MIRADAS AL EXTERIOR_19_EN

An Informative Diplomatic Publication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation JULY-SEPTEMBER 2011. N˚19. www.maec.es

From November 14 through 17, Spain will host in Valladolid a unique event at which international experts will discuss the microcredit movement, with the common goal of putting an end to hunger and poverty

Microcredit Summit in Valladolid

An opportunity in the fight against hunger

Photo of Mohammed Rakibul Hasan taken in Dhaka and recognized in 2009 at the international photography exhibit of the ‘Consultative Group to Assist the Poor’.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS > Price volatility, a threat to food security > The beneficial effect of electoral observation > Poland, an indispensable partner in Eastern Europe > Interview with Youseff Amrani COOPERATION > With cooperation, value does not equal price > European recognition for the AECID CULTURE AND SOCIETY > CAF, a world leader in rolling stock> Interview with the President of the Business Circle THE INTERVIEW > Pedro Cavadas: "In surgery, nothing that depends on you can fail"

the facts and the image THE DATA

THE DATE

ANNIVERSARY

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through September, that Spain has earmarked for the humanitarian crisis suffered in the Horn of Africa, making Spain the 5th largest world donor.

occasion to analyze the causes of fluctuation in food prices and target measures to mitigate its effects.

On this occasion the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation participated in a tribute to the U.S. Embassy held at the Juan Carlos I Park in Madrid.

million euros. The total amount,

of October. World Food Day, an

anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

EFE

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Opening of Casa Árabe in Cordoba

The opening of the city´s Casa Árabe headquarters took place on September 15 in Cordoba. The event was attended by Trinidad Jimenez, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Gema Martin Muñoz, General Manager of Casa Árabe and Jose Antonio Nieto, Mayor of Cordoba, among other public figures. This institution´s new headquaters, which forms part of the network of culturally themed houses of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, is located in the Mudejar House in the historic part of the city.

EDITORIAL OFFICE > Director: Mª Jesús García. Editor-in-Chief: José Bodas. Art Director, editor and writer: Javier Hernández.

Contributors: Alexandra Issacovitch, Beatriz Beeckmans, Jacobo García, Jano Remesal, Ignacio Gómez, Miguel Lizana, Paula B. Roch and Laura Losada. 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 opinions expressed by the authors. CONTACT E-MAIL> opinion.miradas@maec.es

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leader in rolling stock.

48 > Interview with claudio Boada, president of the Business circle.

66 > pedro cavadas: "In surgery, nothing that depends on you can fail"

the interview

34 > In cooperation, the value is not the price.

36> The Spanish cultural center opens its headquarters in Miami.

38> Interview with José antonio Bastos, president of MSF.

cooperation

20 > The positive impacts of election observation.

22 > poland, an essential partner in Eastern Europe.

32 > Interview with Youseff amrani, Secretary general of the UpM.

foreign affairs

on the cover

6 > Between November 14 and 17, Valladolid welcomes the global Microcredit Summit, with the appearance of numerous Heads of State and government, authorities, experts and representatives of national and international bodies working in the fight against hunger and poverty.

40 > Salvador garcía de pruneda.

Writer-diplomats.

42 > State Museums: the National Museum of Romantic art.

46 > caF, a world

culture and society

18 > The volatility of food prices threatens food security.

EDITORIAL BOARD > President: Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. First deputy chair: Director General of Foreign Communications. 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: 501-11-018-9

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The Palestinian Initiative at the United Nations Trinidad Jimenez

MINISTER OF foreign affairs and cooperation

The presence of the Heads of State and Government and Foreign Ministers of member states in the UN General Assembly is an excellent opportunity to organize various events on current international issues. These meetings, including the numerous bilateral meetings that they generate, are known as the Ministerial Week.

The 66th Ministerial Week has a special impact in the media because we have witnessed a historic event: the presentation by the President of the Palestinian National Authority, of the Palestinian request to be admitted as a full member state of the UN. This application, its reasons and its consequences, have occupied much of our time in New York, but the Ministerial Week also presented an opportunity to discuss other issues such as terrorism, women, development cooperation and the Alliance of Civilizations.

With regard to terrorism, the achievements and remaining challenges to eradicate it have been reflected on, as well as the role of the victims. During the Symposium on international cooperation against terrorism, chaired by the United Nations Secretary General, the Foreign Ministers discussed the UN's

global strategy against terrorism.

In addition, 30 states and organizations launched the Global Forum Against Terrorism, an initiative that raises an open debate to facilitate the exchange of information and coordination of our policies in the fight against terrorism.

As in previous years, the ministerial meeting of the group of friends of the Alliance of Civilizations was also held. This Alliance has played an important role in the fight against terrorism, intolerance and incitement to hatred of differences. The initiative, presented by Prime Minister Rodriguez Zapatero at the Ministerial Week 2004, has now been fully assumed by the UN as part of its heritage.

The Ministerial Week will be remembered for two other relevant events. For the first time a woman, the President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, opened the General Debate which was also attended for the first time by the new State of Southern Sudan. During the week, Spain exchanged verbal notes to establish diplomatic relations with this new country and with Kiribati.

On the 19th, I had the opportunity to participate in a

high-level meeting on women and political participation along with the Presidents of Brazil, Finland and Trinidad and Tobago, the U.S. Secretary of State, the High Representative of the European Union and the Director of UN Women. The creation of this body one year ago has driven the agenda of equality and promoting women's rights and so we wanted to recognize it at various events and interventions.

The fight against poverty and humanitarian aid also occupied much of the agenda for the Ministerial Week. Aid to Haiti, the crises in Somalia and the humanitarian emergency in the Horn of Africa were given special attention. High-level meetings were also held to improve cooperation in the fight against desertification, noncommunicable diseases and food safety and nutrition.

But, without a doubt, the issue that has received the most attention in the months preceding the Ministerial Week has been the "Arab Spring".

Many addresses given during the General Debate referred to it, congratulating the countries that have achieved freedom and are on the way to democracy, and also congratulating the UN itself, which, in exercising its principles, has remained by their side.

And of course, the Arab world and the Middle East situation reached its peak with the formal request for the accession of Palestine to the UN. Spain maintains a high commitment to the Palestinian people. Our country has always

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aligned itself with legitimate Palestinian aspirations. As I stated in my speech to the General Assembly, Spain supports the recognition of Palestine as an observer State as a step towards the legitimate aim of Palestine becoming a full member State of the United Nations.

NACHO GOMEZ

Spain maintains a high commitment to the Palestinian people and supports the recognition of Palestine as an observer State

We can not forget that a just and lasting world peace can only come from negotiations between the parties. As part of these negotiations, the establishment of a Palestinian state based on pre-1967 lines should be adopted, with whatever changes are agreed upon by the parties, and with Jerusalem as a shared capital. Spain, which already participates in several international missions in the region, is ready to contribute to international participation in security matters if the parties so desire. The parties, supported by the international community, must also find a solution to the plight of Palestinian refugees; this solution must be just and agreed upon by the parties concerned, while allowing the preservation of the current character of Israel.

It's been a week of intense work, in which I represented Spain in high-level meetings, events with European members, the traditional Latin American foreign ministers' lunch and thirty bilateral meetings. Our work for peace requires us to never lose hope.

Especially this year, in which the attitude and the courage of men and women in Tunisia, Egypt and the entire southern Mediterranean are evidence of the concept that a better future is possible.

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Photograph by Mohammed Rakibul Hasan. This piece won the 2010 Microfinance Photography Contest organized by the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor. It reflects the tannery industry in Bangladesh, which generates business opportunities for the poor.

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From November 14-17, Spain hosts the Global Microcredit Summit, attended by several Heads of State and Government, authorities, experts and representatives from national and international organizations working in the fight against hunger and poverty. by Arturo Carrascosa

Fifth Microcredit SUmmit

Valladolid, global headquarters for the fight against poverty The microcredit movement, which create self-sufficient microfinance is, ironically, based on money at its institutions and stimulate the heart, is not about money at all. It is exchange of knowledge. Her Majesty, about helping each person to achieve Queen Sofia of Spain, is Honorary his or her fullest potential. It is a tool Co-Chair of the Microcredit Summit that unlocks human dreams and helps Campaign and has attended a number even the poorest and most unfortunate of global and regional summits for people on this planet achieve dignity more than ten years. and respect.

The Campaign has organized a This reflection by Professor further 14 meetings since Muhammad Yunus, Nobel 1997, the year in which Peace Prize Laureate and Microcredit Washington hosted the founder of the Grameen Bank is a is a tool first Microcredit Summit. in Bangladesh, was presented that unlocks The events are regional at a meeting organized by the human dreams or global and, up until Microcredit Summit Campaign and helps even this year, four have been (MCS), a project of the the poorest worldwide. The Valladolid RESULTS Educational Fund, a and most Summit is the fifth and, at non-profit organization based unfortunate the same time, the first held in Washington whose main people on this in Europe. Those attending objectives are to combat world planet achieve the Washington Summit hunger and poverty, attain dignity and launched a campaign the empowerment of women, respect. with the aim of reaching

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note Manuel Méndez del Río. President of the BBVA Microfinance Foundation

Finance for the poor The BBVA Microfinance Foundation is a non-profit organization created in 2007 by the BBVA Group as part of its social responsibility, focusing on financial inclusion. With an initial endowment of 200 million Euros from the BBVA Group, the BBVA Microfinance Foundation aims to promote the sustainable economic and social development of the most disadvantaged people in society, through productive microfinance.

The Foundation’s main activity is creating a global Network of sustainable Microfinance Entities in Latin America, through the integration, transformation and strengthening of pre-existing organizations, with a corporate form, or through the creation of new “ex novo” entities.

An integrated network of sustainable entities, in which the Foundation has reference entries, since it is responsible for their management.

Since its public unveiling four years ago by H.M. Queen Sofia, the Foundation has created the Microfinance Bank – Bancamia, in Colombia; Crédito Nuestra Gente (CNG) Savings Bank, in Peru; Corporation for Microfinance, in Puerto Rico; Microfinance and Hope Fund, in Chile; Microfinance Services, in Argentina; and Microserfin, in Panama, and continues working to create and develop sustainable microfinance institutions in Central America, Mexico and Brazil. To date, the Foundation has reached a current portfolio of over 950,000 assisted customers, with over 3 million people affected in total, relying on 4527 employees and 344 offices in Latin America.

100 million of the world’s poorest families within a nine year period.

The campaign was focused mainly on women, a sector traditionally outside and excluded from banking services, and endeavored to provide access to credit and other financial and business services until 2005. The campaign almost achieved its objective.

In 2006, participants of the Halifax Summit in Canada set another two challenges for 2015: that credit for selfemployment and other financial and business services reach 175 million of the world’s poorest families, especially women; and work so that the income of 100 million of the world’s poorest families exceeds $1.25 a day.

Microfinance in Spain. Since the 1990s, when it emerged in developing countries, microfinance has evolved, but everything points to the fact that it may also be useful in developed nations, especially in situations as dif-

ficult as the current global crisis. In Spain, this type of microcredit has traditionally been managed by Savings Banks and some Non-Governmental Organizations and has a strong component of social and financial inclusion. What remains in Spain is to advance microfinance legislation and regulation. To achieve this, a working group was created, bringing together a hundred entities engaged in microfinance in Spain. Known as the Microfinance Forum, it aims to make progress in this area.

The current situation, one of deep economic crisis, confronts us with innovation and creativity in the field of microfinance, without neglecting joint responsibility, its social focus. The complexity of the microfinance sector itself is obvious: it has gone from being led by nongovernmental organizations and credit cooperatives, to the emergence of regulated microfinance institutions - professionalized and

parallel program of events Organized by the AECID, the City of Valladolid, the University, the Museums and others involved in the Cooperation, NGDOs… October 19 and 26, November 2, 10 and 23 5 Conferences: Art-market and social compromise Patio Herreriano Museum, C/ Jorge Guillén, 6, Valladolid October 21 Microfinance Legislation Forum Trade fair, Avda.

Ramón Pradera, 3, Valladolid October 27 Third Conference on

Financial Inclusion and Development: The Future of Microfinance Organized by the AFI and CAN Foundation, Juan Bravo, 3. Madrid November 3 - December 27 Photographic Exhibition: Portraying Microfinance CGAP, ICO, MCS. Municipal Exhibition Hall of the Calderón Theatre, C/ Angustias, 1, Valladolid. Organized by the City of Valladolid November 3 - December 6 Photographic exhibition “Banker to the Poor” by Daniel Mordzinsky.

Municipal Exhibition Room, C/ Santiago, s/n, Valladolid November 5 JCultural Session: Microenterprises and SMEs targeting Social and Cultural Development in the context of Cooperation College of San Gregorio National Museum, Cadenas de San Gregorio, 1, Valladolid November 7 to 10 Educational workshop on microcredit as a cooperative tool in developing “Solidarity

P with a greater level of financial development - identifying the base of the pyramid not only as an area for action in the fight against poverty, but also as a new sector of the financial markets, with its own dynamic, increasing the facilities and services offered, such as micro-insurance, micro-savings, or mobile banking. At the same time, obtaining resources has become more sophisticated through venture capital funds or the issuance of bonds in domestic and international markets.

Savings Banks and Microcredits, a shared history. The existence of microcredit in Spain cannot be understood without including the role of Savings Banks. A group of these banks undertook this activity at the start of the current century and, today, remain the only financial institutions in the country granting microcredit. In 2001, La Caixa and the Women's Institute

Work” Location to be confirmed, in Valladolid November 9 - January 22 Exhibition: Excluded Figures College of San Gregorio National Museum and Patio Herreriano Museum, Valladolid December 11 to December 16 Exhibition and Conference on Traditional Craft and Design Projects by Women in Rural India financed by Microcredit India House, C/ Puente Colgante, 11-13, Valladolid November 10 to 12

started up our country’s first microcredit program and, almost simultaneously, other entities such as Caja Granada, Caixa Catalunya, Caixa Galicia and BBK entered into the world of microfinance.

Closer to home, and especially in France, this activity which had originated Bangladesh, where Professor Muhammad Yunus had managed to perfect a model created three decades ago, began to be successful. However, the special socioeconomic circumstances of Europe, and also Spain, have meant that microcredit takes on very different characteristics, with less development than that achieved in Asia or Ibero-America.

As a result, microcredit was set up in Spain as a very interesting instrument of social and labor inclusion, although with a high transformation cost from the point of view of the financial product. This

National Meeting of Solidarity Projects November 10: The Report of the Global Microcredit Campaign 2012 Codespa Photography Exhibition will also be presented Trade fair, Avda. Ramón Pradera, 3, Valladolid November 10 to 30 Exhibition of monoliths from Africa House on the Central Walkway of Campo Grande, Valladolid, Africa.es November 12 Public Marathon, Rivers of Light route, organized by the City with the help of the College of San Gregorio National

Museum November 15 - December 11 UNICEF Photography exhibition – Isabel Muñoz Patio Herreriano Museum, Valladolid November 15 Professor Muhammad Yunus meeting with young people Valladolid November 7 to 10 “Finance and Development” Seminar Location: Magna Room in the School of Economics and Business, University of Valladolid

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note Antonio Vereda del Abril. President of the Ibero-American Foundation for Development-FIDE

MICROCREDIT AND DEVELOPMENT Microcredit has emerged in places of extreme poverty, as a dignified means of providing aid to poor people who need small amounts of money to improve their lives and live from their self-employment.

These fighters against poverty must create their own jobs to survive, but they don’t have the resources, or training, or services; and among the poorest, women are the most marginalized.

The FIDE Foundation began promoting microcredit with its own resources in Peru, during the 1980s, with the creation of revolving funds in kind and cash to help women in extreme poverty, in the outskirts of Lima. Later, it designed and carried out projects in Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Honduras.

In management we learned that microcredit cannot become microdonations, that revolving funds from subsidies must not be wasted, and that it is necessary to invest in job training with a capital no less than 3200 Euros / job, making it possible to rise above subsistence and begin a history of development. At FIDE we put it into practice the principle that once the projects with revolving funds end, they must continue working so that new microcredits can be given to other beneficiaries.

The essence of microcredit lies in its character as a financial tool of solidarity, with which to eradicate poverty and begin development from below and within, making it the option of the masses.

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Microcedit, a useful tool against poverty Soraya Rodríguez

SecretArY oF StAte For iNterNAtioNAL cooperAtioN

Opening a small shop in a village in Bangladesh, funding a craft cooperative in Peru, setting up a farm in sub-Saharan Africa or encouraging women’s groups all over the world. These are examples of the concrete aims of microcredit, an innovative financial system started decades ago in Bangladesh by Professor Muhammad Yunus, a social leader who in recent years has been honored with awards as distinguished with the Prince of Asturias award (1998) and the Nobel Peace Prize (2006).

Over time, despite obstacles and controversies, microcredit has emerged as an effective method of fighting extreme poverty in a phenomenon where women in developing countries have often stood up as the protagonists. In fact, every day, the microfinance

system relies on the support of more Governments and Public Institutions and more civil society organizations around the world.

In Spain’s case, our international cooperation has long supported these microfinance policies, to the extent that its influence in our projects and programs led the Microcredit Fund and Microcredit Summit Campaign (MSC) to choose Spain as the host of the V Global Summit, to be held in Valladolid from 14-17 November.

this global event will not be ephemeral, but we hope its effects and achievements will project toward the future of a more just and egalitarian world.

Our country has become a true global power in microfinance so that, with contributions of 713 million Euros, we are the second largest donor in the world after Germany and the fourth if we include

explains to a large extent, why in this decade of microcredit in Spain it has been almost exclusively the Banks that have responded to the demand for microcredit.

The definition most commonly accepted by the Banks states that social microcredit is a loan of variable amount, not exceeding 25,000 Euros, granted for self-employment or economic activities, to people at risk of exclusion or with difficulty accessing the traditional financial system and who, moreover, do not have collateral

to back up their application, so personal guarantees are accepted and transactions are commission free.

The combination of Social Work bodies and very competitive financial and commercial facets came from the Spanish microcredit model, an example of good practice in Europe, where an agreement between two figures was usually required: an association, NGO or microfinance body and a traditional financial entity for granting microcredit. In Spanish Banks, both aspects, social and

financial institutions. Spain’s predominant position has undoubtedly been strengthened by the support of Her Majesty Queen Sofia and all kinds of public and private bodies in our country, which will be involved in the Valladolid Summit. The event will bring together some 2,000 delegates, from a hundred countries, among which will be Heads of State and Government, experts in microfinance, university professors, donor agents and, of course, Non-Governmental Development Organizations, among other organizations.

The Summit comes at an extraordinarily complex time for the world of microfinance.

Following an expansionary

economic, were provided by the same entity, which explains the Sector’s strong links to this activity.

Paradoxically, maximum development of microcredit in Spain coincided with the years of greatest economic growth, a phenomenon which has much to do with the massive incorporation of foreign citizens into our economy. These citizens, possessing a strong entrepreneurial character and skills for small-scale commerce or certain trades, were not established enough, however, to have

P policy during the last 20 years, international debates have multiplied regarding its usefulness as a tool for combating poverty, in light of particular cases jumped on by the media in recent months.

Aside from these controversies, the most recent studies emphasize the validity and positive impact of microcredit and inclusive access to financing in the fight against poverty, provided that this instrument is linked to public policies of social cohesion and combating poverty, such as access to health and education, an adequate institutional framework and an infrastructure capable of generating real employment and selfemployment opportunities.

This is the approach favored by the Spanish Cooperation through the new instrument representing the Fund for the Promotion of Development, which, by law, must be included in Spanish strategies for combating poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals in those countries where it operates.

Thus, the efforts of the international microfinance community aim to improve not only the social and environmental performance of operations, and maximize its impact on sustainable human development, but also to complement other territorial and state policies to ensure the creation of space and opportunities for the poorest communities and, especially for women. To do this, proper regulation of microcredit practices and expanding the range of tools and services offered, such as micro-savings and micro-insurance, are important commitments which the V Summit will not ignore.

Our country has become a true global power in microfinance so that, with contributions of 713 million Euros, we are the second largest donor in the world after Germany and the fourth if we include financial institutions.

The hosting of this debate in Spain, thus offering possibilities to and requiring responsibility from the Spanish microfinance community, will become a benchmark for promoting microcredit: from its study, momentum, and economic potential, both in our country and the rest of the world.

As will be highlighted in the Summit sessions, every day more and more institutions and organizations of all kinds,

access the credit.

The severe economic crisis we have experienced since late 2007 has tested the microcredit approach, including its role of social inclusion and as a financing instrument for small business activities. The lack of business expectations due to the economic environment has caused the demand for microcredit requested of Banks to fall in recent years.

In 2010, eleven Savings Banks maintained active Microcredit programs. A total of 7,781,498 Euros

were awarded, spread over 707 operations, of which almost half were for self-employment and entrepreneurship. Over the past seven years, the number of transactions granted was 13,194 with the amount of these transactions totaling almost 118 million Euros.

In these figures, ranging from 2004, the first year with homogeneous data, to 2010, social microcredits from Micro-Bank, the social bank of La Caixa, are included. This entity has other microfinance products which,

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both public and private, bet on microcredit as political building blocks of Official Development Assistance. In this vein, I am particularly proud of the cooperation provided by the Government of Castile and Leon, the City of Valladolid and the University, which will create a permanent professorship in microfinance. Thus, this global event will not be ephemeral, but we hope its effects and achievements will project toward the future of a more just and egalitarian world In any case, the V Global Microcredit Summit does not arise only as a forum for discussion and exchange of experiences, but, above all, aims to promote two basic goals.

Firstly, ensuring that some 175 million of the world’s poorest families, especially women, have access to basic financial services by the end of 2015. Secondly, ensuring that some 100 million of the world's poorest families improve their income above the threshold of one dollar a day between 1990 and 2015. If we can move forward in search of these objectives, the event in Valladolid will take on its full meaning.

once accounted for, would multiply threefold the number of social microcredits granted by all the banks.

The role of Spanish Cooperation.

Nowadays Spain is one of the main global powers in the microfinance sector, with donations of around 760 million euros. Also, experience gained means that Spanish Cooperation has acquired important knowledge, practical as well as theoretical and methodological, in terms of microfinance management. However, the last two

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note Javier Costa. Head of the Evaluation Unit at CODESPA

Twenty five yEars experienCe in microfinance Over the last two decades, CODESPA has been changing its performance strategy, adapting to the evolution of microfinance, its needs and different levels of development, according to phases and geographical areas. The only aspect of this strategy that has not changed is its contribution to improving the access of the most disadvantaged people to financial services through local microfinance institutions (MFIs), and never directly through the population under the premise of local institutional development as a pillar of sustainable economic development.

In the 1990s, CODESPA strongly supported the creation and development of MFIs, focusing on the creation and consolidation portfolios, as well as direct financing and intensive training of MFI personnel, at different levels. Once these aspects were consolidated, CODESPA concentrated its support on strengthening the operational processes and policies of local MFI partners.

Currently, CODESPA is concerned with expanding its scope, especially in rural areas, and with designing innovative financial products which can reduce the vulnerability of the population and maximize the impact of access to financial services. It also contributes to the political impact of MFI partners in developing specific microfinance legislation, as is the recent case of the National Network of Popular Finances and Solidarity of Ecuador, an important player in defining the new legislative framework: The Organic Law on the Grassroots Solidarity Economy and the Grassroots Solidarity Financial Sector, approved in May.

years have marked a turning point in international standards, social and relation to the AECID’s approach to- financial performance guides and ward financial inclusion. There are management mechanisms approved several factors that have prompted at national and international level. this new period.

The systemization of practices First, the microfinance sector within microfinance entities imposes itself and financial inclusion face a process of transforming and an important debate about their professionalizing the management of objectives, social performance and microfinance initiatives, which not outcomes in terms of development. only require operating guidelines but Evidence of microcredit’s impact as a also highly qualified professionals to means of developing and combating ensure not only their impact on the poverty is in full debate, both fight against poverty and exclusion, theoretical and practical, and both but also the financial viability of the academic reflection and its impact entities. on public opinion has increased.

To these internal factors, one must Indeed, access to credit, described add the very process of transforming

by Professor Muhammad Yunus as the Spanish Cooperation’s financial a human right, may be necessary in tools. Thus, the creation in 2010 and the fight against poverty, but in no launch in 2011 of the Fund for the case does it appear to be enough. In Promotion of Development has meant fact, indiscriminate and uncritical a significant change in the technical use can be counterproductive. The and financial instrumentation of dramatic non-payment and default Spanish Cooperation’s financial cases in microcredit programs, which inclusion programs. have come to light in recent months, suggest that a misdirected microcredit El FONPRODE, as a financial tool. program, or one in which the risks Since the beginning of 2011, The Fund are not properly calibrated, not only for the Promotion of Development, prevents clients from getting out which was approved by law in October of poverty, but also eliminates this 2010, has assumed the work done by possibility for several years. the Microcredit Fund and carries it out On the other hand, the emergence with new financial functionality, overof new financing sources, particularly coming the traditional credit scheme remittances from migrants in several to microfinance entities, enabling indeveloping economies, has become the vestment operations, through guaranmain source of external financing. In tee funds, venture capital funds, lines addition to international remittances, of credit and contributions to multilatit is worth noting internal eral institutions. remittances, deriving from There are several economic and industrial The Foundation principles that come into centers and intended for was set up play as a financial tool of communities of rural origin. to promote Spanish Cooperation. Firstly, These new sources offer very development the strategic confirmation widespread financing aimed and represents that the mere provision of at families, which in many a significant concessional funds is not cases is intended for direct change in the enough to guarantee the consumption or investment orchestration fight against poverty. On in housing, with limited use of inclusive the contrary, the increase in financing in productive business. private external financing Thirdly, and a result programs by in many developing and of the above factors, the Spanish emerging countries may the establishment of Cooperation have a pernicious effect on

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A Sustainable Solution For the Poor Muhammad Yunus

FoUNder oF GrAMeeN BANK ANd WiNNer oF the NoBeL priZe For 2006

I launched the collateral free microcredit project in 1976 and founded Grameen Bank in 1983 to provide banking services targeted at the poor, especially poor women. After more than 30 years, Grameen Bank has become an internationally known organization and microcredit has become a worldwide phenomenon in almost all countries of the world. I never imagined what I started out in the village of Jobra to solve a local problem would become a global movement.

The biggest challenge was persuading conventional bankers that the poor were credit-worthy.

They simply refused to believe that someone with no money, nothing to lose by defaulting, would honor an agreement to repay a debt. In Bangladesh, the only people who receive a loan were well-off people, and they very often would default. I guess the bankers' reasoning was if people with money tempted to hold on to more, surely people with no money would be even less inclined to part with any of it.

This is actually how most banks in the world behave. They will only give you money if you already have enough. Of course, for a poor person, the challenge is always to get that first dollar that will enable you to catch the next dollar.

Before microcredit, it was nearly impossible for a poor person to get that first dollar.

Today the availability of microcredit has reduced the economic and institutional barriers

to change, especially for the poorest, vulnerable groups. This is a creative tool that we could implement in our fight against poverty. But some people have used this as a money making opportunity. More frankly, some people are using the popularity of microcredit and trying to benefit by exploiting the poor.

Here the interests of the investors have taken precedence over the interests of the borrowers.

Recently there has been some controversy about microfinance in Mexico, and lately also in India.

The controversy stems from the fact that the original goal of microfinance from the 1970s was abandoned when microfinance institutions turned to profitmaking rather than supporting self-employment and job creation.

This was because Microfinance led some people to strive for profit rather than social goals.

This is the reason why a special legal framework is needed to support microfinance.

Microfinance cannot operate in a vacuum, it has to be regulated.

I suggest reserving the terms micro-credit and micro-finance for programs dedicated to helping the poor rather than personally benefiting from them.

Microcredit/microfinance should refer only to pro-poor banking. We may find other terms to describe commercialized, profit-driven banking for the poor.

Also everyone who is involved with microcredit should remember

through the Microcredit Summit in Spain, we can again clarify what the mission of microcredit is - helping the poor but not making money by exploiting them.

that this is essentially about “social business”, not personal profit-making business. The traditional banking regulation deals with banking as a personal profit-making business. But the model of social business microcredit ensures that the owners of the MFI cannot take out profit, which means that profit is likely to be used to benefit the clients rather than the owners. The main issue is whether the purpose of microfinance remains clearly focused on positive changes in the lives of the poor, and that institutions providing microfinance have the right incentives and monitoring pieces in place to ensure that.

We must from now on organize the present to allow an easy entry of the poor towards a better future- the future that they dream of. Through the Microcredit Summit in Spain, we can again clarify what the mission of microcredit is - helping the poor but not making money by exploiting them. We should send a strong message to all MFIs that do not meet minimal ethical standards; they should reform themselves or rename themselves.

Mission of microcredit is to join the movement to put poverty into museums which will one day be visited by our grandchildren to see the plight of the poor people in the past, due to abject poverty. They’ll be shocked and horrified that this was allowed to continue for so many centuries for no fault of the people’s own.

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note José A. de Santiago-Juárez López.

Advisor to the President of the Castille y Leon Government

Castille and LeOn facing the microcrEdit summit By hosting the V Global Microcredit Summit in our Community, we can learn more about this cooperative instrument for development which has been widely questioned, but also has proved a complementary tool in achieving economic development and generating productive opportunities for the most vulnerable groups and individuals, those excluded from accessing traditional financial resources.

The debate will no doubt enrich the practices and processes of the agents of our Community in their intervention in the fight against poverty; we cannot forget that, in recent years, microcredit has been heavily involved in many decentralized cooperation programs, particularly in projects productively subsidized through Development NGOs. Also, the Summit will bring the people of Castile and Leon closer to the reality of impoverished countries, as well as considering the causes and consequences of poverty; a globalized world in crisis, general reflection, and the commitment and action of citizens will undoubtedly lead to greater involvement by the people of Castile and Leon in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.

Hosting the Microcredit Summit on our soil gives us the chance to welcome all participants and convey Castile and Leon’s commitment to combating poverty.

price increases, in turn damaging In this way, Spain joins the efforts the purchasing power of the most of the international microfinance impoverished. External financing community to improve not only must be accompanied by sufficient the social and environmental financial development, in both the performance of operations, and regulatory environment and financial maximize its impact on sustainable infrastructures, as well as in the human development, but also to solvency and effectiveness of the complement other territorial and financial institutions. Only through state policies to ensure the creation proper financial development can of space and opportunities for the external financing become widespread poorest communities and especially enough to boost the productive sector, for women. To do this, proper especially in those areas where said regulation of microcredit practices financing is most needed. and expanding the range of tools Secondly, FONPRODE's adoption and services offered, such as microof the responsible lending code, savings and micro-insurance, are approved by the Executive important commitments Committee thereof, in which the V Summit will not accordance with the Hosting this ignore. provisions in legislation, debate in Spain, Hosting this debate imposes strict controls thus offering in Spain, thus offering on social, environmental possibilities to possibilities to and requiring and gender impact, and requiring responsibility from the following not only specific responsibility Spanish microfinance recommendations for the from the community, will become a microfinance sector, but those Spanish benchmark for promoting social and environmental microfinance microcredit from its study, standards forming the key community, momentum, and economic principles of development will become potential, both in our country a benchmark financing. and the rest of the world. As Thirdly, the indications of for promoting will be highlighted in the the Development Assistance microcredit Summit sessions, every day Committee itself, which, in more and more institutions terms of financing microcredit, has and organizations of all kinds, both strengthened the concessionality public and private, bet on microcredit components of loans in an as political building blocks of Official environment where interest rates in Development Assistance. emerging and developing countries Valladolid, headquarters of converge with the official and market the Global Microcredit Summit, rates of developed economies, calling has prepared an accompanying into question the potential additional parallel program, with exhibitions, funding from donor countries seminars, conferences, educational which may be offered to developing and awareness activities about countries. microfinance.

Several Spanish These three factors, strategic institutions are participating in the guidance, social performance, and new program, such as the Government perspectives on the concessionality of of Castile and Leon, the City of funding, define a new intervention Valladolid and the University, which framework for Spanish Cooperation will create a permanent professorship in terms of financial inclusion, for in microfinance; also, the Valladolid which FONPRODE must develop a Fair, the city Museums, etc. . . . all with new approach to microfinance in the the aim that this global event will not coming months. be ephemeral.

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Valladolid, a microcosm of solidarity and commitment Francisco Javier Le贸n de la Riva MAYor oF VALLAdoLid

The city of Valladolid, led by the city hall, has declared it's firm commitment to supporting and achieving the Millennium Development Goals In 2010, Valladolid city hall already gave 0.62% of their budget to cooperative development measures; and in 2011 the approval and initiation of the first Municipal Plan of International Cooperation for Development has marked a significant growth in our determination to maintain coresponsibility with countries in the South.

In this sense, Valladolid's City Hall has been trying to promote microcredit as a means of fighting against poverty and exclusion for years. We want to keep doing it, especially with the imminent celebration of the Global Microcredit Summit here in the city. This big event, which will take place in November, uses the close collaboration of different institutions, bodies and companies based in the city, all coordinated by the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, who has supported Vallodalid in hosting this event. The challenge has been set and I'm proud to say that Valladolid is really ready to take it on.

The Summit will also clearly place Valladolid center stage for all observers and professionals

in the sector and will reinforce our identity and scope as a destination for conferences and conventions, which makes our responsibility as hosts for these meetings even greater, if that is possible. Once again, Valladolid will be called on to write one of the most important chapters of it's own history. And, once again, Valladolid will rise to the occasion, nobly and dedicating itself to cause with generosity and brilliance.

Valladolid's residents, known as "vallisoletanos", and especially myself, will be intensely involved in this Global Microcredit Summit.

We are fully aware of our 'dual' commitment to holding it: as privileged witnesses and, at the same time, as dedicated protagonists with our own goals. The international vocation and solidarity of our city does not need to be put to the test, a network of ambassadors will be present who will represent Valladolid before the rest of the world.

To this end, the very citizens themselves will be, what you call, 'ambassadors in our own country'; and we will welcome over 2000 delegates from a hundred different countries who are coming to take part in this big gathering with open arms and open hearts. We

the Global Microcredit Summit will not only fill Valladolid with 'good people', but will offer us the opportunity to consolidate the city's position as a bench mark in developing projects of solidarity and citizen volunteer initiatives.

are hoping to show everyone our ability and quality, doing everything within our power to make the organization of the summit run smoothly.

Over the course of the last decade, Valladolid has gained huge experience hosting all sorts of professional, corporate, academic and socio-cultural meetings. It's a specialty that has provided lots of benefits (social, touristic, commercial, etc.) and, above all, makes sure we always keep our minds and spirits open and ready for the enrichment that all the diversity provides.

The Global Microcredit Summit will not only fill Valladolid with 'good people', but will offer us the opportunity to consolidate the city's position as a bench mark in developing projects of solidarity and citizen volunteer initiatives.

This will without a doubt spread beyond the summit itself, as Valladolid itself is a microcosm of solidarity and dedication in the fight against poverty, it is a place for discussion and reflection on today's shameful problem; and one of the city's priorities lies in helping to make the world we live in a fairer place with more equality.

This, dear friends, is our only possible future.

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Global Microclimate Summit Valladolid's event will bring some of the most inspiring figures and supporters together in the fight against world poverty. The Director of the Microcredit Summit campaign reveals some of the challenges. by Alexandra Issacovitch

Sam Daley-Harris Director of the microcredit campaign

“The key to getting more input from governments against poverty and hunger is by getting citizens to be more involved.”

— After four decades of microfinance, what is the basic thing our readers should know when looking at the field?

— Sam Daley-Harris (SD-H): What I will stress throughout this interview is the fact that there isn’t one microfinance. Microfinance done well can make a tremendous difference in the lives of the poor. Microfinance done poorly can cause harm. Two of the key speakers at the Global Microcredit Summit in Valladolid are Sir Fazle Abed, Chairman of BRAC in Bangladesh and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus founder of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh.

Between them they have devoted a total of 80 years to development breakthroughs in their country and around the world. What distinguishes their work from the work of some others is their commitment to asking these two questions: 1) What is it that my clients need to end their poverty and 2) What can my institution do to provide that to them?

— What is the impact of their work and of others who work in similar ways?

— SD-H: Together Grameen Bank and BRAC reach some 14 million microfinance clients in Bangladesh affecting some 70 million family members in a country of 140 million.

In the mid-1970s then-U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger called Bangladesh a “bottomless basket case”. Today, when the United Nations gives an award to countries that have made the most progress toward meeting the Millennium Development Goals, Bangladesh is always at the top of the list. And it’s not because the government is so effective, it’s because of the dynamism of the civil society.

Child mortality, maternal mortality, births per woman, and poverty have all plummeted in Bangladesh and education and women’s empowerment have all skyrocketed. Grameen Bank and BRAC’s work in microfinance and other areas of development are central drivers of that progress.

— What is the current situation of microfinance today and the challenges and prospects in the coming years?

— The biggest challenge in microfinance today is to have a

profile Sam Daley-Harris, Director of the Microcredit summit campaign and founder of RESULTS, an organization that tries to create the political impetus to overcome hunger and some of the worst aspects of world hunger. It is also responsible for two publications on microfinance: 'Pathways out of poverty: Innovations in Microfinance for the Poorest Families' and 'More Pathways out of Poverty'.

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profound shift in focus from the wellbeing of the investors to a focus on the well-being of the clients. For a number of years some institutions were trying to show how profitable they could be and cut corners in doing so. At the Valladolid Summit we will highlight initiatives on client protection, ensuring social performance, and a newer initiative to create a Seal of Excellence for Poverty Outreach and Transformation in Microfinance.

— How can we involve governments more to eradicate hunger and poverty in the world?

— SD-H: I think the key to getting more governments involved in eradicating hunger and poverty in the world is to get more citizens involved. After 16 years as Director of the Microcredit Summit Campaign, I will step down after the Valladolid Summit in order

to launch the Center for Citizen Empowerment and Transformation.

I will start by reaching out to nonprofit leaders in the United States to encourage them to provide more powerful support to their members so they can be better advocates for the end of poverty.

— Can microfinance really lead to alleviating the hunger of millions of people living on less than $1.25 a day?

— SD-H: It is possible for microfinance alone to alleviate poverty for those living on less than $1.25 a day, but people often need more than just financial services in order to break the bonds of poverty. BRAC found that their clients’ children and others in the villages were not able to start school or that the village schools were not functioning, so BRAC now has 1 million children in BRAC schools. Grameen Bank has encouraged other entities to start companies that allowed women in poor villages to use cell phones and be the phone lady in the village, or to sell solar home systems in the village, or to sell low-cost, nutritious yogurt.

Freedom from Hunger affiliates offer health education and services and Pro Mujer clients can see a nurse or doctor when they come to repay their loans.

Microfinance can be a powerful platform for providing financial services and much more.

— How has the global crisis affected the functioning of organizations engaged in microfinance?

— SD-H: At first microfinance institutions and their clients were more affected by spikes in the cost of food and fuel than by the financial crisis. Then those whose loan funds came largely from commercial financial markets saw credit tighten and rates go up. But those MFIs that are able to access local deposits were not affected. While regulations often impede it, savings are the best mechanism for microfinance institutions to access loan capital.

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— Why are women chosen as the main clients?

— Muhammad Yunus said that his original goal was to get to 50 percent men and 50 percent women. That took six years to accomplish because women were so disempowered. But as he reached his goal he realized that when the loan went into the family through the woman, the proceeds from the micro-business went to feeding the children better, getting the children in school, and fixing the home.

He realized that if his goal was the transformation of poverty, then women were the clients to reach out to first.

— Can you tell us about your own experience as Director of the Microcredit Summit Campaign since 1997?

— At the time of the first Microcredit Summit in 1997, few people in the world had ever heard the word microfinance or microcredit. That was eight years before the United Nations Year of Microcredit and nine years before Muhammad Yunus received the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1997 just over 7.6 million very poor people had received a microloan. By 2007 more than 100 million had. I’ve seen a little known intervention gain global attention and I have seen amazing improvements and I have sometimes seen misguided actions take a portion of the field off course.

— What should we expect from the Global Microcredit Summit in Valladolid, in Spain?

— You should expect 2,000 delegates from over 100 countries in Valladolid.

The Valladolid Summit has more than 50 papers being written by the top people in social performance, client protection, financial education, and much, much more. You should expect the public launch and discussion of the Seal of Excellence for Poverty Outreach and Transformation in Microfinance. You should also expect some of the most inspiring speakers and actors in the fight to end global poverty.

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With the title of “Food prices: from crisis to stability”, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) celebrates World Food Day 2011, to be held on the 16th of October. The conference will be dedicated to profound analysis of the causes of food price fluctuations and the measures that are required to reduce their effects on the weaker members of the world's population. for Miradas al exterior

Food price volatility threatens food security World Food Day, which takes place on the 16th of October, has rarely been surrounded by so much uncertainty: producers as well as consumers are threatened by agricultural prices subject to greater and more rapid fluctuation than at any time in the last few decades. The Food Price Index of the FAO has registered dramatic rises and falls since 2006, as a sustained increase pushed prices to a record high in mid 2008. Prices fell sharply in the second half of the year, but the following year saw the start of an upward trend that came to a head with the unprecedented levels seen in 2010. This is where we find ourselves today.

Jacques Diouf, Director General of the United Nations Food and

Agriculture Organization, pointed out that, “when prices move equally strongly in opposite directions in a short space of time, it is very hard not to make mistakes when planning agricultural activity. This can lead to too many crops being planted or not enough investment being made”.

This climate of uncertainty brings the shadow of hunger ever closer to millions of homes that are living on the edge: sometimes above and sometimes below the poverty line.

Drastic variations in prices, especially increases, pose a serious threat to food security in developing countries, and it is the poorest among the population that are most severely affected. According to the World Bank, the increase in

food prices between 2010 and 2011 pushed nearly 70 million people into extreme poverty. The shifts in prices have an adverse effect on poor countries by making it more expensive for them to import food for their populations. Increases in the price of food would force individuals who live on less than 1.25 dollars a day to have one meal less every day. Farmers are also adversely affected because they need to know months in advance what price their crop will command when harvested. If prices are likely to be high, they will plant more crops. If, on the other hand, they think that prices will be low, they will plant less and reduce their costs.

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the seeds of volatility > The seeds of volatility were planted in the last century when those responsible for decision making did not realize that the boom in production enjoyed by many countries would not last forever, and that continuous investment in research, technology and infrastructures was still required. > There was a persistent shortage

As Diouf said, rapid price fluctuation can only make this calculation more difficult: farmers can end up producing too many crops or too few. In stable market conditions they can earn a good living, but volatile market conditions can ruin them as well as discourage investment in agriculture.

The latest report by the FAO “The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2011� indicates that the resumption of investment in agriculture in the developing world is an essential requirement for ensuring the well-being of billions of people in conditions dominated by high prices and persistent volatility.

THE FAO FOOD PRICE INDEX

How can we tackle this fluctuation?

The FAO indicates that two types of approaches are required in order to respond to fluctuations in food prices: the first approach involves the introduction of specific measures to combat volatility and thus reduce the variations in price, while the second consists of measures to reduce the negative effects of price variations on countries and individuals.

Closer coordination in international food trade policies could help to reduce volatility. The FAO is therefore supporting the multilateral negotiations taking place under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

250 210 170 130 90 50 1995 1999

of funding for agriculture on the part of both rich and poor countries. The last 30 years have seen a 43% reduction in the amounts that OECD countries have dedicated to supporting agricultural development > Accelerated economic growth in emerging economies, especially China and India. More and more people are eating meat and dairy products,

2003 2007 Year

2011

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so there is increased demand for cattle fodder. > Population growth (80 million people a year). Demographic pressure has been aggravated by weather phenomena and climate change. > The presence of and speculation by institutional investors in the food futures markets. > Distorted agricultural policies and protectionist trade policies

and the elimination of farming subsidies in rich countries that, according to the organization, distort this trade. On the other hand, studies that have been carried out suggest that while speculation might not cause variations in price, it can extend their magnitude and duration.

According to the United Nations, however, stability in food markets relies ultimately on increasing investment in agriculture, particularly in developing countries where 98% of the world's hungry live, and where food production must double between now and 2050 if the growing population is to be fed. Investment in infrastructures, trading and communication systems, education services, research and development can increase the supply of food and make local markets operate better, which will lead to greater price stability. The UN estimates that an investment of 80 billion dollars would enable millions of people around the world to escape poverty and would favor the restoration of long-term stability in food markets.

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foreign affairs

The year 2011 has undoubtedly been marked by the wave of democracy that has swept across North Africa and the Arab world, and Spain has sent a total of 153 observers to take part in the many electoral processes that have been observed by the European Union, the OAS and the OSCE. by Isabel Mench贸n. Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation's Election Observation Service

The beneficial effects of electoral observation Our electoral observers have carried out, or will carry out as the case may be, their duties with the highest standards of professional excellence in the electoral processes taking place in the Sudan, Niger, Chad, Uganda, Nigeria, Peru, Zambia, Tunisia, Nicaragua, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Guatemala, Colombia, Bolivia, Guyana, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia (pending an invitation from the Russian authorities).

Spain's manifest commitment to electoral observation missions and the growing demand for this kind of intervention from the participants in the many democratic processes that are taking place warrant a brief consideration of the virtuous dynamics that electoral observation set in motion in favor of processes of democratic construction and consolidation.

We would define electoral observation above all else as the activity that performs a thorough analysis of the different phases of the electoral process from the point of view of the electoral cycle and provides an impartial, independent

and professional evaluation of the same through the use of rigorous methodology.

The first thing to emphasize is the intrinsic value that electoral observation provides, as an independent and objective evaluation of the electoral process. It has the capacity of generating confidence in the electoral process among voters, authorities, institutions and political protagonists, which results in higher participation in the elections. Electoral observation has an important role in building confidence, which is the touchstone of any process of democratic construction and consolidation.

Another benefit of electoral observation can be seen in its capacity to reduce the level of fraud. The participants in the electoral process appreciate the value in terms of internal and international legitimacy that a positive judgment from an electoral observation mission can give. In this way, electoral observation contributes to strengthening the transparency of the electoral process, and with it, the confidence of the

electorate, who see the electoral observation mission as an important guarantee of this transparency.

The capacity of an electoral observation mission, when perceived as an impartial, independent, rigorous and professional body, to encourage acceptance of the results by the different electoral and political entities involved is also worth mentioning, as it certifies the fairness of the process and so prevents conflicts and reduces tension. There are many examples of this capacity

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note Aldara Collet.

Election observer deployed in Monastir I form part of a team of over 130 people from the 26 member states of the European Union, Norway, Switzerland and Canada. I am in Tunisia as an observer of the elections of Representatives to the Constituent Assembly which is taking place on the 23rd of October. We are here to support the transition of a country at the end of a year that when it has experienced a radical upheaval propagandized by civil society.

Using rigorous methodology and a strict code of conduct, the observers of the EU aim to provide objective testimony to the electoral process in Tunisia. We measure the quality of the elections and present our findings at the end of the mission.

The Jasmine revolution, as western journalists came to call it, has energized citizens who are proud to no longer be subjects of the previous regime. The Tunisian state has become a multi-party nation in which more than a hundred political groups and independent candidates compete to form part of the Constituent Assembly.

We, as observers, are still in the process of adapting to this situation where every region has a multitude of candidates who all claim to be have something to say in the drafting of the new constitution. I am stationed in the Monastir region, birthplace of Habib Burguiba, the liberator and founder of the country. The young people display a powerful desire for change, and their anger towards the past is not apparent. They are impatient to have a new constitution, and do not understand that the process of change requires patience in abundance.

Those taking an active part

of electoral observation to act as an the international community would effective means to prevent conflict not have reacted so swiftly, and the and reduce tension. Even in the case sensation of frustration and impotence of the Kenyan elections of 2007, which among the opposition parties would led to over 1,000 deaths and 350,000 have been far greater and the postpeople forced from their homes, the electoral violence far more intense.

EU electoral observation mission, Electoral observation strengthens which reported the fraud after the the internal and international opposition had already rejected the legitimacy of the authorities that results and the first violent incidents emerge from the democratic electoral had taken place, played an important process, when they have been judged role in bringing the conflict to an end. fair by an electoral observation It did so even after many had accused mission. They therefore encourage the the EU electoral observation mission process of democratic consolidation of triggering ethnic violence and and stability on which governability making the conflict worse. relies.

In fact, the intervention of Regarding the role the EU electoral observation The value that electoral observation mission in reporting the fraud of electoral plays in the strengthening to internal and international observation of institutions, the public opinion enabled the resides in recommendations presented conflict to be contained, and its capacity by observation missions at the prevented it from escalating to generate end of the electoral process into a civil war, by enabling confidence in are aimed at improving the international community the electoral these processes and form to come together to press process among the guidelines for technical for a rapid solution which the electorate, cooperation in the different would take the opposition authorities, areas that are affected by the points of view into account. institutions and electoral cycle. This leads In the absence of this report, politicalentities. to a strengthening of all the

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in the electoral process have welcomed the Observation Mission as an element that adds value. In their view, we are a guarantee of transparency and neutrality in the elections. We see that the Revolution has brought hope and dignity with it. It is a historic moment that is unfolding calmly, with technology playing a vital role.

The use of social networks, especially Facebook, is particularly noteworthy.

There is still a long way to go, but there is the hope and determination of a civil society that is coming to terms with the value of political and democratic commitment.

institutions and organizations that take part in the electoral process, such as the Electoral Board, the Justice Department, the bodies responsible for the census, the media, political parties and the civic bodies responsible for monitoring the electoral process, and so on.

To close the virtuous circle of benefits provided by electoral observation, we must mention its role as a witness, which should be judged in its widest sense. By exposing the democratic or fraudulent nature of an electoral process to internal and international public scrutiny, electoral observation missions assume a role as a vital witness which has in the past led to change (the color revolutions of 2004 and 2005), and in other cases has added weight to internal and international pressure (Nigeria 2007, Ivory Coast). This vital role as witness also has the invaluable benefit of establishing a price to be paid for fraud, namely the loss of internal and international legitimacy, and the enormous inconveniences this entails in terms of internal governability and international negotiation.

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foreign affairs

DISCOVER YOUR EMBASSY. The European Soccer Championship of 2012 and Wroclaw becoming European Cultural Capital in 2016 are the next two important events for the only Central European nation with which Spain holds regular bilateral summits. Poland, at the opposite end of Europe from us, is the engine driving community expansion eastwards, and a wonderful opportunity from the business, tourist and cultural point of view. by Jano Remesal

Poland, an essential partner in Eastern Europe

Nocturnal panorama of Warsaw, the capital of Poland.

The official history of Poland as a state began in the year 966, when Mieszko I introduced Christianity into the country, the religion that 90% of modern-day poles declare themselves to follow. The news was broadcast to the world by a diplomat from the Caliphate of Cordoba in the oldest surviving document concerning this king, which some bold historians consider to be the earliest contact between Spain and Poland in history. It was to be the first of many, and there was a time when Spanish citrus fruits were plentiful at the court of Sigismund I the Elder, Polish wheat was sold in the Plaza Mayor of Madrid, and Queen Bona Sforza of Aragon made Spanish fashion popular among the polish aristocracy as she attempted in vain to unite the Royal House of Poland with the reigning House of Austria in Spain. This was in the 16th century, when Poland and Spain were the greatest imperial powers of the day. Proof of this intense bilateral relationship can be found in the collection of masterpieces from Spain's Golden Century that have been preserved in the library of the Jaguellonian University of Krakow.

Few countries can claim to have contemporary editions of Lope de Vega or Gongora on their shelves.

Poland was also noteworthy in the 19th century for ceasing to

a be Poland: its strategic location held every year since 2003, and at the heart of Europe meant that are another unmistakable sign of it was desired by many, and the the desire of both nations to work country was accustomed to seeing together. The II Hispano-Polish its borders move, but for 120 years Parliamentary Forum held last its territory was divided between spring, and the visit of President Prussia and Russia. The journals of Bronislaw Komorowski to Madrid the time record that only Spain and on the occasion of the opening of Turkey raised their voices against the exhibition "Poland. Treasures this abuse. The Versailles Treaty of and Art CollectionsÂ’at the Palacio 1919 gave recognition to the Real are the latest contacts nation of Poland once more, to have taken place at the and it was one of the first In terms of highest level. republics to disengage itself trade, Poland From the point of view from the Soviet Union in the is Spain's most of trade, Poland is Spain's 1980s through the workers' important largest partner among the trading partner nine new members of the movement Solidarity.

Today, as we celebrate among the new European Union, and the the 35th anniversary of the member states flow of imports and exports restoration of diplomatic of the European has increased considerably relations between Spain Union, with in the course of the last year. and Poland, nearly 86,000 both imports With a growth rate that of the 12 million Poles and exports is far above the European who live outside Poland increasing average, Poland is the currently live in Spain, a during the last Eastern European country figure that has quadrupled year. that offers the greatest in the last five years, opportunities for Spanish while nearly 800 Spaniards reside businesses, which are already well in Poland, symbolizing the ever positioned in sectors such as energy, closer ties between two countries infrastructures and banking. that have a lot more in common In political terms, the re-election than the newspapers might have of Donald Tusk's government you believe. With a population has restored the country's prothat is roughly the same as Spain, European stance, which had flagged it is the only Central European in recent years, and represents a state to hold bilateral meetings development that Spain welcomes. with our country. They have been It currently occupies the rotating

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POlAND iN FiGURes Area: 312.685 km2 Population: 38 million inhabitants Population density: 121.6 inhabitants per km2 Urban Population (%): 61% Annual population growth: -0,1% Life Expectancy: 76 years HDI ranking (2007): 41º GDP (billions. provisional 2009): 430,5 $ Ination rate: 3,5% (2009) Unemployment rate: 11% (2009) Main export partner: Germany Main import partner: Germany Main exports: Machinery, manufactured goods Spanish residents(2009): 793 Source: Min. of Foreign Aff. & Coop.

presidency of the EU Council, and the main challenges that will mark its six-month tenure are the negotiation of the framework for multi-year financing of the Union, the strengthening of the domestic market, improving the energetic independence of the community, and strengthening the European Policy for Security and Defense, priorities that are shared by Spain as could be seen in its participation in the Eastern Partnership Summit held in September. If we count the weight of Spanish and Polish votes in the

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foreign affairs

A privileged relationship Francisco Fernández Fábregas SPANISH AMBASSADOR IN WARSAW

Many things have changed in Europe and around the world since Spain and Poland signed the agreement to restore full diplomatic relations between the two countries on the 31st January 1977, but one thing has grown progressively stronger: the privileged relationship between the two countries.

The political processes that both nations have experienced recently have many similarities. Spain and Poland both saw full integration with Europe and the western world as the culmination of their democratic processes. In both cases, they joined NATO first, in 1982 and 1999 respectively, then the European Community in 1985 and 2004. From an initial position of ignoring one another, the two

countries are working closely together. Progress has become ever more noticeable since the inauguration of the system of annual bilateral summits that was agreed in 2003, when it was decided to raise the relations between the countries to the highest level.. The balance of trade between Spain and Poland has progressed from an initial position in which Poland had a significant trade deficit to one in which there is almost perfect balance in imports and exports between the countries and a value of six million euros a year.

The value of Spanish and Polish imports come to around six billion euros a year.

Tourism between the two countries was almost inexistent at the beginning of the decade, but Poland attracted over four hundred thousand visitors from

Picture of the Spanish Embassy in Warsaw.

European Council, and the number of European Parliament members, we can see that both countries are institutionally comparable within the Union.

Poland has replaced Spain as the largest net receiver of community funds. The generally positive outcome of Spanish

progress within the EU can be a useful guide for optimism in the Central European state.

The most important of the nations included in the eastward expansion of the EU is also a holiday destination with many charms to discover: Warsaw's Royal Castle, the multicolored cathedral of Krakow, or the winding River Vistula at Modlin are some of these delightful, but littleknown treasures. They are worth discovering while they remain a magnificent secret. Cultural and educational cooperation are a key part of Spanish-Polish relations. The two polish sites of the Cervantes Institute, in Krakow and Warsaw, have seen Spanish become the foreign language

Spain in 2010, while a hundred and forty thousand Poles came to Spain for their holidays. Poland currently holds first place as user of the “European Senior Tourism” program. The streets of Krakow and Warsaw have seen many groups of Spanish tourists who have come to discover the rich historical, social and cultural traditions of Poland, a country that has come a long way since its soldiers fought alongside Napoleons troops in Somosierra and Zaragoza. Many Spanish students have taken advantage of the Erasmus program to complete their European training in Polish universities, which enjoy a reputation as being among the best in Europe.

Spain's interest in Poland was

with greatest expansion in the country, and 2016 is the next key year in bilateral relations: San Sebastian and the Polish city of Wroclaw will share the status of European Cultural Capital. It will be another excuse to follow the progress of the great classical musician Frederic Chopin or the four Nobel Prize winning authors that Poland has given the world.

Temptation for tourism, economic dynamo and friend of Spain. That is Poland today. And who can say whether the European Soccer Championship it is organizing jointly with the Ukraine next summer will be the setting of Spanish football's next great success?

This is the next piece of good news that Poland can give us.

a further reinforced by the opening in 2008 of the largest Cervantes Institute in Europe in Warsaw, and a sister site in Krakow. The opening was presided over by their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Asturias. Spain is completely integrated with the cultural life of Poland, as can be seen in the frequent occasions when their Universities, the National Opera, the Philharmonic Orchestra and main museums work together in partnership.

Besides its cultural activities, the Cervantes Institute also organizes teacher training courses and Spanish language courses.

At present there are fourteen bilingual departments in as many high schools and education centers spread across eleven Polish cities, and employing thirty Spanish teachers. The network of assistant lecturers in Polish Universities have made Spanish the language which has enjoyed greatest growth at the level of university study.

Since it joined the EU, Poland has become the principal beneficiary

A A SPANIARD IN POLAND Fernando Lafuente Telecommunications engineer, married to a Polish citizen.

He works for a Polish company and provides a consultancy service for Spanish companies based in Poland.

of Structural Funds from the Financial Perspectives 2007-2013 which will bring some sixty-seven billion euros into the country.

Along with the strength of the country's industrial and business infrastructure, this has generated a great deal of interest in the country on the part of European and foreign companies.

The Cervantes Institute of Warsaw was opened in 2008, and is the largest in all of Europe.

The most important Spanish infrastructure companies have already earned their place in the daily life of the country by participating in the great projects under way, such as the modernization of Warsaw airport, the ongoing expansion of the airport of Gdansk, or the largest shopping center of Katowice, as well as the motorway and transport networks, to name only the most recent examples.

Spanish companies are also enjoying success and a high profile in the alternative energy sector.

The latest large commercial operation to reflect Spanish interest in Poland has been the

What do the Poles think of Spain and Spaniards?

Generally speaking, they have a very good opinion. In terms of economic, social and cultural development, Spain's progress in the 1990s and early years of this century are seen in Poland as a model to be emulated. The news stories that appears in the media about Spain are met with interest, empathy and in some cases admiration, especially when Sport is mentioned. There are also a great number of young people who decide to study Spanish as their second foreign language, who would like to live and work in our country.

Do the Spaniards living in Poland do any kind of activity as a group in order to stay in touch?

There are occasional private initiatives to organize gettogethers when there are important sporting events on television. They are usually in public places, and Poles usually take part as well.

Can you give us some reasons to choose Poland as a holiday destination, or for business?

Poland is a very attractive tourist destination form a historical point of view, because there are a lot of places in a relatively small area that have had enormous

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acquisition of the fourth largest Polish banking group, Zachodni Bank WBK, by Banco Santander, which will doubtless make it easier for Spanish companies to do business in Poland, and for Polish companies to do the same in Spain.

The exhibition “The Treasures of Poland” was opened by Their Majesties, the King and Queen of Spain and the President of the Polish Republic, Mr. Komorowski, in the Royal Palace of Madrid, and that of “The Treasures of the Spanish Crown” in the National Museum of Krakow are proof of the new relations between the two countries which point to a very promising future.

Spain and Poland, Poland and Spain, constitute a key element in European construction. They are a fundamental part of the backbone of Europe, which consists of Poland, Germany, France and Spain, or Spain, France, Germany and Poland. In either case our countries are the cervical or dorsal vertebrae of Europe's future.

impact on world history in the 20th century. One aspect of Poland that people don't know much about is it's natural beauty, and in my opinion it's makes it worth a visit on its own. Poland has many natural parks and unique species of animals, and you can do a lot of sport and leisure activities in direct contact with nature. Despite being a country with a growing economy, it's not easy for an outsider to get a job here. The main barriers are the difficulty of the Polish language, and the competition with highly qualified young poles who earn salaries below their peers in Western Europe.

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A Spanish consortium will build the highspeed link to Mecca After several months of deliberations, the Government of Saudi Arabia informed Spain of its decision to choose a Spanish consortium for the construction of a high-speed train link to Mecca. There are a dozen Spanish companies in the consortium, the most significant of which are OHL, Cobra (ACS), Renfe, Adif, Indra and Talgo. The project is worth almost 7 billion euros and includes the construction of the platform for the rails, which is 450 kilometers long, the installation of all the auxiliary structures (signals, electrification, telecommunications and safety), as well as supplying 33 high-speed trains and maintenance for the whole route.

The project will provide an important workload for Spanish companies and is a demonstration of the strength of Spanish technology in high-speed rail transport.

The Spanish consortium will also have to face an important technological challenge to counter rapid temperature changes and desert storms.

The more competitive cost and better technology of the Spanish project edged out the rival bid by a French consortium, although the efforts that the diplomatic and business community put into the project also helped.

The Ministry of Industry opens a center in Silicon Valley.  This center for technological innovation opened on the 1st of July and aims to support Spanish entrepreneurs who want to work in the United States.

The ‘Spain Tech Center’ can host up to 35 companies simultaneously in its installations, offering them a place where they can work, train and entertain for six months. They can also count on guidance from a team of experts from the US. The center was created as a collaboration between the Banesto Foundation and ICEX.

Trinidad Jiménez in South Korea  Last summer, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, traveled to Seoul, where she met with a group representing Spanish companies working in the country. Bilateral trade links between the countries are getting stronger, and although there is a certain imbalance in favor of the Korean side, conditions seem to indicate that the coverage rate is going to increase.

Sefarad-Israel opens its first delegation in Andalusia  Sefarad-Israel opened the doors of its first center outside the Community of Madrid on the 1st of September, in the ancient Palace of Condestable Iranzo, thanks to the collaboration agreement signed in January this year between the Sefarad-Israel Consortium, the Andalusian Government and the Regional and Municipal Authorities of Jaen. The city of Jaen is home to important examples of the Sephardic heritage, such as the Judería, or Jewish Quarter, and the birthplace of Ben Shaprut.

Ankara hosts the III Spanish-Turkish Summit Meeting  The Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, traveled to Turkey at the beginning of September to meet his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the third bilateral summit meeting. The meeting touched on subjects that were of interest to both countries, with special emphasis on financial and commercial topics. Turkey is registering strong economic growth, and is seen by Spanish companies as an opportunity to make significant investment in strategic sectors.

III Forum of Women Entrepreneurs from the Mediterranean, in Barcelona  Casa Mediterráneo and the Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME) are organizing the III Forum of Women Entrepreneurs of the Mediterranean (Meda Women) on the 25th of November in Barcelona. It is a meeting where women entrepreneurs from all the countries around the sea can share their experiences and offer a feminine vision of the business and financial world. The initiative is fruit of the agreement for collaboration signed in Beirut between the Director of the Casa Mediterráneo, Yolanda Parrado, and the Vice-President of ASCAME and President of Beirut Chamber of Commerce, Mohamed Choucair.

Trinidad Jiménez meets Amnesty International

The high-speed train to Mecca will be an adaptation of the Talgo-Bombardier S-112 which is currently in service in Spain.

 The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation met representatives from the Spanish section of Amnesty International in July. The NGO's report ‘Voces contra el olvido’ [voices against oblivion] was discussed, along with and Spain's treatment of human rights in its bilateral relations with countries such as Equatorial Guinea, China, Colombia and Mexico.

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Spain in the forefront of renewable energy. The multinational company Torresol Energy opens‘Gemasolar’, the world's most advanced thermosolar plant, in the presence of His Majesty, the King of Spain and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Spain opens Europe's largest thermosolar plant Our country's determined stance in favor of renewable energy was made clear with the inauguration of this plant, the first of its type to employ a system that concentrates the suns rays

to produce uninterrupted electricity, even at night and on cloudy days.

The plant is capable of producing 50 megawatts and is the result of a 300 million euro investment. Together

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with the recently opened plant in Puertollano, they offer the possibility of developing thermosolar energy in our country as part of our drive to develop renewable energy sources. Gemasolar is the first commercially viable plant in the world to apply the technology of a central receptor tower and heat storage in molten salt. The importance of this plant lies in its remarkable technology, which leads the way to new technology for electricity generation.

The inauguration ceremony was presided over by His Majesty the King of Spain and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, whose country owns 40% of Torresol Energy, the multinational company that owns the plant. The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Trade, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation were also present at the ceremony.

The business activity of Torresol Energy involves the development, operation and maintenance of plants in the south of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and its current priority is to build a thermosolar plant in Abu Dhabi and in the South-Eastern United States.

The EU names a Spaniard as Ambassador to Central America

LXV Graduate Class of the School of Diplomacy. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, was present at the swearing-in ceremony for the new diplomats of the LXV Graduating Class.

The Spanish diplomat Francisco Javier Sandomingo, currently the Ambassador to Peru, has been chosen by the High Representative of the EU, Catherine Ashton, as the new European Union representative in Central America, to be based in Managua (Nicaragua). EU relations with Central America are particularly important because the region signed an association agreement during the Spanish presidency and is one of the main recipients of European development funding.

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Sixth edition of the MAEC's awareness campaign. More than 15,000 leaflets have been distributed in airports and travel agents.

The Embassy in Tripoli gets back to work  The arrival of the new Ambassador to Libya, José Riera, has seen the Spanish Embassy resume its activities, which were interrupted in March by the outbreak of war. Riera has remained in the city of Benghazi, in the east of the country, since May, as the Spanish representative before the National Transition Council of Libya.

The widening of the Panama Canal as a channel for business Image from the publicity campaign on display at Barcelona-El Prat Airport.

The Ministry launched a new awareness campaign ‘Travel safe, travel aware’ Last summer, the Directorate General of Foreign Communication and the Directorate General of Consuls began a new awareness campaign ‘Travel safe, travel aware’. This was the sixth version of the campaign, and it is intended to raise awareness of the public service aspect of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, which attends to millions of Spanish citizens abroad. This year's campaign centered on advice for Spanish citizens before and while they are traveling abroad, as well as the need to use the traveler registration software available on the website of

the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.The campaign included the use of advertising posters in the country's main airports, Barcelona and Madrid in August, and the distribution of informative leaflets in Spain's principal international airports. At the same time, informative material was distributed to travel agents around the country, in collaboration with the most popular travel agencies. This year saw the first use of a commercial, which was shown on several official websites. All of the material for the campaign is available online at www. maec.es

Commemoration of the X anniversary of 11-S The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, was present at the act organized by the Embassy of the United States

in Spain to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of the 11th of September, which was held in the Juan Carlos I park, in Madrid.

 The Ramón Areces Foundation has recently organized a seminar to analyze the impact that widening the Panama Canal will have on international trade. This monumental work, which several Spanish companies are working on, is destined to multiply the transport capacity of this waterway.

Trinidad Jiménez meets with Youssef Amrani  The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation welcomed the General Secretary of the Union for the Mediterranean, Youssef Amrani, in September. The meeting centered on the future prospects of the UPM, and Spain expressed its commitment to supporting the institution, given its proximity, common interests and the challenges they both share.

Spain increases its aid to the Horn of Africa  Spain has been following the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa closely in recent months. Efforts have been made to increase the amount of Spanish aid to the region, and our country's contribution has risen accordingly to 22.3 million euros, making it the 5th ranking international donor during the crisis.

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Spain achieves a surplus in trade with the European Union  Exports have outstripped imports within the UE for the first time in the first half of this year, with a total of 1,587 million euros. Capital goods, the automobile industry and food are the sectors that have been the biggest exporters.

Casa Asia takes part in ‘China at Barcelona Summit’  The 20th of October will see the start of this congress in Barcelona organized by the Chamber of Commerce, Caixabank and Casa Asia, and others, with the aim of attracting Chinese investment to the area of the Mediterranean. The meeting will also enable Barcelona to participate as a founder cities in a worldwide organization of city tourism that is being promoted by the mayor of Beijing.

The Executive Director of the WFP comes to Spain.  Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the World Food Program, came to Spain in September to meet with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

It was agreed during her visit that a Center for Technological Innovation for Emergencies would be created in Madrid, while the WFP's Strategic Food Depot would be installed in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

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Debate organized by the Carolina Foundation. The debate brought together the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation with three if her predecessors, Marcelino Oreja, Carlos Westendorp and Josep Piqué.

Foreign policy under debate at Casa de América The launch of the book‘Spanish Foreign Policy and relations with Latin America’ by the university professor Celestino del Arenal provided the occasion for the conference in Casa de América in September. The debate was chaired by the Director of the Carolina Foundation, Rosa Conde, with the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, and three of her predecessors: Marcelino Oreja, Carlos Westendorp and Josep Piqué.

Trinidad Jiménez stressed in her speech that “foreign policy must be a policy of consensus, of the State”, emphasizing that the countries of Latin America “must continue to be the priority and fundamental element of Spanish foreign policy”.

The Minister also mentioned the

importance to our country of the changes that are taking place in the Arab world, while acknowledging the work carried out by the diplomatic corps.

Josep Piqué said that he considered that advancing in the strengthening of political and economic ties with Europe was essential in order to face the challenges of new situations. ExMinister Carlos Westendorp called for a new approach to Latin American policy that encouraged diversification of its products in order to continue creating wealth. Marcelino Oreja affirmed that values are a vital aspect of Latin American policy, beyond that of interests.

Celestino del Arenal's book is an analysis of Spanish foreign policy from 1976 to the present.

Photo of the speakers at the debate. Carolina Foundation

The anniversary of Spain's entry to the EU is the subject of a competition.  European institutions have announced a video competition to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Spain's entry to the EU. The competition is open to young people born after the 1st of January 1986, and the deadline for submitting entries is the 15th of November.

Germany is the European country with the greatest number of centers

Opening of the Cervantes Institute in Hamburg The Hamburg Cervantes Institute was opened in July in the presence of the Prince and Princess of Asturias.

Spanish is one of the most popular study languages in Germany, with over 220,000 students in German

Universities and another 15,000 studying every year in the country's five Cervantes Institutes. Germany has become the European country with the most Cervantes Institutes and third worldwide, after Brazil and Morocco.

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Morocco, the first Spanish market in Africa Morocco is one of Spain's priority markets, and has become the principal destination for our import and export trade with Africa, occupying 37% of domestic investment. There are more than 800 Spanish companies working in Morocco, and they are centered on the principal sectors, such as industry, real estate, tourism and banking. Spain is using its Comprehensive Market Development Plan to encourage the exploitation of synergies and expand the number of Spanish companies in the country. In absolute terms, Spain is the second most important investor in Morocco after France.

The Wind farm built by Gamesa in Tangier.

Multinationals strengthen their investments in Spain According to a report drawn up by Invest in Spain, the national body for attracting investment to Spain, 37,2% of the foreign companies currently operating in Spain will increase their investment in 2011 in comparison with previous years.

The report also reveals interesting developments in the labor market, as a third of the companies plan to increase their staff in the coming twelve months. Investors mention infrastructures, business schools and competitive transport costs as reasons for the strength of Spain.

Demand from abroad enables the Spanish tourism sector to grow by 7.4%  Spain welcomed a total of 32.3 million foreign tourists in the first seven months of the year, which is a 7.4% increase on the figures from the same period last year. This significant increase was determined above all by foreign demand, led by the UK, Germany and France, which provide the greatest numbers of tourists visiting our country.

The French Institute of Madrid pay tribute to Semprún  The Spanish politician and writer Jorge Semprún, who died recently in Paris, was the subject of a tribute from the French Institute of Madrid.

The writer Rosa Regás took part, as did Juan Miguel Hernández-León (Círculo de Bellas Artes), Henar Corbí (Casa Sefarad-Israel) and the French Ambassador in Madrid, Bruno Delaye, who paid tribute to Semprun as “a politician, writer and scriptwriter who was as French as he was Spanish”.

Casa Mediterráneo organizes the Festival Marea  Casa Mediterráneo is hosting Marea, the 1st Festival of Urban Contemporary Culture, in October in Alicante. The event will include the participation of around fifty artists, and aims to become a reference among the cultural, artistic and social events for young people. The free event has a number of different stages and enjoys the support of Casa Árabe and Casa África, among other institutions.

VII Meeting of Ibero-American Women Leaders  The Carolina Foundation hostedthe latest edition, which brought 22 outstanding Ibero-American women leaders together at the start of October in defense of women's rights. Different days were dedicated to discussing topics such as parity in the world of business and finance, the cultural sector or the development of public equality programs. The meeting was held in the context of the IberoAmerican Women Leaders program that aims to raise awareness of ideas that contribute to gender equality.

The Gabarrón Foundation presents an award to ex-president Ernesto Zedillo  The ex-president of Mexico and businessman, Ernesto Zedillo, has been awarded the Gabarrón Prize “for promoting decisive reforms to modernize the political and economic situation of his country”. The Cristóbal Gabarrón Foundation has a notable international reputation and also gave awards on this occasion to the writer Carlos Fuentes, the surgeon Pedro Cavadas, among others.

The Magazine ‘Tiempo de paz’ reaches it's 100th issue  ‘Tiempo de paz’is a magazine published by the Movimiento por la paz organization, and it's 100th issue was presented at the Cervantes Institute in September. As part of the presentation, a number of authors and members of the Editorial Board discussed the magazine's principal concerns, which include human rights, equality, migratory movements and the environment.

López Garrido will attend the Political Conference on the Financial Framework  The Secretary of State for the European Union, Diego López Garrido, will attend the Political Conference on the Multi-year Financial Framework in Brussels at the end of October, which has been organized by the Polish presidency of the EU, together with the European Commission and Parliament.

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The second General secretary of the UpM is convinced that the organization will be a leading protagonist in the new period that is opening up in the Mediterranean region. To ensure this is so, he is asking for the support of the member countries of the Unión por el Mediterráneo.

Youseff Amrani GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE UNIÓN POR EL MEDITERRÁNEO (upm)

“Spain is an essential reason why the Mediterranean is a priority for the European Union" When was Unión por el Mediterráneo founded, and what are its aims?

— Unión por el Mediterráneo was founded in July 2008 with the aim of continuing the work that was started in the Barcelona Process. It is a multilateral partnership that works to promote integration and relations between the 43 countries that make up the region. The Secretariat was created to drive the partnership and specific integration projects in six areas: the development of business, education, civil society, water and the environment, energy and transport.

How are you going to communicate these objectives of the organization you run to the citizens of the member countries?

— In the first few months of my mandate, since I took possession of the position in July, I have made a special effort to raise the institution's profile and those of its objectives, through meetings and regular appearances in the media. I think the most important thing is that public opinion in the countries that form part of the partnership is aware of and supports our work. Besides which, I also plan to work closely with the civil organizations that operate in the Euro Mediterranean region. There is a very wide range of groups, from

non-governmental organizations to think tanks, and many associations that I want to work with. They will play a fundamental role in raising awareness of our work while enabling civil society and members of the public to get involved in the process.

We want our work to be have as much participation as possible.

Let's talk about the role that Spanish foreign policy should have in the Mediterranean.

— Spain is a key player in the Mediterranean, not just because of its location, but because of its historical links with all the countries of the region. I know that I can count on the full support of the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs to carry out my role at the head of this institution, and it is vital that I have permanent support from Spain as one of the leading actors in the process. Spain has had a leading role since the very start with the Process of Barcelona, and it must continue to play this role, especially as Barcelona is currently the capital of the Mediterranean region. Spain is an essential reason why the Mediterranean is a priority for the European Union. I rely on your support for this.

— The principal objectives of the Barcelona Process were to establish the Mediterranean as

an area for peace, stability and prosperity. Where are we now?

— I think that the current political climate and the revolutions that have taken place in the “Arab spring” only show that the initial objectives of the Barcelona Process are more pertinent than ever. The youths that have gone out onto the streets to demand more democracy and development are demanding a region that is more integrated, united and prosperous.

That's what we are working towards in Unión por el Mediterráneo; we want to take the energy of these thousands of youths and work in favor of these objectives. I also think that the new context will change the

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the profile. Youseff Amrani is a diplomat, and was born in Tangier, Morocco, 57 years ago. He has been posted to Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Spain, among other countries, and was his country's Consul in Barcelona, hence his command of Spanish. When he was appointed to head the Unión por el Mediterráneo, he was General Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, a role he had carried out previously between 1978 and 1980.

way we approach the interminable conflicts of the region, and may even act as a catalyst for their resolution.

— Will the achievements of the Arab Spring serve to strengthen the work of UpM among its partners?

— I definitely think so. We at UpM see these processes of transformation as an opportunity for us. These changes require us to be dynamic in our role as promoters of peace, prosperity and integration. We want to be at the forefront of this new stage that is opening up in the Mediterranean.

One of our objectives in the coming months will be to follow the process of transformation and reform.

We want to be present, to play a useful role. To give one example, at the moment we are organizing an important conference in Tunis on development and investment. We want to consolidate the new phase that the country in entering.

— The Arab-Israeli conflict has had a paralyzing effect in recent times on the institution you direct. Will you be able to change this situation in the future?

— We do not want the Arab-Israeli conflict to be an impediment to the process of greater integration that is happening in the region. We have never rejected an opportunity for political dialogue. We feel that this

is part of our work. But this dialogue, which is useful and necessary, must be compatible with progress towards greater degrees of integration. We are working on this, through the six units entrusted with developing our projects. We have ambitious plans underway, such as the Mediterranean Solar Plan. As the great European statesman Robert Schuman said of the European Union, the Mediterranean will also be built on the groundwork of small successes.

This is what we want. In any case, I think that the solution to the conflict must inevitably be reached through negotiation that leads to the twostate settlement.

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Cooperation Week. Six years after the adoption of the Aid Worker's Statute, the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, is celebrating Aid Worker Day and trying to raise awareness through the Cooperation Week campaign. by Laura Losada

In cooperation, value has no price tag 'The value of offering a future' is the motto of this year's Cooperation Week, which seeks to highlight that cooperation on development is not a charity but essentially a way of channeling funding and technical support to the world's most vulnerable populations, with the aim of making it a fairer, more sustainable place.

As the Secretary of State for International Cooperation said during the campaign launch: “As Machado said, it is wrong to confuse value and cost. When it comes to cooperation value has no price tag". Soraya Rodriguez then went on to point out the values that underpin Spanish Cooperation, such as freedom, responsibility, excellence, equality, justice, non-discrimination, solidarity and active respect.

And if last year Haiti was the focal point of the campaign given it was the anniversary of the catastrophe, this year Cooperation Week has focused on the Arab Spring phenomenon, a succession of social uprisings sowing the seeds of democracy in North Africa So, among the events offered this year in Madrid, the Cooperation meeting with Arab countries stood out: A new stage for Communication and a film series in the Casa Arabe showing the

first documentary and journalistic works made about the revolutions in Egypt and Libya.

The two events which have become traditional parts of the Week, the children's street event and the concert at the Circulo de Bellas Artes, also took place.

The street event, organized by the AECID together with NGOs specializing in Education for Development and the UN Millennium Campaign, took place in the plaza Tirso de Molina. It endeavored to pass on the values and benefits of cooperation to the large crowds of children in attendance, as well as highlighting the fight against poverty through games, gymkhanas, painting and creative recycling workshops, African crafts and active participation.

The concert, on the other hand, has a Spanish artist, in this case La Shica, introduce two other artists who were Syrian flautist and composer Naissam Jalal and Libya's Rayess Bek, a pioneer of Arabic hip hop. They manage to fill the Salon de Columnas at the Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid on September 7.

Other highlights of the week included the two conferences held.

Father Bartomeu Melia gave a talk

entitled "The wellbeing of indigenous peoples as a basis of identity" on September 6 in the Casa de America.

The next day he picked up the Casas 2010 Bartolome Prize from the Prince and Princess of Asturias.

Melia, a linguist and anthropologist, has dedicated his life to the study and defense of the Guarani language and the spread of the customs and the social reality of the indigenous populations of Paraguay and Brazil.

Father Melia argued during his talk that the virtue of the Guarani lies in what is often viewed as their shortcomings: "Sometimes we talk of these people as 'not having this', 'not having that'. And this is exactly what the idea of living well is all about",

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Top images are of different informative activities for children undertaken in Madrid as part of Cooperation Week. The bottom images are of various activities carried out at AECID and in the Palacio de Viana for Aid Worker Day, involving a videoconference with aid workers from the Embassy in Kenya. Lastly the photographer Msuk Nolte Maldonado, winner of the First Juan Bartolome Photography Prize. photos by miguel lizana.

he said. There the economic base is the gift, trying to be able to give, always in moderation and without waste", Melia concluded. He believes our society must learn the value of this reciprocity, "not just of material things, but of words and human relationships".

The gender approach to development was highlighted with the conference on day 7 at the AECID, where Nicaraguan writer Gioconda Belli, who knew how to spin the building of new Arab democracies and the role of women into that process, told of the history of Scheherazade, the first un-recognized author: "Although Scheherazade tells the stories of the thousand and one nights, it is said

that the author is anonymous. Thus, in antiquity that which is Caesar's is not always Caesar's, especially if it involves a woman". Belli praised the role of the word - "The word in its most joyful expression is the carrier of fantasy characters both real and imagined" - and warned of the lethargic power of new technologies, although she acknowledged herself as a user: “I am a fan of internet surfing but we cannot lose sight of the numbing effect of cyber-reality. We have so many information sources just a click away that the energy we used to put into imagination we now focus on choice”.

Gioconda Belli, who also participated in a revolution and in

the subsequent democratic process, warned of the danger of mythologizing the revolutionary process and its protagonists and spoke of the need to involve the people in all aspects of the democratic process: “as a Nicaraguan I have no choice but to warn about the illusory aspects of revolutions”.

For Cooperation Week's final event, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jimenez, hosted a reception at the Palacio de Viana in Madrid, which was mirrored by receptions given by Spanish ambassadors to aid workers in countries where Spanish Cooperation has a presence.

Continued on next page 

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Continued from previous page  During the reception at Viana the Minister held a videoconference with Spanish aid workers operating in the Horn of Africa to find out about the humanitarian crisis unfolding in this area and the work that Spanish Cooperation is doing on the ground.

Jimenez pointed out Spain's work in sending more than 25 million Euros to the emergency zone - Spain is the fifth largest European donor to the crisis in the Horn of Africa - and its work in partnership with NGOs and international organizations in the area.

There followed the presentation of the First Juan Bartolome Photography Prize, created in honor of one of the key figures in Spanish Humanitarian Action and head of AECID's department of humanitarian action for more than ten years.

The winner of the first award was Musuka Nolte Maldonado, for his series of ten photographs of the "Shawi" living in the Alto Amazonas province in the Peruvian jungle. AECID (The Spanish International Cooperation Agency for Development) has been working with this community in the Bilingual Education Development program in the Amazon, with the aim of preserving their native language and restoring their traditions for social inclusion.

The second prize went to Diego Ibarra Sanchez for his photograph "Thatta" from the series "Pakistán a la deriva": el monzón" (Pakistan adrift: the monsoon), an image taken after the floods that affected 20 million people in Pakistan in July 2010. The third prize was awarded for the series of five images "Soñando Haiti" (Dreaming of Haiti), in which Eduardo Arrillaga Santolaya told of the disaster suffered in that country following the earthquake of January 2010.

The winning images have been exhibited at AECID headquarters throughout September..

Training course for the Jóvenes Cooperantes (Young Aid Workers) program  Around one hundred young aid workers from throughout Spain gathered on September 12 at the University of Alicante at the opening of the training course of the 22nd INJUVE Young Aid Workers' Program. The event, held at Casa Mediterráneo, was attended by Minister of Health, Social Policy and Equality, Leire Pajin, who stressed that Spanish cooperation aims not only to combat poverty, but also to change international relations using justice and social democracy.

The Spanish Cultural Centre in Miami opens its headquarters  The Spanish Cultural Center for Latin American Cooperation in Miami was recently opened

by Her Majesty Queen Sofia, who was accompanied by the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Soraya Rodríguez, and the Spanish ambassador to the United States, Jorge Dezcallar. The location of the new headquarters, in the city's cultural area, better meets the center's objectives and provides the public with better access. The change has also provided the center with more modern and better equipped spaces, which will enable an improvement in the services provided.

Gender and Education project in Bangladesh  The Spanish Ambassador to Bangladesh, Luis Tejada, recently visited three of the 280 children's school created in the Gazipur district, under the framework of the Gender Equality Access to Education project financed by AECID. This project promotes gender equality in the access to the formal schooling system for boys and girls, by training teachers, students, families and educational authorities on themes of co-education and positive action focused on educational equality.

Agreement for the promotion of young Spanish professionals  The AECID and the UNDP have come to an agreement to promote the placement of young Spanish professionals. This agreement is in reference to the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) and Special Assistants to the Resident Coordinator (SARC) programs. This form of collaboration, which Spain has promoted since the late 1980's, funds the placement of young professionals who are qualified in diverse fields of development cooperation, in the offices of different international organizations in developing countries.

Global survey on fair trade  According to a new global survey carried out by Fairtrade, an international certification organization, among consumers in 24 countries, 59% of consumers felt that our buying decisions have the power to cause a positive global impact that will improve the lives of farmers in developing countries. In Spain, fair trade is now gaining great momentum. In the year 2010, products with a value of 14.9 million euros were sold, an 82.5% increase over the previous year, with special emphasis on coffee, which doubled its sales compared to 2009 as a result of strong activity in the lodging and restaurant sectors.

c Contributions to the reduction of inequality and poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean. Cancún will host the second annual awards ceremony

The Vidanta Foundation awards its fight against poverty prizes Cancun hosted the meeting of the jury for the Second Vidanta Foundation Prize Contributions to reducing inequality and poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean , which is held each year with the collaboration and sponsorship of the OAS and SEGIB. These prizes are awarded to individuals and nongovernmental institutions specializing in the fight against poverty and discrimination, implementing projects in the Americas, Andorra, Spain and Portugal. 173 projects were submitted at this event from nineteen countries. Eight projects were from Spain.

The winners were: the Asociación de Desarrollo Autogestionario (SelfGoverning Development Association) of Mexico, an institution that provides small and medium-sized loans to rural women

note Francisco Moza.

Director of the AECID

european RECOGNITION for THE AECID A recent announcement by the European Union is great news for Spain: the AECID has achieved the certification level necessary to carry out delegated cooperation operations with European Commission funds. This certification is the result of a process in which AECID management practices have been adapted to Commission Standards, which places us among the elite European

in Veracruz, Brazil's Asociación para la Valorización de Personas con Deficiencia (Association for the Appreciation of People with a Disability), which aims to help people with a disability obtain quality positions in the telework field, and the Dominican Republic's Institución CEMujer (CE-Women Institution), which develops training programs for women from marginalized sectors, and receives support from international agencies such as AECID. Special mentions went to the Fundación Allegro (Allegro Foundation) in Argentina, which promotes the mobilization of low income youths via music, the Fundación Instituto de la Mujer de Chile (Women's Institute Foundation) in Chile, which protects the rights of migrant women and Sin Fronteras I.A.P from Mexico, which looks

cooperation organizations, such as the DFID (United Kingdom) and the GTZ (German). It is also the culmination of an effort that the AECID has undertaken in recent years to improve and modernize its management to comply with the principles of effectiveness and quality of aid, as well as transparency and accountability.

Thanks to this certification, the European Commission can now entrust the AECID with performance of its foreign policy actions, including the delegation of financial and budgetary management of European funds. This situation will promote the creation of

cooperation 37

‘Restaurants against hunger’  From October 1 to November 15 the NGO Action Against Hunger held the Restaurants Against Hunger campaign throughout Spain, with the aim of raising funds for the fight against child malnutrition. Around 400 restaurants took part, raising 45,000 Euros.

Campaign to end Violence Against Women  November 25 marks the International Day to end violence against women, with the worldwide Say NO – UNiTE campaign. This is a platform created by UN Women.

In Spain, AECID, NGOs and UN Women have been working since 2010 on the 'Tu voz cuenta' (Your voice counts) platform to promote a world without violence.

after vulnerable migrant populations, particularly those from Central America.

synergies and the leveraging of the experience accumulated by the AECID over the course of many years. The goal is more selective and effective cooperation that draws upon the value added by all of the stakeholders involved.

Spain's strength lies in its long tradition of cooperation with Latin America and its special understanding of the reality experienced by its citizens, a broad network of NGDOs that are active in the area, a common cultural heritage and historical institutional relations From now on, we can carry out activities on behalf of the European Union, drawing upon its resources, in

those countries and sectors where Spain has exceptional experience, such as gender, water and sanitation, for which we enjoy international recognition.

In addition, delegated cooperation assumes a relationship of mutual trust among donors and the need for ongoing coordination to carry out initiatives, and which in turn will involve a closer relationship between Spain and European institutions, development agencies and other EU donors, which will be invaluable both for on-theground actions and in the design of a true European development policy.

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The President of MSF. We spoke with José Antonio Bastos about the limitations imposed by certain political decisions on access to the populations with the most urgent need for aid..

by Beatriz Beeckmans

José Antonio Bastos PRESIDENT OF MSF

“A wounded combatant, whether he is a Taliban or an American soldier, is a human being who deserves our aid” — You have stated that for MSF, access limitations exist on the ground, but that they also arise in the West from political decisions. What are you referring to?

— Among the many population groups that MSF now helps, the largest group of people needing aid consists of people who live in areas of chronic conflict such as Somalia, the Congo or most of Afghanistan, and who we currently do not have access to. The biggest gap between what we could do and what we actually can do lies with these victims.

The reasons we can't access them are, first of all, that they live in war zones, and in war it is never easy to go where you want to go or to get permission, and secondly because today's wars are highly irregular in nature. They are, for the most part, civil wars between internal irregular forces lacking a known hierarchy, some of which have criminal connections, and to whom it is difficult to explain who we are and why we want to come in.

— You have been very critical of socalled 'humanitarian wars.'

— MSF does not express an opinion for or against military interventions for the purpose of protecting the civilian population. Politically we have always kept our distance, with the exception of the genocide in Rwanda and a few other situations in which we have been overwhelmed by atrocities and simply could not hold our piece. Based on our experience, the victims of civil wars and chronic conflicts often need protection more than they need food or medicine.

In an ideal world, DWB might possibly have called for protective military interventions –but don't call them humanitarian wars; it's dangerous to try to mix the two concepts.

The main problem is a very practical one. Looking back on the past twenty years, Western military interventions carried out with the intent of protecting the civilian population have generally not worked, and many of them have made the situation worse. One example is the 2003 Iraq intervention, where some of the participants, such as Tony Blair, insisted vehemently that it was a humanitarian

operation to liberate the civilian population. Thousands of civilians have died and the country has been destroyed.

From the standpoint of our experience, military interventions to protect civilians have hardly ever worked out well.

It is also dangerous to associate bombardment with anything 'humanitarian.' These are actions carried out by armed forces to attack military targets, with a cost in human life and collateral damage to civilians, and which call themselves 'humanitarian.' This puts those of us who are identified as humanitarian in the same conflict in a very difficult position. It is very hard for us to explain that we are a humanitarian organization, just like the planes that dropped the bombs yesterday, but we don't have anything to do with that and just want to help civilians. That's what happened to us in Kosovo. A first step would be to refer to these interventions more honestly, as military interventions for civilian protection and

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the profile. Born in Jaca in 1961, Mr. Bastos is a doctor specializing in Family and Community Medicine who has studied Tropical Medicine as well as taken a master's degree in Public Health in London. Since his first mission in 1991 on the border between Turkey and Iraq, in which he aided Kurdish refugees who were fleeing during the first Gulf War, he has worked in Bolivia, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania and Angola. He is the current president of Doctors without Borders in Spain, an organization that renders independent medical care in the farthest reaches of the planet. “In spite of the crisis, there are 500,000 Spaniards who support us," he states proudly. “I am especially worried about recent steps backwards in the treatment of HIV, undernourished children, neglected diseases, and how to access all of the people who live in areas of chronic conflict that we currently cannot reach."

not humanitarian interventions.

— ¿To what extent are you concerned about the confusion of military and humanitarian activities, and the proliferation of the humanitarian role in the armed forces?

— In principle this would be a good thing in neutral situations such as natural catastrophes, because the armed forces have the logistics and the capabilities to help, but it really complicates things when we are talking about an intervention made in an area where that same army is part of the conflict. It makes things difficult because those forces have much more complex motivations, and we are concerned about perception. In the Afghan war in 2002, we watched in horror as the American army distributed food to the Afghan people with leaflets that said "If you help us find the Taliban, we'll be back with more food," making aid conditional on collaboration with the military effort.

At the beginning of the Iraq war in 2003, Colin Powell, in reference to a military offensive, said: “The NGO's are our force multipliers on the ground."

This places us directly in the crosshairs of the organizations that these armies are fighting against. And all over the world there is growing mistrust of Western humanitarian organization, because people think that we are allied with military initiatives.

— ¿Is the politicization of humanitarian aid a problem?

— The EU and national governments make very important decisions about which populations with urgent needs, among many, will receive aid. The fact that aid earmarked for populations in conflict zones is given with political aims in mind worries us, but not that much. What really worries us a lot is the opposite case: where for political reasons needed aid is denied to a certain population. That is an atrocity, and should be called "political aid for those we sympathize with." For example, right now in Somalia, people desperately in need who are in areas controlled by Al Shabaab receive much less aid from

cooperation 39

the EU and from other countries than those who live in areas controlled by the government. In the case of the Haitian earthquake and the cholera epidemic that followed it a year later, the response was rather indecisive –Spain did contribute 104% of the amount it had promised in the first months–, as everyone waited for the election results, which should have had no connection to those funds. They were earmarked for basic needs, and yet they were held back for months for political reasons. That is unacceptable, and it only strengthens the perception of radical groups around the world, and in many communities, that humanitarian organizations are nothing more than a policy tool of Western governments.

— You have stated that a wounded combatant is a wounded human being, even if he is a Taliban. Are you worried about the criminalization of humanitarian aid?

— That is the most worrisome thing. Ever since the 'war on Islamic terrorism' began, the 'with us or against us' dichotomy has become more and more of a problem for independent humanitarian organizations such as ours. The message to us from both sides is clear. The coalition led by the United States told us we could not render aid to the civilian population controlled by Al Qaeda, and that such aid would be considered a terrorist act. And the other side says the same thing: the radical Islamic groups also want us to take sides. This is an extremely uncomfortable situation, but one that has emerged into clear focus in a law passed in the United States in 2005 that criminalizes aid to terrorist groups. It puts us in direct conflict with the basic concepts of the Geneva Convention, which state that a wounded enemy combatant is a combatant who can no longer fight and who deserves not to be unnecessarily victimized, just like a prisoner of war or a civilian prisoner. Universal medical ethics state that when faced with a person who needs medical attention, it is not our job to judge the person, but rather to cure and treat the human being, and let the judicial system pass judgment.

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His father came from a military background and his mother from professors, gentry and judges. Assuming both legacies, he took part in the civil war as a provisional lieutenant and joined the diplomatic corps. He was an ambassador and wrote five novels. His ambition as a narrator was possibly to undress Spain to paint his own anatomy lesson. by Jacobo García

WRITER-DIPLOMATS (8th Awarding)

salvador garcía de pruneda

Spain Unveiled He began to prepare for a diplomatic career when he studied Law at the Central University and joined it just after the war. Salvador García de Pruneda y Ledesma (1912-1996) was a counselor at the Embassy in Paris (1944-1950), Oslo (1950-1954) and Bonn (1954-1958), Director of European Political Affairs at the Directorate General of Foreign Policy with Fernando Maria Castiella as minister (1959), Consul General in Tetouan (1960-1964) and ambassador in Tunisia (1964-1968), Addis Ababa (1969-1972), the Democratic Republic of Yemen (1972-1973) and Budapest (19731977). He retired in 1982.

While in Tetouan, he wrote his first work of fiction, The Carabanchel Crossroads (1963), in the style of Troteras and Danzaderas (1912), by Ramon Perez de Ayala. Not knowing which way to go in life, and torn between love, politics and duty, the protagonist is caught between opposing forces until the brutal reality of war ends all doubt. In the last section of the book we see him defending the Mountain Barracks, an episode for which the author didn't have to invent anything as he was among the few survivors, if not the only one.

InThe Solitude of Alcuneza (1961) he told of his participation in the conflict as a lieutenant in a section of cavalry corps of engineers. Written with political distance and youthful rift, the chronicle of those military events reveals an exceptional memory capable of retaining what happened over a period of twenty years, both as heard as well as seen, with a truly prodigious wealth of detail.

Traveling in a calash along the coast of Cadiz at the time of the Primo de Rivera dictatorship, The Back Door (1969) is centered around a manor house that still belongs to the García de Pruneda family.

In it, he departs from an actual chronicle to concoct a post-post-romantic literary history about a noblemen of the type one would find in a Valle-Inclán novel, who voluptuously leads himself to ruin, without thinking of anything else other than who to bequeath his name.

The products of the earth are what attracts him: beggars who roam the streets, clergymen in threadbare cassocks, dusty mules in front of their pack, chaps and spurs aristocrats, cowboys on horseback, galloping through the fields, cattle-prod in hand and wearing beaver hats, military men

from the olden days; absent-minded miller men and pampered miller women; smugglers from the Straits, a tavern keeper or a veterinarian. The female characters are always seen through the male perspective and are either totally frigid or have an erotic temperature rarely seen in real life.

They belong to the literature of their time, not to the author´s reality. Anyone can understand them, which proves they are not real. Both the characters, unmistakably Spanish (except for a Frenchman that wanders through one of his fictions) and the open spaces of his novels begin to seem exotic in an increasingly urban and less idiosyncratic world.

Ceuta on the Threshold (1977) is also set in the time of Primo and the claustrophobic environment of what was then known as the sovereign plaza.

It tells of the coming into the world of a child between three and six years old, and is probably the best of his works. It has the sincere and authentic accent of the autobiography and it radiates joy, which is what tends to happen when one find the perfect voice to tell one's story.

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The diplomat, Salvador García de Pruneda, presenting his credentials to the President of Tunisia, Habib Bourguiba, in December 1964. EFE

His last publishing in the literary field, Francisco Sanchez´s Corpus Christi (1971), was also written whilst riding.

Set in inland Andalusia, it tells of the rather unlikely story of a mule trader who documents his numerous sexual conquests with the thoroughness of a scribe. An unlikely situation, not because of the conquests, but due to his practice of writing long, neatly composed letters to his enamored victims and then keeping copies of them, so that anyone who sniffs around in his life can document his loves. What is more realistic, however, is the novel's depiction of provincial society as an open-air jail, where the most unimportant detail of people´s daily activities are controlled. This time the pictorial echo comes from Genaro Pérez Villamil.

His intention seems to have been to strip Spain to the bone, the same that Ignacio Zuloaga and Jose Ortiz Echagüe must have had. His characters ooze austerity and poverty (two features within the category of high virtue in Spanish art and literature) and lack complexity and nuance. Beings of a piece, they seem to have been created to represent a role in the author's literary program to reflect a non-transferable personal destiny.

As a good diplomat, García de Pruneda had a passion for ancient and noble things, especially if they were destined to disappear, like the weapons of cavalry. But the more he tries to delve into the Spanish character, the more rigid it seems to become.

The novel becomes an emblem, the

characters become statues and the novelist a mythographer. The precision with which he describes certain things - horseback riding, bullfighting, architecture and engineering, funerals, and parades, show a great deal of research and documentation. But the desired effect is often lost by excessive detail, which slows down the reading, introducing situations that seem out of place. After five novels, it is strange that the author never tested the solution of the great masters, which consists of painting, with rapid and vigorous strokes, the essence of each scene. The desire for his own style did not seem to worry him as much as the intellectual and moral duty to accurately reflect the Spain in which he lived, wanted to live, or believed he lived.

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Everything in MĂŠrida is history and only a city with a past so marked by the presence of the Roman Empire could host the National Museum of Roman Art. A government institution under the direction of the Ministry of Education, the museum is a research center and a disseminator of Roman culture.

Symposiums, exhibitions, conferences, courses, lectures and other national and international cultural and educational activities are held in its facilities. More than four million people have visited it in its 25-year history.

by Julio Loranca

STATE MUSEUMS

The National Museum of Roman Art Roman theater, amphitheater, circus, Roman bridge over the Guadiana, Aqueduct of the Miracles, Diana Temple, Arch of Trajan, and so on. While each historical period has left its mark on buildings and monuments in the city, it is undoubtedly the Roman civilization that has left the greatest mark on the past, present and future of Merida.

A legal, economic, military and cultural center, capital of the Roman province of Lusitania, Emerita Augusta was founded by the Romans in 25 BC and came to be considered in ninth most important city in the Empire, even ahead of Athens. Its monumental and artistic heritage prompted the city's declaration as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in December 1993.

In this unique historical setting, the museum is a key site

for people visiting the city as well as the general public, through which one can discover and delve into the Romanization of Spain, explained through individual pieces recovered at the Merida dig. There is a permanent exhibit within the facilities, organized around thirty rooms divided into three levels. It is the Archaeological Collection of Roman times, bringing together architecture, diverse archaeological remains and teaching materials on Roman culture and their way of life.

The ground floor of the museum is devoted to the main architectural works created by the Roman Empire in Merida. Thus, three rooms are devoted exclusively to the theater, amphitheater and circus, the most important remains of Roman civilization preserved in the city.

The Roman religious universe also

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deserves a prominent place, both local and provincial administration, in its official side with the classic the territory of the colony, migratory pantheon as well as the popular side, movements, professions practiced and the various burial practices of at the time, portraits, art and early the era, including both burial and Christian culture. This point of the cremation, which led to the creation Museum of Roman Art liaises with of numerous carved and sculpted the museum´s Visigothic Collection, monuments, created for this which is displayed in the Church of purpose. The paintings and mosaics, Santa Clara, the center´s home away along with numismatics, complete from home. This church was the the archaeological materials on the collection´s first permanent home ground floor. since 1838, when on March 26, the The second floor displays all of Mérida Archaeological Museum, the relics in showcases and with precursors dating displays, such as common back the the sixteenth and luxury ceramics, The century, was officially terracotta, bone handicrafts, monumental opened.

The current glass, noble materials, coins and artistic National Museum of and other remains related heritage of Roman Art was created to numismatics. The third Merida let to its to replace the old and last floor of the museum being named a Archaeological Museum is devoted to some of the World Heritage in July 1975 and opened aspects of Roman culture, Site in 1993. at its current location

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Rafael Moneo, the architect who created a magnificent showcase out of bricks If there is one name inextricably connected with the Museum of Roman Art in Merida, it would probably be that of Rafael Moneo, designer of the Museum´s current site and of its future expansion.

Moneo is considered to be one of the most internationally recognized Spanish architects and his work is characterized by combining classical and modern architecture.

The designer of numerous projects inside and outside of Spain, some of his best works, besides the Merida museum, include the Cathedral of Los Angeles, the remodeling of the Atocha railway station in Madrid, the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum, also in the Spanish capital, the Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm, the Venice Lido Palace and the Kursaal in San Sebastián. Rafael Moneo considers the Museum of Roman Art as an essential element in his brilliant career, as he stated when receiving the "Genius Protector of the Augusta Emerita Colony" 13th International Award in 2006. "my career would have been different if I had not built the Merida Museum, which has defined what I have become as an architect." In his keynote address during the center´s 15th Anniversary celebration, held last September, the architect said that the future expansion is a "test" for him and he hopes that it will have the same "lucky star" of the current building. The Museum´s current site has earned numerous international awards and has helped fuel Roman cultural studies as well as the cultural prestige of Merida.

Image of the main facade of the Museum in the city of Merida. MUSEUM PHOTOS.

in 1986. Built in front of the city´s Theater and Amphitheater, and connected through an underground tunnel, the building is the work of renowned architect Rafael Moneo, who is also responsible for the museum´s future expansion.

Besides the permanent exhibits, the National Museum of Roman Art has other services such as temporary exhibits produced by the museum or associates. Given its role as a research center, the museum has an extensive specialized library, which enables its facilities to be used by many academic researchers from both Spain and Portugal. The center´s 400 meters of shelves hold a large collection of classical archeology books, with over 25,000 volumes available to users, of which over 12,000 are about Roman archeology. The museum's photographic service offers access to a photographic file with more than 20,000 negatives, which contains almost all of the Meridan archeology since the beginning of the first excavations at the beginning of the century, as well as images of the Museum´s permanent collection.

In addition, this service includes a photo lab equipped for both taking pictures (different format cameras, lighting equipment, backgrounds, etc.) and for developing them in black and white. The museum also offers a shop and bookstore, as

well as a publication service. The latter is responsible for overseeing the Museum-related publications and works in three lines: research papers, work related to the museum's publishing and research efforts, and the ANAS magazine, the Museum´s house organ. The range of services offered by the organization is rounded out by its organization and presentation, throughout the year, of events such as conferences, symposia, seminars, exhibitions, concerts, etc.

Last September 19 marked the 25th anniversary of the inauguration of the new headquarters of the National Museum of Roman Art in Merida. Scientific advances and new archaeological discoveries in the city have made it necessary to renew and update the Museum. The museum's expansion project is underway and is expected to be completed within three or four years. The construction will take place on a plot of about three thousand square meters attached to the current building and will allow for the reorganization of the center and the provision of new services.

In short, the museum continues to adapt to technical progress and its enormous possibilities, but always with an eye to recovering, preserving and teaching that part of a glorious past that is stored in every object, every room and corner of the National Museum of Roman Art.

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The great city´s museum of the western border of the empire José María Álvarez

DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ROMAN ART

In 1838 the city of Mérida set about building a museum to preserve a rich archaeological heritage, the legacy of what was once an important Roman colony, Augusta Emerita, designated capital of the new Hispanic province of Lusitania and first capital of the Iberian Peninsula after the administrative reform of the emperor Diocletian.

In 1975, the Merida museum center, in full celebration of the city´s two thousandth anniversary and due to the relevance of their collections, attained the status of a national museum, and this new situation led to the construction of a new building for the proper presentation of its great assets, replacing the church of Santa Clara, its first headquarters.

The choice of the museum site was clear from the beginning: it would be located next to the city´s most representative monument, consisting of the Theater, Amphitheater and "House of the Amphitheater."

The project was commissioned to the architect Rafael Moneo Vallés, who built a singular building, reminiscent of the most brilliant of Roman architecture with touches of excellence that

included flexibility of space usage, the ability to view parts of the permanent exhibit from various positions and heights, and the achievement of an extraordinary luminosity, creating a true "before" and "after" in the history of of Spanish museum.

Through emblematic "talking exhibits, visitors can reach an understanding of each and every facet that governed daily life in Augusta Emerita.

At the same time, the National Museum of Roman Art, in carrying out the functions entrusted to it, has made a major contribution to research

Rafel Moneo's architectural design for the Museum marks a before and after in the history of Spanish Museums.

into the Roman past in the province of Lusitania, with its capital, Augusta Emerita, and of Hispania, al the while interacting with the most important institutions and museums in Europe and the Americas and attaining a role of leadership in this area of study.

The result of this research has been the development of a process for disseminating information to all sectors of society through multiple activities: conferences, seminars, educational projects and publishing works that have been recognized and awarded on numerous occasions.

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CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles S.A.), has been awarded two major contracts this year to build trains for the metro systems in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Santiago, Chile. This is evidence of the global success of this Spanish company, whose trains, metro systems, trams, equipment and other rail transport components are already used in 23 countries around the world, from China to the United States and including countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, India and Finland.

by Javier Hernández

La expansión internacional de CAF comenzó dos décadas atrás, justo después de su participación en el proyecto de fabricación del primer tren AVE para la línea Madrid-Sevilla, la primera de la flamante red ferroviaria de alta velocidad española, la más grande de Europa en la actualidad.

It was at that time that CAF began increasing sales and exports, leading to an expansion in its network of maintenance and service plants around the world. The company's first major orders were received with the awarding of two separate contracts for the manufacture of express trains in Hong Kong and London, intended to link the airports of both cities (Heathrow Airport in the case of London) with their respective city centers. The United States was CAF's next stop in international expansion, when in 1998 metro rail lines were constructed

CAF, a Global Leader in Rail Transit in Washington, Sacramento and Pittsburgh.

2005 marked a new milestone in the company's international growth when it was awarded another contract, this time in Mexico. This was the first time financing for a major CAF project was structured entirely abroad. The project involved a thirty-year concession for the Buenavista-Cuautitlán rail line,

linking downtown Mexico City to the city's suburbs. 100 million passengers per year and an investment of 390 million euros demonstrate the extent of the challenge taken on by the company.

That same year, TCDD (Turkish State Railways) purchased ten highspeed trains from CAF, the first time such trains were exported abroad.

This contract included the essential

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A train, manufactured by CAF, running the Ankara-Istanbul line. Below, a tram in Zaragoza.

key figures

4.601,2

millions of euros in current orders as of June 2011.

853,9

millions of euros in net turnover as of June 2011.

support of the Railway Technology Center (CTF, in Spanish), created three years prior with the objective of researching and developing new products. That being said, CAF already had extensive experience and ability in high-speed rail, after having been awarded contract for the construction of double-wide gauge trains for the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed line, and having manufactured the first variable gauge, dual-tension high-speed train in 2004. Growth abroad has led to an extensive network of subsidiaries outside of Spain. Currently, there are assembly, service and maintenance centers in many countries such as France, Argentina, Algeria, Venezuela, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

CAF's international success in the rail sector is a result of many factors. Chief among them is the overall management of the products it manufactures. The company oversees and participates in the design, manufacture and maintenance of its products, seeing them through their entire useful life. In addition, the versatility and flexibility of the company's human resources allows it to adapt to the needs of each project.

Respect for the environment and investment in R&D are also fundamental pillars for the success of the company, placing it at the forefront of its sector.

At present, CAF is working on several interesting research projects, such as the development of new concepts and solutions for ultra high-speed trains (TENAV 350), and systems aimed at optimizing energy management and demand for railway vehicles (SIENER).

In terms of the environment, the company is head of a consortium involved in the ecoTRANS project, which seeks solutions that make urban public transit more attractive and comfortable for passengers, while decreasing the environmental impact both in terms of energy consumption and sound/visual impact.

Despite the current crisis,

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economic data confirm that the company continues on a good path.

In the first half of 2011, all indicators, both in terms of sales and profits, improved over 2010 levels. This data, together with the 2011 Barometer of the Business Climate in Spain, prepared by the IESE and Invest in Spain, which identifies infrastructure, especially the availability of highspeed rail, as one of the main strengths of the Spanish economy and a major attraction for foreign investment, offer an encouraging outlook for this sector.

From Beasain to the world. The history of CAF begins in 1860, with the opening of the San MartĂ­n Iron Plant. 32 years later, La Maquinista Guipuzcoana was incorporated, headquartered in the Gipuzkoan town of Beasain, focused on operating heavy machinery and the forging and construction of railway rolling stock.

The company grew during the First World War, building huge numbers of carriages, wheels and cars. Later, the Spanish Civil War led to CAF being designated as one of the companies in charge of reconstructing the Spanish railway system. During the following decades, the company continued to establish itself within the domestic market, growing its business with new and expanded activities, the acquisition of the Zaragozan company MMC and the creation of its R&D unit, a fundamental factor in the technological development of its products and the creation of its own technologies. In 1971, CAF adopted its current name, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF), S.A. The 1990s saw the beginning of CAF's international expansion. This was sparked by the joint manufacture of the Madrid-Seville AVE train. After this milestone, the company began working on projects abroad. Currently CAF is considered a global leader in railway system design, manufacture and maintenance and the supply of related equipment and components.

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— Who are the members of the Circle?

— Right now there are more than 200 entrepreneurs and senior managers in the Circle representing major companies operating in Spain. The companies managed by our members provide jobs to more than 700,000 workers and their turnover represents 15 percent of GDP. We are funded solely by membership fees and do not receive any type of subsidy. This allows us the freedom to defend the interests of Spanish enterprise as a whole. That is to say, the Circle's actions are strictly independent of any economic or political power.

—What type of activities does the Circle carry out?

— Primarily we are a think tank promoting debate and reflection on the most important socioeconomic issues affecting the country. We publish books and documents that discuss a wide array of topics related to the development of the economy and employment. We also serve as a center for debate, organizing congresses, seminars, round tables and meetings on these topics. Our third area of activity is in the field of social cooperation.

— Could you tell us about Spain's image abroad, especially during these times of crisis?

— Spain's image is mixed, since while we have large and successful companies established all around the world, contributing to the projection of a very positive image, the economic policies implemented to tackle the crisis are failing, decreasing our credibility on the international stage. The structural reforms we are proposing urgently need to be implemented.

— What reforms is the Circle of Entrepreneurs proposing to make Spanish industry more competitive?

— The two great challenges Spanish industry faces are internationalization and continued improvement in competitiveness and productivity, making better use of the technological revolution. Recently we published a

Promoting the Entrepreneurial Spirit. The Circle of Entrepreneurs was founded thirty-four years ago by a group of entrepreneurs who within the context of changes taking place at the time saw the need to promote free enterprise, open markets and the figure of the entrepreneur as a creator of jobs, wealth and prosperity.

Claudio Boada President of the Circle of Entrepreneurs

“Spanish industry must confront the challenge of internationalization and take advantage of the technological revolution”

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profile Claudio Boada, 59, has presided over the Circle of Entrepreneurs since March 2004. He is an industrial engineer and is married with three children. His professional experience has always been closely linked to the world of finance. For nearly fifteen years he was managing director in charge of Lehman Brothers in Spain and Portugal, where he also came to serve as non-executive chairman.

Currently, in addition to presiding over the Circle of Entrepreneurs, he is president of Holcim Spain, Abantia Ticsa and Atlas Capital Private Equity. He is a member of the board of directors at Abantia Empresarial, Aegon Spain and Areas. Likewise, he is a member of the European Advisory Council, an HSBC advisor for Spain and Portugal, and a member of the Governing Council of the Association for the Advancement of Management (APD, in Spanish).

document on this very topic, where we explained that Spanish industry specializes in low-intensity sectors in terms of technology and knowledge, often with low levels of R&D investment, and on a somewhat smaller scale, both in terms of firms and factories.

Our proposals toward achieving an industrial sector with greater relevance that creates more added value and more jobs, offering greater diversity, innovation, global reach and competitiveness, are related to many of the proposals made in the past: reforms in education, the labor market, energy, the financial system; greater legal security, stability and regulatory quality, market unity and more liberalization in transport, telecommunications and infrastructure.

— What is your view on the internationalization of Spanish companies?

— One of the Circle's initiatives of which we are most proud is the publication of the Annual Report on

the Internationalization of the Spanish Company, which will be released in its fifth edition in the coming days. This initiative responds to our desire to see greater internationalization in Spanish firms. It's a matter of securing the future of Spanish business, including small and medium-sized businesses. There are several major Spanish companies that for years have been expanding abroad.

What's clear is that the companies that have showed determination in reaching the global market and developing a policy of internationalization have experienced the benefits of market diversification, especially in light of the current economic climate.

— What should the next government do to get Spain out of the crisis?

— The main thing is to convey confidence, both in Spain and abroad.

To achieve this, the structural reforms I mentioned before, which are demanded by all kinds of organizations, must be taken up with determination, in addition to others such as Health and Pension reform. These reforms need urgently to be put in place, and this requires conviction.

— The Circle of Entrepreneurs sponsors periodic working sessions with entrepreneurs and members of parliament, judges and diplomats.

What is your assessment of these meetings?

— The Circle began operating social cooperation programs more than twenty-five years ago. The most successful to date has been the Companies Parliamentarians Program (PEP, in Spanish), in place since 1987.

More than one thousand members of parliament have graduated from this program, including deputies, senators and MEPs from the main political parties. The program consists of a kind of exchange, during which legislators have the opportunity to understand the reality of the business world first hand, while companies come to see the complexity of the legislative process.

This model was recently expanded to the courts and the area of diplomacy,

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through the Companies-Magistrates and Companies-Diplomats programs.

In addition, there is the Educational Cooperation Program, in place for more than twenty years, conducted in coordination with different universities, both public and private, through which students complete internships at Circle companies, receiving university credit toward their degree. More importantly, this represents a gateway to the working world for program participants, many of whom end up staying at the companies where they intern during the program.

— How does the CompaniesDiplomats Program work?

— This program is the result of a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation with the Circle. It was created in July 2008 in order to provide members of the Diplomatic Corps with a deeper understanding of business activities, given the role of companies in the economic and commercial expansion of Spain throughout the world. At the same time, Circle entrepreneurs and executives have the opportunity to understand the complexities of diplomatic work and international relations. The program is considered open, in that a program exchange can be organized at any time.

The first exchanges were held with the companies Indra and Ferrovial.

Later, an exchange was conducted with the company Idom, and other new exchanges are being planned.

— Are there any other similar initiatives underway?

— We have also organized, with the collaboration of BBVA, a Day on the Internationalization of the Spanish Company at the Diplomatic School, targeted at new hires in the Diplomatic Corps. Promotion of the internationalization of our companies is one of the fundamental pillars of the Circle's activities. We want to develop any initiative that can contribute to this end.

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culture and society

Analysis. The National Institute of Statistics cautions that Spain is to lose a half million residents in the next ten years.

Spain to Lose Population in Coming Years Spain will face a significant demographic shift over the course of the coming decade. Emigration will exceed immigration, and the country's population will decrease by 500,000 people, a drop of 1.2% over the next ten years. Predictions from the National Institute of Statistics estimate that in 2021 the population in Spain will fall to 45.5 million inhabitants, according to a recently released study. In addition to the imbalance in net migration, the study analyzes two factors that will reverse the demographic growth experienced in recent years: a decrease in the birth rate and an increase in deaths.

Pursuant to current trends, the Institute predicts that the birth rate will fall from 11.37 children for every 1,000 people in 2008 to 8.69 in 2020.

The study indicates that the baby boom that took place in Spain during the 1970s has passed its stage of greatest fertility, and the arrival of immigrants, which had helped maintain population growth, is slowing. According to the study, the economic situation

population growth Year

Population

%

2000 2004 2008 2010 2012 2014 2018 2020

40.049.708 42.345.342 45.283.172 45.989.016 46.118.733 46.039.979 45.815.510 45.667.161

1,07 1,64 0,35 0,36 -0,08 -0,10 -0,16 -0.18

Source: National Institute of Statistics

contributes to the aging population in Spain, as demonstrated by decreased immigration in the past two years.

Broken down by autonomous communities, northwestern Spain will suffer the greatest losses, due to the aging population and outmigration from rural areas, with losses in Castile and León (-4.1%), Asturias (-3.6%) and Galicia (-3.2%).

Other regions such as Catalonia (-7.1%), Basque Country (-5.5%) and Valencia (-2.3%) will lose population due to the return of immigrants to their country of origin.

To mark the centennial of his death.

A Grand Exposition to Commemorate Joaquín Costa at the National Library Marking the centennial of the death of Joaquín Costa, the National Library is celebrating his influence with an exposition that recreates the era of this most important figure, who through his wisdom made efforts to change politics in Spain. The exposition, open to the public through November 6, is entitled "Joaquín Costa: Creator

of Ideas" and is organized by the Government of Aragon and the organization Spanish Cultural Action (Acción Cultural Española). The exposition includes some 250 works, featuring paintings by Soroya and Zuloaga, and celebrating the life and work of the Aragonese jurist, writer and teacher.

Técnicas Reunidas Finds its Way to Australia  Técnicas Reunidas, together with Sacyr and two Australian partners, has been awarded a contract for the building of a seawater desalination plant priced at around 350 million euros. The company earned another major contract with the oil company Total, its first project in France.

Spanish Biologist Creates a Wine for Muslims  Galician biologist and entrepreneur Ramón Bodenlle has developed an alcohol-free wine for the Muslim community.

The wine, called Élivo Al-Magrib, has already begun export to a half dozen Arab countries, having distributed some 800,000 bottles in Morocco alone.

High-Speed Talgo Begins Operation in Uzbekistan  On August 30, the high-speed line linking the Uzbek cities of Tashkent and Samarkanda was officially inaugurated with trains manufactured by the Spanish company Talgo. Talgo has sold two trains to the Government of Uzbekistan at a price of 38 million euros. This project strengthens the company's presence in Central Asia, where Kazakhstan already operates two railway lines.

Restructuring at Telefónica  Telefónica, a Spanish multinational, has made several changes in its organization chart. These include the splitting of its business area into two geographic regions, Europe and Latin America, and a strong push in its internet business with the creation of the Teléfonica Digital department, to employ 2,500 at its headquarters in London.

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Isolux Corsán Arrives in Asia

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Ceremony in Oviedo. The Award for Concord to be given this year to the "Heroes of Fukushima," nominated by the Spain-Japan Foundation.

 The company will build an electric plant in Bangladesh, its first major contract in Asia. The plant will be built in the city of Khulna, meeting the electricity needs of five million residents. The cost of the project exceeds 100 million euros.

Ceremony Held for the Prince of Asturias Awards

Casa África Showcases African Literature

Renowned Italian classical music director Riccardo Muti (Arts), Canadian poet and singer Leonard Cohen (Literature) and the famous Ethiopian athlete Haile Gebrselassie (Sports) are three of the winners of the 31st Prince of Asturias Awards.

The awards are given, according to the Foundation Bylaws, to award "the scientific, technical, cultural, social and humanistic work performed by people, institutions, groups of people or groups of institutions on the international stage." Each winner is awarded fifty thousand euros, a sculpture created and donated by Joan Miró, and a certificate with insignia. The awards are presented on October 21 in Oviedo, during a formal ceremony presided over by His Royal Highness the Prince of Asturias.

 In late September, Santa Cruz de Tenerife hosted the 3rd International African Book Fair, focusing this year's event on female African writers and the literature of Senegal. Casa África participates in this year's book fair presenting its most recent publications and hosting a discussion with Senegalese writer Boubacar Boris Diop.

The Year of Russia in Spain Showcases the Best of Russian Ballet  The Casa Lis Museum of Art Nouveau and Art Deco and the university's Sala Fonseca, both in Salamanca, are hosting an exposition through January 29, 2012 entitled Diaghilev's Russian Ballets and their Influence on Art Deco, as part of the Official Program of the Year of Russia in Spain, 2011. The exposition features more than 140 original pieces from one of the most successful ballet companies of the early 20th century.

CSIC Digitizing 13th-Century Manuscripts Online  The National Research Council (CSIC, in Spanish) has digitized part of its collection of manuscripts written in Hebrew, Arabic and Aljamiado as part of a project to make these texts available online for researchers and laymen alike seeking to uncover the legacy of the Arabs and Jews on the Iberian Peninsula.

In addition to the aforementioned recipients, scientist Howard Gardner (Social Sciences), The Royal Society (Communication and Humanities), scientists Joseph Altman, Arturo Álvarez-Buylla and Giacomo Rizzolatti (Scientific and Technical Research), and Bill Drayton (International Cooperation) have all received awards this year. The Award for Concord has been given to the "Heroes of Fukushima," a group of people that represent the core values of the human condition, making significant sacrifices to prevent the nuclear disaster caused by the tsunami that overwhelmed Japan from intensifying its devastating effects.

Their nomination was submitted by the Spain-Japan Council Foundation, an entity of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

Image of the ‘Heroes of Fukushima,’ working inside the nuclear plant.

Spanish Research on the Hivacat Project

Spanish Researchers Identify Promising HIV Vaccine The AIDS vaccine research project known as Hivacat has identified a promising vaccine for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), after having observed positive results during clinical trials with lab rats. This significant finding will begin testing in humans within two years, offering a

ray of hope for the 33 million people infected with HIV. Hivacat began just five years ago and is made up of a team from the IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute and the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, with the collaboration of several other organizations and institutions.

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Cervantes Directors Meeting. During the meeting, held in July, the Spanish President reaffirmed his commitment to expanding the Cervantes Institutes around the world.

The Cervantes Institute to Continue Expansion The Annual Cervantes Institute Directors Meeting was held in July at the Parador de Alcalá de Henares to debate strategies and activities for the coming years. In the mere 20 years since the Institute's founding, it has become a beacon for Spanish culture and language, with a presence in 44 countries on all five continents, working through 77 operational centers. This significant expansion has made the Cervantes Institute into a celebrated and prestigious center for Spanish culture. The Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez

Zapatero, received the Directors at the Moncloa Palace, encouraging them to find "solutions that encourage our presence in places still unserved by the Institute, utilizing different and innovative formulas already in place, such as virtual classrooms." Zapatero also indicated that putting the brakes on plans for expansion due to the economic climate does not mean that the Institute cannot continue to grow.

The Cervantes Institute is one of the fundamental elements of the Cultural Action Plan Abroad approved recently by the Spanish Government.

The Iberian Lynx to Have a New Protection Program  The new protection program will be managed by the EU, the Ministry of the Environment and the Andalusian Government, who will have a budget of 34 million euros, 60% of which is financed by the EU. The objective for the next five years is to reintroduce the most endangered feline on the planet in Portugal, Extremadura, Castile-La Mancha and Andalusia.

Acciona to Build Latin America's Largest Shipyard  Acciona will provide its technologies for the engineering and construction of a levee system for a shipyard in the town of Sao Joao da Barra in Brazil, the largest shipyard in Latin America. The project totals more than 400 million euros.

Indra Continues Expansion in Australia

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Asturias during the opening of the Cervantes Institute Directors Meeting, held at the Parador de Alcalá de Henares.

Coordinated by the Spanish Embassy in Washington

Spain Showcases its Most Innovative Cultural Achievements in the United States Spain is showcasing its culture in the United States with "Spain Arts and Culture," a cultural program coordinated by the Spanish Embassy in Washington, seeking to show the "younger, more attractive and dynamic" side of our country. The coming months will see Spanish film festivals, photography exhibits, architectural expositions and

avant-garde design presentations, offering the American public an opportunity to see Spain in a different light. The campaign, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Ministry of Culture and the Cervantes Institute, seeks to encourage American tourism in Spain, which has grown by 15% in the past six months.

 The IT firm Indra has become a global leader in air traffic control. Adding to its list of projects in Asia, the company has earned a contract in Australia to supply nine radar systems for a total of 28 million euros.

Biotech, ía Booming Sector in Today's Economy  With an annual increase in new companies of 19%, the Spanish biotech sector is destined to become a leader in the domestic economy.

As a result, the ICEX and the Genome Foundation have implemented an assistance program to allow this sector to expand to the United States, which accounts for 50% of the global market.

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culture and society 53

In his works you cannot see the vacuum, nor do you see just matter, and yet the images coming from his workshop could adorn a Buddhist altar and could compete with the immateriality of a Zen poem, without arousing suspicion. by Jacobo GarcĂ­a. JOURNALIST

With thanks to... Jaume Plensa

Plato and the Lotus-Eaters Have you ever seen a human being bleed slowly, in dark inky gushes, while still being perfectly fine?

He has. Have you ever seen the soul move from one body to another body

by Pythagorean transfer?

He has. And not only has he seen it, he's lived it too.

His secret is the ability to close one's eyes and look inside oneself, just as his characters seem to do.

Drawings, sculptures, architecture, installations?

All these things, but with a reassuring statement: you and I are a part of them; we all are. Existing within certain boundaries, defined by the somewhat opaque light and the alabaster surface, never quite polished enough.

Torn from something that appears to communicate with the root of the stone, with upward growth, as if they were souls, with the lengthening of structures that in nature are always round, more attached to the earth, more crudely material. Conceived in order to return a sense of importance to humanity;

these images hover above us with the insistence of a dream.

It doesn't matter what you're thinking. He's a few steps ahead of you, and when you say to yourself: water, stone, face, person, he is writing in a polyglot language of signs: communication, duality, intellect, maturity. He doesn't try to fool you; he doesn't want to distract you or bring you to the lotus pond to lose your memory ingesting the flowers. He is, just like you, trying to open his eyes to a reality that neither he nor you know, but whose existence is doubted by none, because it's a reality that visionary philosophers, artists and scientists have always searched for.

He lives on the move, showing up where he is called to build one of his works and restore the sense of belonging that the community lacked. On airplanes, he crosses vast distances to decide how to present his work, in terms that can be understood

by local residents, able to reunite them with their lost, forgotten, or stolen identity. Just as the Achaean peasant, upon arriving at the Parthenon, would immediately feel a sense of belonging to Hellas, his own Hellenic nature, today's residents of Chicago, New York and Liverpool discover their roots thanks to the intuitive and almost mystical efforts of this Catalan sculptor who listens to the vibrations of things, as if he were still hidden behind the back of the upright piano his father used to play.

"For me, Plato is both a father and a teacher," he has said. Because he has never left the cave in which the founding myths of our civilization are about to materialize, the myths that make Ana, the nine-yearold girl who lent her image for the sculpture that stands today in the English forest, looming large over a former coal mine, can be seen by just closing one's eyes, just as it was a million years ago, when gigantic

animals roamed the forest, and life was but an instant.

I am you and you are me, but this does not prevent us from communicating. But wait, because perhaps you do not yet know that the easiest way to communicate is by removing this false concept of "you" and "me" with which we have both grown up.

Why then are we indebted to it? Perhaps because of its implication in that which we truly are, not that which, distracted and cheated by the sound of the system in which we live, we tend to think we are. "Wait," it seems to tell us, "do not be fooled." You do not need to get dressed again, create a new image, surround yourself with confusion and spectacle.

What you need is to return to the cave, sit with your back to the entrance, close off your senses for a moment, and again view the projection on the back wall, where our oldest ancestors slept taking in the music of the stars in the night sky.

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publications

company's files. The result is a book full of information and details unknown until now. ● The Booming Business of Piracy in Africa.

Miguel Salvatierra López. Los Libros de la Catarata

● Bacardi and the Long

Fight for Cuba, Tom Gjelte, Principal de los Libros.

This book offers a fascinating journey through the last 150 years of Cuba's history via the tale of one of the country's most emblematic families, the Bacardis. The history of the world's most famous rum begins in 1862, when Facundo Bacardi acquired a distillery and began producing a beverage that at the time was only consumed by workers and sailors. In bringing rum to a vast international audience, Bacardi became one of Cuba's most important family companies. Not only did they enjoy economic success, but they were heavily involved in social and political life on the island, standing out as some of the most unwavering supporters of Cuba's independence from Spain.

The author spent ten years working on this book. Not only did he review written sources, but he interviewed all the people involved in the family's story still living, gaining unprecedented complete access to the

From the coasts of Somalia to the shores of Guinea and the Niger Delta, piracy has become one of the biggest challenges in international security. This phenomenon, making news around the world, is often oversimplified, and the potential causes of piracy are often far more complex.

Social disintegration and extreme poverty, not to mention overfishing by modern western fleets, which has dramatically reduced traditional fishing in many African countries, are presented in this book

as the key components to understanding the causes and potential consequences of a conflict rooted in a variety of factors and inequalities inherent to our globalized world. Miguel Salvatierra López, chief international editor for the newspaper ABC from

2000 to 2008, includes telling events and facts from Europe, Africa and Latin America, including the trial of the Central African dictator Bokassa and the end of apartheid in South Africa.

● The Music of the World, Javier Argüello, Galaxia Gutenberg / Círculo de Lectores.

This excellent essay, winner of the 2nd International Josep Palau i Fabre Prize, seeks to explain the process by which the West constructed its imaginary, rejecting everything not explained by reason, and how at the same time there is a desire to push the limits of this imaginary further. ‘The Music of the World’ focuses on the variations the narrative imagination has experienced throughout history. Drawing from classic, modern and contemporary authors, this essay identifies the literary creation of our time as both inherited and invented. Its author is an Argentine writer residing in Barcelona who collaborates periodically with the El País newspaper and is a professor in the

School of Arts at the Ateneu Barcelonès. ● Federico García Lorca. ian Gibson. Critique Federico García Lorca was not only a creative genius, he was a skilled pianist and artist, a prodigious one man show. He did however have a sad, even tormented side, seen by few. It is thus that Ian Gibson defines the poet from Granada in this extensive biography, a new edition of this milestone in the study of Lorca and his work. His captivating life, his central role in the most fertile generation of artists and intellectuals in contemporary Spain, as well as his political convictions were all in stark contrast to the values that dominated until some forty years after his death.

This book, published in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the poet's death, clarifies the unknowns, dissipates the fog, and sheds light on the shadows of this most singular and charismatic personality, one that in many aspects and for many years will remain unsurpassed.

The new edition is not

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✱... a must read

● Biodiversity in

Spain: Sustainability observatory (oSE).

This eighth topical report from the OSE analyzes the situations and trends of Spanish biodiversity, considering its growing importance in the areas of sustainability and climate change. Likewise, it describes the main causes of the loss of biodiversity in our country, proposing a series of response mechanisms needed to conserve and sustain biodiversity.

Spain has the greatest biological diversity in Europe and, as is happening around the world, is suffering a tremendous loss in its biodiversity.

The report focuses on the need to develop response mechanisms, in order that the conservation of biodiversity can encourage sustainability processes. The authors identify approaches such as improved planning and management, taking into account climate change and the territorial transformations, as well as an adequate assessment of natural resources in order to develop awareness of the fact that our prosperity (and the indicators that measure it, beyond GDP alone) depend on us valuing our ecosystems as an essential part of a sustainable development model.

This report constitutes a source of authoritative and reliable information, seeking to inform society and assist decision-makers in defining policies and strategies for sustainable development, taking as a fundamental basis the sustainable use of natural resources, closely linked to the issue of biodiversity.

only an homage to the artist, but a large-scale cultural feat. ● Jerusalem: The

Biography. Simon Sebag Montefiore.

Critique

Jerusalem is a center of political power, the spoil of a thousand battles, conquests and destruction

throughout the centuries, a holy city for three religions, and the site of the foretold Final Judgment. In this book, the author succeeds in evoking its three thousand years of history, told through the lives of this history's protagonists, covering everyone from Solomon to Lawrence of Arabia, including Abraham, Jesus, Mohammed, Saladin, the Crusaders, Suleiman the Magnificent and Winston Churchill, not to mention the countless men and women who have lived, loved, suffered, and fought on the streets of this ancient city.

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Development Agency) provide an overview of the challenges for development in the fields of journalism and communications brought on by the technological revolution, advancing these and other questions: Are new information technologies revolutionizing the world? Do they favor social change and the fight against poverty? Has the media become a "seller of anxiety?" Can the criteria for what constitutes news be changed?

● Communication and Development: Policies, Networks and Technologies. Raquel Martínez-Gómez and Mario Lubetkin (editors). Comunicación Social This book forms part of a process of reflection began in 2007, within the framework of an agreement between the IPS Agency and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID), to contribute in making development a priority within the media. As Federico Mayor Zaragoza points out in the book's prologue, “if we don't understand reality, we cannot transform reality.”

Analysts such as Cees J.Hamelink (University of Amsterdam), Mirta Lourenço (UNESCO), Manuel Acevedo Ruíz (UN Volunteer), Elisabeth Ford (The Guardian) and Ivar Evensmo (Norwegian

● The Fragmentation of European Power, José ignacio Torreblanca.

Editorial icaria/Política Exterior It would seem the dream has become a nightmare. We have come from Why Europe Will Lead the 21st Century, in which Mark Leonard predicted that Europe would export its model to the world, to the Decline and Fall of Europe, in which Richard Youngs plants the seeds of concern for a darker future in Europe. What happened this past decade to bring the collective mood in Europe

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✱... a must read ● Development

Cooperation System.

Actors, Methods and Processes. José Ángel Sotillo Lorenzo. Los Libros de la Catarata.

Development cooperation, in its many forms and manifestations, has taken an important role on the international stage. A multitude of actors, both public and private, are participating in this complex system that began after the

to such lows? Is Europe condemned to irrelevance?

José Ignacio Torreblanca, head researcher and director of the Madrid office of the European Council on Foreign Relations, attempts to explain in this book the problems faced by the Europe of today, the causes of its ills and potential remedies, none of which require a miracle. He does this through an exhaustive review of the project by which today's Europe was built, while studying the new emerging international order.

Within this order, Europe has yet to find its own course of action, its own voice, suffering from an acute introversion. ● Economic Democracy.

Toward an Alternative to Capitalism. Antoni Comín and Luca Gervasoni Vila (editors) Editorial icaria In recent decades, there has been no lack of interest

Second World War, in which traditionally there are donors (rich countries) and recipients (poor countries). Beyond traditional perspectives, this book by José Ángel Sotillo analyzes not only the types of cooperation that exist, but what kind of development these actions intend to promote. He does this by taking the reader on a journey which begins, firstly, by defining the different concepts used with

regards to assistance and cooperation, the different theories on development, and what distinguishes the underdeveloped world.

From there, he reviews the historical process by which development assistance was implemented and the changes and transformations these systems have undergone through the present day (the Millennium Development Goals, the Monterrey Consensus, the Paris

in pondering alternative market systems to the neoliberal model: "market socialism" models, free of the distributive injustices of capitalism. These systems seek to make the ideas of liberty, equality, fraternity, democracy, human production and sustainability compatible with technological progress, improvements in productivity and free enterprise. Economic Democracy, upon which this book is based, is one of the most studied proposals in this regard. Can we find in our current economic reality experiences that point toward this type of outcome? Are cooperatives and democratic companies, unions, ethical banking and responsible consumption movements legitimate ways of organizing economic life, capable of resolving the injustices of capitalism?

Can all these realities be articulated within one sole

"social market?" Is there any sense in seeing these experiences as the embryo of an alternative economic system? This collectively authored book attempts to answer these questions in order to inspire thought and action among those who believe that, even today, our priority continues to be the building of a more just economic system, one that allows us to live in a society where the lives of all people are recognized as human life. ● And the Show Went

on: Cultural Life in Nazi-occupied Paris.

Alan Riding. Galaxia Gutenberg. Círculo de Lectores

In April 1940, nightlife in Paris included more than one hundred cinemas, 25 theaters, 14 music halls and 21 cabarets. Parisians lived peacefully, feeling protected behind the Maginot line.

So peacefully that on June 14, 1940, the Wehrmacht

Declaration, the Accra Agenda for Action), while debating the structure of assistance in a globalized world that improves the quality and impact of cooperation.

entered the city in broad daylight without meeting any resistance. Was the city prepared for what was coming? “Not at all,” claims Alan Riding in his study giving voice to the intellectuals that did (and did not) resist during the occupation of the 3rd Reich.

In preparing the book, the author searched for authors, writers and others that lived through those dark years and whose testimony was crucial in showing that life during occupation was a constantly-evolving drama.

c ● The Arab Spring.

Tahar Ben Jelloun.

Alianza Editorial

Winds of hope travel through the Arab world.

Since November 2010, countries across the region have been rocked by a wave of popular protests. Millions of people have forgotten their fear and have gone to the streets to demand freedom and democracy, dignity and equality. An immense Berlin Wall is falling, says Tahar Ben Jelloun, one of the most celebrated writers and intellectuals from the Arab world, who with this book provides an illuminating interpretation, country by country, of the role the youth are playing in this historical social revolution known as the Arab Spring. ● Third issue of

AWRAQ. Analysis and thoughts on the contemporary Arab and islamic world.

Casa Árabe and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID) have published the third issue of the Awraq magazine, the main theme of which is Rethinking al-Andalus:

✱... a must read ● 2011 Report on Democracy in Spain.

Fundación Alternativas.

Recently the 2011 Report on Democracy in Spain was released, published by the Laboratory at the Alternativas Foundation, under the direction of Belén Barreiro. The report offers the reader a rigorous analysis of the state of our democracy, which was given a final grade of 5.9. The study reviews the actions of the Government, the strategic lines of the opposition, and the evolution of public opinion, while including data and interesting reflections on political corruption,

Presence and Absence after 1300 Years, featuring a section dedicated to the Arab revolutions. This issue includes articles by renowned specialists who approach this topic from different perspectives: Reflections on the March 11 Train Bombings (Eduardo Manzano Moreno); Why did the Arabs Arrive at the Iberian Peninsula? (María Antonia Martínez Núñez); Female Imprints from the Spanish Middle Ages (María Jesús Fuente Pérez); and Mystification of Al-Andalus in Arabic Literature Today (Rosa-Isabel Martínez Lillo).

It also includes a timeline of recent events in Arab politics. ● A Candid Diplomat.

Helena Cosano. Editorial Algaida

The author, a career

historical memory, the economy, income and inequality, justice and many other topics of interest. This constitutes an extremely valuable tool in evaluating the quality of our democracy, audited through the prism of rigorous analysis and reliable research.

diplomat, narrates in this book the misadventures of a young newcomer during her first assignment abroad in an imaginary country called Japitustan. With a good dose of humor and reminiscing on the calamities underwent

by Voltaire's Candide, she recounts daily life in an embassy. Her book aims to demystify diplomacy and to offer readers a fun, light read. ● osama Bin Laden and

Al Qaeda. The End of an Era. Juan Avilés. Los Libros de la Catarata.

On May 2, 2011, a United States Navy Seal killed the most wanted public enemy in his hideout in Pakistan: Osama bin Laden. In this essay, Juan Avilés argues that this event represents

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the symbolic end of a decade characterized by the obsession with the threat of international terrorism. It is therefore an appropriate time to respond to all the questions we have about the history of Al Qaeda: its origins, which can be found in the doctrine of salafist jihadism; its founding, linked to the war against the Soviets in Afghanistan; the personality of its leader, who comes from a wealthy business family; its structure, which combines a central hierarchy with local initiatives; and its strategy, which aims at the restoration of the caliphate. It is also a good time to ask whether Bush’s “War on Terror” was an appropriate response or if it was counter-productive, and whether the operation that led to the death of Bin Laden was an act of war of an extrajudicial execution.

Lest we forget the issue of the likely involvement of Al Qaeda in the 2004 Madrid Train Bombings, and the central question of whether the threat remains after the disappearance of the group's leader.

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They say he is the man with “the hands of God on Earth.” Since 1994, Doctor Cavadas, one of Spain's finest professionals in the field of reconstructive microsurgery, performs 1,800 surgeries a year on patients who suffer aftermath that is extremely difficult to repair. He is also a pioneer in performing complex face, hand and leg transplants. He humbly states that his work is to take “bold approach to complex problems.” We see a man obsessed with his profession and dedicated to excellence. “You cannot fail because you did not dedicate enough time, attention and effort. If you do, you would be abusing the trust placed in you, and that's just not fair.”

by Beatriz Beeckmans.

Pedro Cavadas

“In surgery, you cannot fail in anything that depends on you.”

Pedro Cavadas greets us on a Monday at 9 p.m.: “I have dedicated most of the time in my life to my work. I strive to offer excellence because that is what people expect when they come to me.” He does the same in his personal life. “Why not?

If other people want to follow my lead, that’s fantastic. I only actively seek to set an example for my two daughters,” two girls that have joined him for the first time on his yearly trip for his Fundación Africa Foundation. “I want them to see what life is really like.”

— Is formal training important for your line of work?

— It's everything. In any profession there is a huge difference between those who have invested time, resources, and effort

in their training, and those who haven’t.

— Were you a good student?

— Yes, plenty.

— Do you agree that if something goes wrong it is not for lack of study or interest?

— Of course. You can't control everything, if only. Everything depends on complications and factors that are out of your control, but you cannot fail in anything that depends on you. If you fail because you didn't dedicate enough time, attention, or effort, you would be abusing the trust placed in you and that wouldn’t be fair.

— Rafael Matesanz, the Director of the National Transplant Organization (Organizacion Nacional de Transplante, ONT) says that in

Spain we can be proud of exporting organization the fact we rely on professionals like you who are at the forefront of exporting surgical techniques...

— We are good friends (smiles). If there is anything perfect in the Spanish health system, it's the ONT. They have a lot of experience. I have a lot of experience in reconstructive surgery and you could say that we met in the middle: transplants of visible body parts, first the hands, then arms, then the face and now the legs. We do things that have not been done before, but based on solid foundations. We do not test on people.

We take advantage of Spain’s well-oiled transplant machinery to test out what can and cannot be reconstructed. I think

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profile Pedro Cavadas (Valencia, 1965) graduated from Medical School in 1989 with honors. He was a Resident Intern at the Hospital La Fe of Valencia, where he completed specialization in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 1995. Since then, he has worked in microsurgical reconstruction, using the newest treatments for patients often deemed inoperable. “Sometimes I feel a bit like I get all the patients no one else wants.� He performed the first face transplant in Spain (and first in the world that included transplant of the jaw and tongue), the first doublehand transplant and the first double-forearm transplant in the world.

In July of this year, he led 15 hours of surgery during the first simultaneous transplant of both legs in the world.

In 2003 he created the Pedro Cavadas Foundation (www. pedrocavadas.com) in order to provide modern reconstructive surgery to disadvantaged patients in Africa. Since then, he has organized annual humanitarian surgical campaigns, where he performs surgeries free of charge to patients, primarily children, with complex reconstructive problems. Especially complex cases are brought to Spain in order to operate under ideal conditions.

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they are doing a fantastic job, and I do what I think I should do, which is take advantage of this environment to do creative things.

— What is the difference between what you do everyday in your work and the transplants that you perform within the framework of the national transplant system?

— A transplant is when you place someone’s body parts on a different person. I do very few of those, according to the definition of transplants. The vast majority of my work is not to place someone’s body parts on a different person, but to change parts within the same body. This is technically not a transplant. Technically it is a lot more complicated, but in terms of organization it doesn’t require much, because it's all from the same body: you take from one part to add to another. It does not require extensive coordination, some vast machinery.

— You do a lot of surgeries that attract media attention, especially in the transplant field. However, you say that the rest of the surgeries you do are not at all routine…

— Most are technically more complex than a transplant, but we can’t get media buzz with every surgery we do.

It is part of the professional world of reconstructive surgery. It is not routine surgery by any means; it is extremely complex.

— Do you believe there are patients who are inoperable or will you attempt repair whenever there is a possibility of improvement?

— Inoperable means that the patient will not benefit from surgery. There's a lot of that. Surgery is not a cure.

Operating is a generic concept: make an incision, do things, and close the incision. Something inoperable? An inoperable cancer is a tumor with which the patient will not benefit from surgery.

Unfortunately, there are many of those.

It would be different if a tumor affects anatomical structures, where surgery (removing the tumor and performing reconstruction) could be complex and

In life, as in surgery, the "decision cocktail" is: potential benefit, risks and the likelihood of obtaining the benefit you think you're going to obtain.

I try to run from the media, but if through the media someone with a problem finds out that there is a solution, they've done their job.

Malignant tumors will no longer be malignant and oncological surgery will be history. It will take time, but the countdown has begun.

a special procedure is needed. These cases are technically very complex, but if you believe you're capable of removing and reconstructing the area, and you believe the patient will benefit from this procedure, then you do it. But surgery is not always a guarantee where if the surgeon believes he can operate, the patient will be cured. We all wish it was.

— The key then lies in balancing risk and benefit?

Yes, but not only with surgery. All life decisions are a balance between the potential benefit, the risks you'll take, and the likelihood of achieving the benefit you believe you will obtain. Mix those three factors together and you have a decision cocktail. The thing is, you, the doctor, have most of the information needed to make such a decision, and you have to make sure the patient has all the information needed to make a decision.

It’s not easy, but all decisions depend on these factors. There are cases where the risk is too high and the potential benefit is either zero or significant but highly unlikely. This is not a good risk to take.

You cannot run a substantial risk if the odds of getting any benefit are very low.

It is a very difficult decision but that is why we have scientific literature.

— Nothing too bold then, right?

— I try and act minimizing risks. So I don’t do things that are rash. Bold?

Yes, absolutely. Bold surgeries and bold transplants with complex problems?

Yes, that's my job. But it's one thing to be bold when based on concrete evidence.

A man who climbed Mount Everest eight times and says he will be doing it again without oxygen is bold, but I don’t see his decision as rash.

— Your opinion about face transplants is striking: “it's about giving a person a human face.”

— Yes, that's what face transplants are for. I mean, why doesn’t anyone pay attention to leg transplants? Face transplants have greater relevance, and another thing, there have been a lot of childish competitions and games to see who would be the first, and now it seems that things are easing up a little

i interview 61 bit. The face transplant, no one knows why, has cinematic and literary qualities, where the identity of the person seems to change, that we take someone’s face and place it on someone else, which is not the case.

It’s a person who doesn’t have a human profile, who is grotesquely deformed or who is missing parts that cannot be reconstructed with classic techniques. . For these patients the best treatment (although it has many disadvantages) is to change a structure with a human profile and place it on that patient’s face, so that the person has a reasonable human profile. The goal is to have a human profile, not to make them look like someone else. It’s like thinking that you will transplant feelings with a heart transplant, when you're really only transplanting a muscular pump that drives circulation. The face is not only identity. The face is what allows us to identify a person as human and communicate with them.

— And it’s important; it enables them to be a part of society…

— It's huge. When completed, you change a monster into a person with a human profile. That's the purpose of this treatment. This is what can be achieved, that someone no longer inspires repulsion or unanimous rejection. A face transplant is something you notice, but the person can socialize at a conversational distance.

— How is the patient who underwent transplant for both legs in July?

— He was here this afternoon; maybe you crossed paths on your way in. He's really good, very happy. He can move his knee and he is able to actively move both of his legs. Starting next week, he will start standing up.

— Do you receive many requests from abroad?

— Transplant requests from abroad, yes, primarily thanks to the power of the Internet. However, the National Health Service only provides care for, and it seems logical to me, patients that live in Spain. I would love to take patients from other countries, but the treatments

are really expensive, and someone has to foot the bill. A transplant is very expensive, and is a lifelong expense.

It's great that Spanish patients get this treatment paid. It would be incredible to provide this for all of humanity, but logistically it can't be done.

— What is your relationship like with your patients? Is the relationship lifelong too?

— You never discharge a transplant patient. They accumulate, like children.

These are people who require lifelong medical treatment, and the possibilities of complications remain for the rest of their lives. I keep seeing them periodically until death do us part: whoever of the two dies first, or of the three, transplant included.

— Do you establish personal relationships?

— With some patients yes, with other no.

My patients have diverse backgrounds.

This doesn't affect whether or not you give them treatment. We have all types of patients. I have patients that are criminals who wear ankle monitors and can’t come near their wives because they have attempted to murder them twice...

That can cause repulsion, but the issue here is purely medical. It isn't my job to evaluate that. I have a good personal relationship with some patients and with others I don’t.

— In general, it's a matter of whether or not you can improve a patient's quality of life?

— That's just it. Can I improve a patient’s health with my experience and all that I've studied? If I can improve their quality of life and the risk-benefit ratio is in the patient’s favor, I proceed.

The balance must be in favor of the patient, not me. I may really want to do something, but if it doesn’t benefit the patient, my desire is no indication of what should be done. That’s why I find it dangerous when people in the medical field are racing to achieve certain things.

— Does that happen a lot in the surgical field?

— Constantly. There is a lot of vanity and ego in the profession. It makes sense.

There's a disease and then you come in, knight in shining armor, with scalpel, and you kill the dragon, drag it out, and all the maidens fall at your feet and cheer. It's fantastic, it's great (laughs) — And how do you deal with that?

— It is a childhood disease, which must be overcome. It is an important driving force and when it is controlled it can act as an incentive to work and make things happen, but without some kind of control it’s destructive.

— Then I gather this is something you have overcome… Is it true that you traded your Porsche for a bike?

— Yes, it's true. I used to have very expensive cars, it was nonsense, selfdeceit. You must learn how to manage that, and it takes time and maturity.

If not, it can be really easy to confuse things.

— Now that you are yourself admired by many, who do you admire?

— On a human level, very few people.

A handful of people with that extreme human quality. I think we all agree on that: they have first and last names, and are unanimously admired. In the professional arena, there are people that do things very will, much better than myself. I read what they have published.

— What is your relationship with doctors from other countries? Is there a lot of interaction?

— Yes, I get invited to places and asked to speak, but in the end it comes down to one question: “do you study or do you work?” I try to do both, but you have to choose what you spend your time on. I would love to accept all the invitations to speak at congresses and meetings, but I wouldn’t do anything else… That would make me a traveler, a teacher, but that isn't my job.

— You have been first to do many things. What is the latest you are wanting to do?

— I think of it in terms of what is going to benefit my patients, not what I would like to do. Personally, what I would like to do is retire. But I would be ashamed of retiring at 45. What would my daughters say? There is a difference between what

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The National Transplant Organization (ONT) does fantastic work. And I do what I think I should be doing: take advantage of that environment to do creative things.

I would like to do and what I need to do.

From a professional standpoint, there will always be patients and they are the driving force. They come to you with problems and they encourage you to do creative things that could be significant from a technical point of view.

— How do you see the medical field in 20 years? What would you like to accomplish that may not be possible at the moment?

— I know that my curse is to keep on working. I will try to change the pace, but I am my own victim. Many things will have changed in 20 years: some surgeries will have disappeared completely. Surgeries for diseases will disappear; surgery for injuries will remain: you fall, your break a bone, they fix the bone. This will always keep happening, people are always going to suffer physical trauma. Surgery for injuries will be needed and the repair shop will remain open. But other than that, surgery for diseases will disappear, for sure.

— You mean because of advances in medicine?

— Right, of course. In fact, as knowledge increases, brute force decreases. That is a constant in human development.

Witchcraft disappears, as well as the guy with the wand. And in medicine, knowledge is the medical part. Surgery is cutting and snipping when you don’t know what to do with something, then see what happens.

Why do we call some diseases malignant? Malignant tumors exist now because we don’t know how to go after them. When doctors learn how to do just that, surgeons won’t have to burn and cut anymore. We are shooting at

something and we aren't even sure what it is. It’s like when we hear noises but we can’t see the monster and we don’t really know what it is, we just attack.

And experience shows that sometimes we can kill the beast. It works, but it’s a blind attack. When someone finally shows us a picture of the beast and the we know the beast likes mints, then we wont need to take this rudimentary approach. This is what will happen with cancer: malignant tumors will cease to be malignant and oncological surgery will be history. It will take time, but the countdown has begun.

— I see you making gestures with those hands that have been called “the hands of God.” — I don’t think God has hands; God is a profitable invention, but that’s another story (laughing) — They also call you Dr. Miracle.

Do you find these divine references overwhelming?

— Conceived without sin! I should ask my mother if I was conceived without sin… What do I know? I just take it as a compliment, nothing else.

— What do you think about the media attention that your work attracts?

— The media is a bit like nuclear fission.

When controlled, it makes heat. Without that control, it invokes fear…. I try to run from the media as much as possible, but there is a purpose to it all: someone who has a problem can find out that there is a solution.

— Has that happened to you?

— Yes, plenty. That's the role I see the media as having. The only reason to publicize what you will be doing is to have it be heard by someone who can help the ONT. For example, someone

who can donate legs from a a brain-dead patient in the ICU. — Does the fact you are so observant explain your incredible career? I know you don't like to be told you're young, but you are young…

— Man, it’s been 45 years already! A good amount of them dedicated to this.

Normally, when you fixate on one thing, you end up fixated on something else.

Those who watch, analyze a problem, and draw conclusions, analyze almost everything. I can’t imagine auditing one’s work and not auditing the environment in which he lives.

— You have repeatedly criticized both the lack of clarity and comfort with which we live…

— Yes, it's so clear. I rebel against that attitude. It's probably necessary with 8 billion people in the world, because 8 billion lucid minds would make a lot of noise.

His cell phone rings, the only call he answers during the interview: “Hi, sweetie. What’s up, honey? Swallows are black on top and white on the bottom and they have a cute little red spot on their neck, below the beak." "We can watch them with the binoculars and see, okay?" "I’ll call you when I’m done with the meeting. Well if you are going to bed now, we can talk tomorrow.” “It’s my oldest daughter,” he says excusing himself when finished, “both my daughters have stolen my heart.” As we say goodbye he says, “And there’s more tomorrow.” Dr. Cavadas closes his office door. “How do you manage to perform surgery so many hours a day?” I ask. “What can you do about it?” he replies.

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Miradas al exterior is an official publication providing diplomatic information published by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, distributed quarterly all around the world and translated to English.

Available online at www.maec.es

interview 63

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