco being performed, we enjoy German poetry and Renoir's typically French works of art. This is what makes the European Union culture. — Spain has a privileged role as political intermediary between Europe and Latin America. Is this also the case with opera? — For me, the problem is that ever since the Reconquista, Spain has been too much in the periphery. When we look back over its history, we see that in Roman times Spain played an enormously important role. We know that Seneca came from Cordoba, that another philosopher, Thomas Aquinas, lived there and that Greek culture
"The Real is a theatre, not a temple for a small group of people" “Europe will never be a success if culture is not its cornerstone” was brought to Europe by Spain and Al Andalus. Until the Reconquista, Spain was central to Europe. However, from that moment on, Spain has been somewhat relegated to the sidelines. The nationalist spirit present in France or Germany does not exist here. I do think that Spain has been on the sidelines throughout the 20th century. What's more, during the 40 years under Franco, the country was closed off, isolated. It is very important today that Spain recognizes how fundamental it is to European culture. Many aspects of European culture simply wouldn't exist without Spain's knowledge. Furthermore, Spain brought European culture to Latin America. We are used to talking about the Atlantic alliance, but this goes from North to North; it is very important to connect with the South. Just as Istanbul is the bridge between Europe and the East, Spain is the bridge between Europe and Latin America. And I am going to work on this, because my work pertains to the theatre, to culture, and also to cultural policy. — Have you started to make contact with your counterparts? — I met all my colleagues at once. I have been to Buenos Aires and we are studying collaborations with Mexico and with the Teatro de la Plata, in Río de la Plata. The musical director there, Alejo Pérez, who is fantastic, will be one of my guest conductors. I am going to work with stage directors from Mexico, Argentina and so on. We are also going to be presenting a Baroque opera, the first in Spain, which premiered in Lima, Peru. — From the way that you talk it is clear that you are an enthusiastic
man. Is transmitting emotion the thing that interests you most about your profession? — Yes. I want to transmit passion, lots of emotions. I work in the theatre because I am deeply humanist. Property does not interest me. I'm not interested in houses, cars, not even television. I like to communicate with people. I am passionate about culture's potential to create a belief in a possible utopia. At the moment this is particularly important, because this is a difficult time. It is an historic moment for Europe; over the next ten years it will be decided if it will be important in the future or not. This is a great moment of change in human history. There is a great struggle between materialism and spirituality. I think that today communication has been replaced with information. Ours is not a communication society, but an information society in which, paradoxically, there is increasingly less communication. For example, here in my office there is no internet. I do not accept dialogue with my staff via email. I refuse. When one of my collaborators sends me an email I tell them: “Come, let's talk about your email”. In the theatre it is impossible; human contact is fundamental. — Let's talk about this season at the Real, which opened with “Onegin”. — It is a production that is both modern and classical at the same time. I do not want to show the sensibilities of another time. I don't want museums, I want the present. The line taken by this first season is defined by Mahagonny and St Francis of Assisi. I believe it is very important to take a political line, but not in the traditional sense. When I say political, what I mean is that opera can be entertaining, but it is good if when you leave the theatre you are left with something which helps you better understand the world in which you live. For example, when one watches The Dead City one receives a marvelous lesson on the passing of time. — What plans do you have for the future?
74 e interview
— Well, The Audience by García Lorca with music by Mauricio Sotelo is planned for 2014. For me this is a special work, because Lorca's text is excellent. There is also an idea for an opera about the private life of Walt Disney, which is full of surprises. The music would be by Philip Glass. My second season here will begin with Elektra by Richard Strauss. Bychkov will be the musical director. Then there will be Pelléas and Mélisande by Debussy, with Cambreling and Bob Wilson (a production I already did in Salzburg). I have a great many ideas. I would like to do Macbeth, Don Carlos, Falstaff, Aida and Luisa Miler. And Mozart. Always Mozart. — How do you feel in Spain? — Although I have only just started working here, I've already met a lot of people. I really enjoy meeting people from galleries. For example, I really like the La Fábrica gallery, and meeting colleagues from museums… I have met, among others, with the choreographer Israel Galván; we are going to do a project together. I've also been in contact with my colleagues in Barcelona and Bilbao. The most important thing for me is that in Spain there are some traditions that are incredibly important for Europe and that have not been globalized. There are other things that I notice, as a man from Belgium, from the North, like the fact that people here eat at 10pm! I also like the differences between the Castilians, the Galicians, the Andalucians; I believe this diversity represents a great wealth for the country. There is no need to talk of separation. You make a mosaic by putting everything together; the pieces on their own count for nothing. — You are described as an indispensable reference point for world opera. Apart from the theatre, what else do you do in your free time? — I do not have two lives: just one, that of the theatre. It is at the centre of everything. All of my friends work in the industry, they are writers and the like. I
“If I work in the theatre it is because I am profoundly humanist. Property does not interest me. I like to communicate with people” “The wealth of Spain lies in its diversity” “I don't have internet in my office. In the theatre, human contact is fundamental” have few friends outside. When I have some free time, I write speeches and lectures, I read and I walk. Tomorrow I will be giving a lecture in Santiago de Compostela entitled 'The path: On walking' For me, walking, moving, is very important. When we talk about a person's life, we talk about their path. I walk to the theatre every day from home, it takes 25 minutes. It gives me time to reflect. I also like walking around El Retiro. In Madrid the only thing missing is the sea, because I like its views on infinity so much. I really like the cinema. There are some Spanish films I want to see, but I have to improve my language skills in
order to understand them fully. At some point I will start with the internet, but, at the moment, it's a blessing I have good secretaries to help me with flights and things (laughs). I'll take it up when I no longer have them. — During your career you have come across various countries and cultures. How do you see the future? — I have just celebrated my 67th birthday and at this point in my life I don't look forward twenty years; I prefer to think about next week. The future is closer for me than it is for young people. For the moment I am in Spain and I don't like thinking about anything else. I only think about Spain. It is very important for me to study Spanish and learn the culture. — How do you see the situation in your own country? — Very bad, I don't think it will ever change. If Belgium exists, I'm happy. But if it doesn't, it's not a problem because, for me, the most important thing is Europe. I would really like for things to go well, but I have absolutely no idea about what is going to happen. — Why is Mozart such an important figure for you? — Mozart, together with Beethoven, are the most central composers and men of the theatre to my life. Mozart is not, as some people say, a happy adolescence. The most important thing about him is that Mozart always smiled, even in the most difficult situations. All of his works always end with a utopian view of life. It's different with Shakespeare. The Tempest is the first time the suggestion is made that you can see the future through theatre. In The Tempest, the young people play chess and believe in the world. Everything that happens in that theatre says "the theatre helps me better understand the world". It is a shame that many people have not discovered this, and this is what drives my work - that people may learn the power of theatre. This sentiment also exists in sport. I also really enjoy giving lectures. Tomorrow in the lecture I am giving I will talk about works of the theatre that are journeys.
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Miradas al exterior is an official diplomatic information publication of the Spanish Government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. About 14,000 copies are distributed worldwide on a quarterly basis, and it has been translatedintoEnglishandFrench.Availableonline at www.maec.es
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