MIRADAS AL EXTERIOR_04_ENG

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> Interview Isabel Muñoz: “Photography is a constant challenge”

GOBIERNO DE ESPAÑA

MINISTERIO DE ASUNTOS EXTERIORES Y DE COOPERACIÓN

October-December 2007 No.4. 4th quarter www.maec.es

photography courtesy of javier bauluz

An informative diplomatic publication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation

Spain's commitment to

COOPERATION

After 43 months, development cooperation will reach the amount of 4 billion Euros invested. The forecast for 2008 is to exceed 5 billion Euros and to reach 0.5% of our Gross Domestic Product

 Editorial José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero presidente del gobierno

Fighting poverty: a State policy ❖ The EU-Africa Summit held in Lisbon a few days ago showed us that although we cannot change histor y, we can change the present and the future. It is precisely for the present and future that we work on these public policies for development cooperation. This is a huge responsibility, and its aim is to build a more just world that knows no poverty.

This aim is personified by the billion people who tr y to sur vive on 1 euro a day, the more than 800 million people who have never received any type of training or education and therefore have no opportunities, and the women who die each minute from illnesses related to pregnancy or childbirth. ❖ I am thoroughly convinced that the fight against poverty and inequality should be at the heart of a modern foreign policy, responding to the reality of the 21st Century, and this is something this Government has actively encouraged. In each of the



In 2008, we will give more than 5 billion euros, equal to 0.5% of our Gross National Income We have a new responsibility to create a more just world that knows no poverty

major international policy initiatives we have promoted or taken part in, the fight against this terrible curse, in which a person's life expectancy and the development of their skills depend upon where they are born, has played a central role. The Alliance of Civilizations, the Working Group for the fight against hunger, the commitments we have made to the UN, our bilateral policies and our position in regional summits - all of our foreign activity focuses on cooperation and the struggle against poverty. There is still much work to be done; a more just, equal and peaceful world depends upon it. ❖ The Government has been responsible for launching an ambitious agenda of reforms and budgetar y increases that, in 2006, placed us in second in the world for our efforts in this field. We have doubled our development aid and in 2008, we will spend more than €5 billion on these projects, equal to 0.5% of our Gross

The Government has launched an ambitious agenda of reforms and budgetary increases National Income. These are highly important resources that endeavor to help bring hope and justice to all. ❖ Unfortunately, the statistics for poverty and inequality show us our cooperation is needed more each day.

There is also another challenge facing us: climate change. In order to have a more just world, we must find a more sustainable way of living. The fight against poverty, inequality and climate change go hand in hand. ❖ The advances and improvements we have achieved over the last few years are undeniable. However, it would be a travesty to let our guard down now. We need to continue to make improvements to our cooperation policies. The challenges facing us are great, and our countr y wants to be the first of the world's

YOUR mailbox.

Editorial Board. Chairman: Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

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

Deputy Chairman: General Manager of Foreign Communications. Second Deputy Chairman: General Technical Secretary.

Members: Cabinet Chiefs of the Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs, of the Secretary of State for Cooperation, of the Secretary of State for the European Union, of the Secretary of State for Latin America, and the Cabinet of the Secretary General of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI).

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● Editorial

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SUMMARY 4 > foreign policy 43 months of Cooperation for Development 16 > Alliance of Civilizations: a Global Task.

eight strongest economies to reach 0.7%, while staying ahead in policy efficiency and impact. This is possible if we continue using the method that has allowed us to progress during this legislative session: unity. It gives me great satisfaction to think that a consensus has always been reached on these issues. ❖ The fate of many men and women who live thousands of miles from our country, and sometimes that of those who live much closer, is a responsibility assumed fully by this Government. It is a question of principles and convictions that should serve as a daily reminder of the importance of our efforts. It is an effort that has the support of many Spanish

citizens who, both in our country and from different corners of the planet, have been giving their best for a long time. Volunteers, members of religious orders, political parties, social organizations, public institutions and anonymous citizens who, with their silent work and protests both abroad and in our streets, show us that there is still a great deal of work to do. ❖ Writing these words in the magazine of the Ministr y for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation is particularly significant, because the Spanish Cooperation team is the one who makes it possible for us to continue making such meaningful progress in this, our duty and responsibility, ever y day.

EDITORIAL OFFICE. Management: Manuel Cacho. Editor-in-Chief: José Bodas. Art Director and Editor: Javier Hernández.

Contributors to this edition: David Merino, Pepa Acedo, David del Campo, Luis Sánchez, Jacobo García, Ignacio Gómez, Javier Fernández, Félix Corchado, Javier Bauluz. Management: General Directorate of Foreign Communication. Serrano Galvache, 26. 28033 MADRID. Nº 4. 4th Quarter 2007. NIPO: 501-07-002-0. Legal Depository: AS-3417-07. Publicity, Printing, and Distribution: www.4ccomunicacion.com

20 > 365 days of the Spanish Presidency of the OSCE 24 > Foreign Policy in Brief 30 > SPAIN abroad Ethiopia, One of our Oldest African Embassies. 34 > Rioja, an International Wine. 38 > GETTING TO KNOW SPAIN Modern Spanish Architecture 42 > The Fight to Save the Iberian Lynx. 44 > Hercules, the Last Roman Beacon.

46 > culture and society News. 52 Cooperation > News. 56 > MISCELLANYViana restored. 58 > Publications.

62 > INTERVIEW Isabel Muñoz: “I view photography as a constant challenge"

Publication edited by the Dir. General of Foreign Communication for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAEC). Total or partial reproduction prohibited without the express consent of the editor. Miradas al Exterior is not responsible for editorial content or opinions expressed by the authors.

 foreign affairs Forty-three months have passed with a single common denominator: high intensity. The stage on which Spain set out upon its cooperative development program looks nothing like the current one. From just 1.8 billion Euros in development aid by the end of 2003, we now close out 2007 with a figure of over 4 billion Euros. In other words, Spain has gone from 0.23% of its Gross National Product (GNP) (the same level achieved seven years prior, back in 1997) to over 0.4%. Similarly, the forecast for 2008 is considerably higher than 5 billion Euros, and over 0.5% of GNP.

43 MONTHS MONTHS OF

DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION TEXT: david del campo. PHOTOS: j. bauluz, efe and p. acedo

â—? Based on data from 2006, Spain is the eighth-largest donor of aid, according to the latest assessment the OECD's Development Assistance Committee carried out on Spanish cooperation. The report also covers future challenges, recognizes Spain's efforts to increase aid spending, and its future commitment to more than

double the percentage of its Gross National Product devoted to official development aid, with the goal of reaching 0.7% by 2012.

In this regard, the evaluation states that with the budget projected to reach 0.5% in 2008, Spain seems to be well positioned to achieve its goals.

In the early stages, cooperation efforts were accompanied by continual suspicion and a lack of coordination with the other players (the Autonomous Communities, city

councils, NGOs, labor unions, universities, business organizations, etc.) involved in Spanish cooperation. But Spain changed the model, with clear initiatives such as NGOs being able to choose their own representatives at the Cooperation Council, including ministries such as the Environmental Ministry on the Interdepartmental Commission, as well as strengthening cooperation with other ministries, especially Economy and Commerce.

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spain's commitment to cooperation

â—? foreign affairs

5

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Scarcely pausing during the first 5 months, Spain rapidly completed the Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation (2005-2008). The plan was the result of the contribution of more than 320 people from inside and outside the Ministry, making it possible to produce a text which, according a statement issued one month ago by the OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC): "makes significant improvements over previous policy and practices. Spain is one of the few members of the DAC that has included coherent development policies within its legal and planning framework...

Spain's policy leaders have embarked on reforms and have the political vision required to drive the process forward."

The Council of Ministers passed the plan in January 2005, after receiving unanimous backing from all of the players involved in Spanish cooperation. The following month, the Congress of Deputies also unanimously stated that: "The Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation passed and presented by the Government is the result of a collaborative process and discussions with all of the organizations and participants involved."

An environment of consensus, agreement, and cooperation began to take shape. Three and a half years later, the latest chapter of the Master Plan (the Annual Plan for International Cooperation 2008) has also been unanimously backed by all of the Autonomous Communities and Local Entities, as a result of the efforts of all parties.

Once the Master Plan was passed, Spain set about completing the remaining tasks. The first was to fill the sectoral and geographical planning void that existed in Spanish cooperation efforts and also within the Ministry. Today, Spain has over 55 geographical strategy documents (priority countries and countries meriting special attention), as well as at least 8 sectoral strategy documents (education, health, combating hunger, the environment, indigenous communities, etc.)

But there was still one unsettled debt: the need to improve conditions for our development workers. Specifically, development aid workers needed to be

A mother waits with her son at the malaria research center, financed by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation located in Manhiça, in Mozambique. PHOTO EFE.

 INCREASE OF NET ODA IN SPAIN (2002-2006) 6,000

5,509 5,000

4,290 4,000

Percentage of budget implementation of the 2006 APIC: 93.9%

3,038

3,000

2,428 2,000

1,985

1,817

1,736

2002

2003

1,000

2004

2005

2006

2007p

2008p

GRAPHIC DESIGN: JAVIER HERNÁNDEZ. DATA: SECI

spain's commitment to cooperation

Euros

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Millions of

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viewpoint

Leire Pajín

SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

A genuine development agency ❖ On November 26, 2007 the Spanish Official Gazette published the Spanish Royal Decree approving the Statute of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). From now on, Spain will have a stronger AECID in order to meet international development commitments and ensure that our cooperation provides a more effective contribution towards fighting poverty. ❖ The need to reform the agency is due, first of all, to the desire to increase Spain's Official Development Aid (ODA) and to put Spain once and for all in the position to meet its responsibility within the international community. Spain has more than doubled ODA in just four years, going from less than 2 billion Euros in 2004 to over 5 billion in 2008. Over this same period, the AECI will have managed over 900 million Euros, compared with 290 million in 2004. The reform will enable Spain's main cooperation organization to make effective use of a budget that has now tripled. ❖ Secondly, this change in the AECI completes the institutional reform that began in 2006 with the creation of the Central Office of Developmental Planning and Policy Evaluation. It will also enable development cooperation to have a greater impact on the fight against poverty, in line with existing international consensus on the need to improve the quality of aid. ❖ Finally, it is important because it addresses a range of problems that can no longer be solved with stop-gap measures: job insecurity, a lack of motivation by many of the employees, lack of mobility, and the unsuitability of the economic and financial management model.

❖ The reform has actually been taking place since the beginning of this legislature. Thus, certain early measures were taken to rectify the highly precarious situation of certain groups of employees, because that was the best that could be done at the time. In 2006, 79 new job positions were created at the headquarters, along with 83 positions as foreign "Cooperation Program Managers," which have already been filled.

This is in addition to the announcement of 100 new positions as "Cooperation Project Managers." The agency now has, for the first time, a stable employee base in its foreign network, since the program manager positions come with permanent contracts. ❖ In addition, a thorough assessment of the organization was carried out, including drawing up a working document on the main lines of reform. This document was used in ad hoc meetings with all of the agency employee groups, in order to compile and communicate feedback. The process has also benefitted from the active involvement of the Personnel Board through the creation of a "consultation group" that included AECI employees. Meetings with other international development agencies were organized, and courses are now underway for different employee groups within the agency. ❖ The new AECI will have a more robust structure, one that reinforces five highly important roles: humanitarian aid (creating a genuine Office of Humanitarian Aid), cooperation with Sub-Saharan Africa (creating a department specifically for this region), sectoral cooperation (creating a central

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office for sectoral and multilateral cooperation), management of personnel, finances, organization, and the quality of processes and procedures (through the creation of a General Secretariat), and the planning, monitoring, and assessment of improvement to the quality of aid, as well as communication, raising of awareness, and education for development. ❖ Along with these efforts, at the pace and within the scope decided by the Governing Council (made up of representatives of the MAEC and from the Spanish Ministries of Housing and Finance; Industry, Trade and Tourism; Public Administration; and employee representatives), the responsibilities of the field offices will gradually be decentralized, in keeping with the spirit of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. ❖ The reform of the agency has been well thought-out and will be as extensive as is required in order to allow it to meet the challenges it faces. The AECID will be a genuine development agency capable of injecting a considerable amount of financial resources into cooperation projects and programs, as well as working side by side with other development agencies. It will have the necessary human resources and budget, a greater presence and an improved capacity to take action in areas that are in particular need of support such as Sub-Saharan Africa, while maintaining a role in Latin America and the Arab World. The agency will have a greater capacity to solve humanitarian crises, report transparently on its activities to the citizenry, and will constitute a benchmark within the Spanish cooperation system. In short, it will be an agency that will ensure good management of human resources, rigorous control of its budget, and the quality and flexibility of its management processes and procedures. ❖ These measures, in addition to making a decisive step forward in the quality of aid, also satisfy the commitments made to the Spanish people in 2004.

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% ODA/GNI 0.7 %

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2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006A

20071

20081

20092

20102

20112

20122

0.28%

0.25%

0.22%

0.24%

0.27%

0.32%

0.42%

0.50%

0.55%

0.60%

0.65%

0.70%

A Advance / 1 Pledge / 2 Forecast

0.7%

 DAC REVIEW OF SPANISH COOPERATION (2001-2006)

0.6 %

0.5 %

0.5%

0.4 %

0.42% 0.32% 0.27%

0.3 %

0.28%

0.25%

0.22%

0.24%

0.2 %

2001

2002

2003

given more rights, based on the conviction and recognition that the work they do is a crucial element for improving the quality of development cooperation. With this in mind, Spain undertook to settle this long-standing debt, which has been owed since the 1998 International Development Cooperation Act. It did so by passing the Spanish Aid Worker Statute, and later by paying compensation to workers killed in conflict zones. The Statute involved the contributions of all par-

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

ties and was passed by consensus. This was accompanied by the declaration of September 8 as Development Worker's Day. The Statute covers the rights and obligations of this group, among them (perhaps most importantly) group insurance coverage. As a result of this insurance, development workers employed by registered NGOs and members of religious orders that carry out projects funded by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI) will be able

2012

to benefit from the same coverage as AECI employees. This coverage ensures, when required, the repatriation of volunteers to Spain in order to receive better health care, travel for family members in the event of death or serious hospitalization, and assistance during every stage of maternity.

At this point, I feel it is appropriate for us to remember that two female development workers lost their lives this year: María Marqués, an AECI worker,

THE AECI WILL HAVE A FIXED BASE IN PANAMA FOR DEALING WITH EMERGENCIES Spanish cooperation understands that humanitarian action involves combating vulnerability and looking for lasting solutions.

With this in mind, the AECI has made a significant effort, increasing funding (from 15 million Euros in 2004 to over 100 million in 2007), and has improved the coordination between the parties involved. This has meant that the AECI, in cooperation with other ministries, communities and NGOs, has been able to provide relief in many of the catastrophes which, unfortunately, are still prevalent in developing countries. Speed of action and avoiding duplication are essential to these efforts. For this reason, the AECI maintains an aircraft hangar at Torrejón airbase in Madrid, and in the future, as a result of the AECI reforms, it will also have a base in Panama to handle emergencies in Central America, as well as a genuine humanitarian office.

GRAPHIC DESIGN: JAVIER HERNÁNDEZ. DATA: SECIW

6.7

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 MAP OF SPANISH DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION Priority countries and regions Countries Meriting Special Attention and Preferred

Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Western Sahara, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Syria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Ruanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Armenia, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, China, North Korea, The Philippines, Indonesia, East Timor, Vietnam, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo (Serbia), Macedonia, Moldova, Turkey, Ukraine.

died in Mauritania, and Margarita Burón of the Madrid Polytechnic University died in Ethiopia.

As we continued to pursue our course, our planet continued to be shaken both by natural disasters and by the catastrophic outcomes of conflicts. Faced with such disasters, the only possible response is to provide humanitarian and emergency aid. Although the initial responses were in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the

tsunami in Southeast Asia remains, in the collective memor y of our Spanish development workers, the most devastating humanitarian disaster to date. Forty-eight hours after Christmas, Spain's cooperation system was charged with providing a worthy and convincing response in a zone where previously it had had little presence. As a result of the coordination efforts led by the AECI, the lessons learned are still being applied today; the dedica-

tion, proficiency and professionalism of Spanish diplomats and workers in the affected countries at the time made an "immediate and far-reaching" response possible, as Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos has stated. As an example, the first international aid plane to arrive in Sri Lanka was sent by Spanish cooperation. It is important to mention that this was a plane sent through collaborative effort, not only from the AECI but also from various Autonomous Commu-

MORE RIGHTS FOR AID WORKERS The work carried out by aid workers is a crucial element in moving towards achieving effective cooperation. For this reason, the government sought a solution for resolving a debt it owed to its aid workers by approving legislation for the payment of compensation to workers who have died in conflict zones, as well as by passing the Aid Worker Statute. This legislation brings together, for the first time, a statement of the rights and obligations of aid workers, recognizing their efforts along with those of missionairies. One of the main areas of progress achieved by the Statute is group insurance, through which aid workers under the direction of registered NGOs and members of religious orders carrying out projects funded by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI) will receive the same health care coverage as the agency's employees.

DATA: SECI

The Priority Countries are where the largest volume of Spanish Cooperation resources are focused. They receive 70% of Spanish bilateral Official Development Aid

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Based on 2006 data, Spain is the eighth largest donor of aid in the world. We are on course to achieve 0.7% nities of all political persuasions, who placed themselves at the disposal of the response effort coordinated by the Ministr y and the AECI. The humanitarian and emergency response must be understood as a fight against vulnerability, a fight that must be waged in the short term, but also in the medium and long term. It is important to look for lasting solutions.

With this in mind, the AECI has made a significant effort to increase funding in this area (from 15 million Euros in 2004 to over 100 million in 2007), and has attempted to strengthen coordination between the players involved (the Autonomous Communities, Ministries, and civil society). The effectiveness of development cooperation policies is essential and, of course, it is also essential for humanitarian aid. Coordination, therefore, is vital in order to avoid duplication of efforts. In addition to

speak up for justice voices voices... ✒ On October 24 I had the

opportunity to take part in one of the most exciting concerts that Chambao has ever performed in. The concert was held at the Palacio de los Deportes (Sports Palace) in Madrid to publicly launch the ‘Voices for Awareness and Development’ association.

The AECI and the UN's World Food Program (WFP) have started up the "Revida" program, which seeks to provide dignified housing and irrigation to the inhabitants of the Ayacuchana province of Chuschi in Peru. PHOTO EFE.

coordination, ever y time a catastrophe occurs, the AECI sets in motion its usual emergency mechanisms and holds meetings with the various players involved in order to finalize potential humanitarian aid packages. Speed is of the essence, and it is undoubtedly improved by the aircraft hangar contain-

ing emergency supplies that the AECI maintains at the Torrejón de Ardoz Airbase in Madrid. In addition, it will soon build a fixed logistics base in Panama for dealing with future emergencies in Central America.

In addition to increased funding and improved coordination, we have want-

notes  maría del mar rodríguez  voices for awareness and development of many people linked with various fields of culture (cinema, music, fine arts, television, theatre, etc.) into a reality. We are talking about my generation's commitment towards creating a more just world for all, especially for children. ✒ Our commitment to

fighting poverty begins with becoming aware that building a world without any form of exclusion is everybody's shared responsibility.

✒ The events of that day

✒ We need to place the

transformed the joint efforts

importance of human

beings at the forefront of our consciousness and maintain a positive attitude that promotes uniting our cultures and cooperating with others. We need to be aware of the sense of individualism and complacency that results from the comfortable surroundings in which we sometimes find ourselves. ✒ The concert at the Pala-

cio de los Deportes demonstrated that raising awareness is possible, as proven by the 12,000 people who filled the venue and united

their voices with the performers in solidarity with the purpose of fighting towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. ✒ The concert received

the invaluable support of Leire Pajín's (Secretary of State for International Cooperation) entire team and of the AECI. I offer my most genuine thanks to all of the members of VOCES and affirm our commitment to continue working so that development cooperation truly focuses its efforts on the fight against poverty.

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ed for some time for the AECI to have a genuine humanitarian office. This will be possible thanks to the AECI reforms that have recently been approved by the Council of Ministers. These reforms, in addition to the humanitarian aid office, will provide a more robust structure, with the goal in mind of adapting to new international development commitments and in order to ensure improved effectiveness in Spanish cooperation and make effective use of a budget that has tripled over the last few years.

The new agency will be called the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), and its new resources will include a Sub-Saharan Africa department and a central office for cross-sector and multilateral cooperation.

While Spain continues with the process of change, putting together the pieces of a project that is still partly based on hope, it is moving towards taking on a leadership role in contributing to a more just world. To be more precise, creating a more just world means removing the burden and drag of foreign debt for certain countries, so they are able to advance in their development. When countries have to

a fieldbased perspective ✒ Cooperation work in the

field provides an ongoing "reality check" during a period when change is accelerating, concepts are evolving, and new paradigms are being created. In the face of this reality, it has become apparent that Spanish Cooperation has clear distinguishing features that stand out in the context of field work. ✒ One of the most notable

pay off foreign debt at unsustainable levels, in the majority of cases this results, unfortunately, in reductions to health care, education, and basic infrastructure for accessing water, among other needs. Therefore, reducing such debt in coordination with other countries and other policies is an effective means of eradicating poverty. In 2006, the Spanish Regulator y Law on the Handling of Foreign Debt was passed, which, along with an active and coordinated policy from the outset, has made it possible to forgive 62% more debt than in the four preceding years. Spain has now become the countr y that provides the most widespread debt relief as part of the HIPC (Heavily Indebted Poor Countries) Initiative, having approved a plan for canceling all foreign debt for HIPC countries incurred before December 31, 2003.

Spain continued to move for ward with the creation of its cooperation policy, and as the legislature approached the end of its term, discussion and dialogue between all parties was required, not only concerning the progress achieved, but also with regard to the remaining challenges. The first step was a lasting initiative that was coordinated

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THE FEMINIZATION OF POVERTY Real progress for women is one of the most significant challenges that must be faced this century. Progress has been made but there is still a lot to do.

Of the 1.2 billion human beings that are living in poverty, 70% are women.

This is a truly shameful statistic, and means that women are still the group most vulnerable to poverty. At the same time, they are also the main instigators of social change. As a result of this situation, Spanish cooperation has included achieving gender equality as one of its priorities, both in specific sectors and across the board. A gender strategy will be published shortly, with the main objective of contributing to the eradication of poverty, as well as the empowerment of women with the goal of promoting the full exercise of their human rights. The aim is to contribute to the full exercise of the women's economic, social, sexual and reproductive, cultural and civil rights and to promote tools that will help to improve the quality and effectiveness of aid in relation to gender and its role in development.

notes  elena montobbio  manager of the otc in nicaragua features is its direct presence, which specifically supports processes both in communities and government institutions. Spanish cooperation works with the people; it is not unusual for mixed teams (expatriates and locals) to live alongside the communities they serve and to experience daily the difficulties and challenges they face. Another distinguishing feature is financial discipline and strict justification of expenses, in which one of the main concerns is that funds reach their destination without being siphoned off by intermediaries, without large

expenditures on consulting services, and always making use of the professional skills of the teams' own experts. A permanent presence is one of the basic principles at work in those development processes that seek to change the status quo through structural change, and this presence has been of crucial importance for field-based cooperation. Faced with the involvement of many different players, cooperation has proved to be more inclusive and complementary as a result of direct implementation, as opposed to prolonged planning.

✒ At the policy formation

and interaction level, Spain practices horizontal and joint cooperation both when forming bilateral agreements and in carrying out actual operations. ✒ This work is possible

because of the professional profile of the technical teams, from both government institutions and NGOs. These teams possess an excellent level of professionalism, ability to adapt, ability to form bonds with counterpart institutions and with the population, and they are committed to achieving their goals.

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Cooperation projects strengthen developing countries. PHOTO PEPA ACEDO.

by the current AECI Commissioner for Reform, Manuel Iglesia-Caruncho, with a foreword by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and an introduction by the Secretar y of State for International Cooperation, Leire Pajín. The paper is entitled "Progress and Challenges for Spanish Cooperation. Reflections on a Decade”, and contains many keys for present and future cooperation. Almost 50 writers were involved in the study, which is a report to the citizenr y on what has been done, the progress made, and the future challenges to be met.

The paper was published simultaneously with the Meeting on Spanish Cooperation that took place two months ago and where all parties involved, without exception, were privileged and fortunate enough to have the opportunity to meet for two days to jointly discuss our progress and future challenges.

Many activities took place in connec-

Reducing foreign debt in coordination with other countries is an effective means of eradicating poverty tion with the meeting, including a selection of films, an art exhibit, a concert organized by the Voices for Awareness and Development Association, and a panel of artists and celebrities from Spanish culture advocating fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals as a minimum moral requirement. In addition, many debates took place on subjects such as multilateral cooperation, aid effectiveness, policy coherence, culture and development, gender equality, and climate change. The consensus reached in these debates was that Spanish Cooperation will continue working towards consolidating current progress and tackling future challeng-

es. Long-term cooperation strategies, along with coordination mechanisms and forums, will all contribute to making Spanish cooperation something that ever yone has a stake in.

Intense emotions, high-level discussions and, above all, a seamless common plan will not only set Spain on the path to achieving its 0.7% goal and becoming an international leader as a country and a society, but will also help it to avoid taking any backward steps from what it has achieved, and to make decisive progress in meeting its remaining challenges. There are still over a billion people in the world living in poverty, 70% of whom are women. These shameful statistics reflect the world's continued unfairness and inequality. In 2000, the international community committed itself to achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 or before.

These goals included reducing by half the percentage of people that live on less than one dollar a day, reducing the mortality rate of children under five by two thirds, fighting AIDS, and promoting a world development organization.

Spain has shown itself to have a united population that is working towards achieving these goals. It is important to ensure that the work done up to now does not take a step backwards and that cooperation policy becomes national policy. As I stated before, the most important thing, in my opinion, is that we must not lose any ground from what we have achieved. This cannot be allowed to happen; this is the first challenge. The second challenge is to never forget who we are working for: men and women who are denied the most basic of rights and have no hope of a fairer and more dignified future.

FOREIGN DEBT “In addition to our commitment to the initiative for debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries,

Spain will be actively involved in operations involving the exchange of debt for social development initiatives...". José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. UN Headquarters. September 2004.

Reducing unsustainable debt is at the core of development cooperation policy. 62% more debt has been forgiven than in the previous corresponding period. With the development of the Spanish Regulatory Law on the Handling of External Debt, Spain aims to surpass its previous commitments. This past spring, a plan was approved to cancel all foreign debt for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) owed to Spain before 31 December 2003. Spain is at the forefront of initiatives of this sort.

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The Meeting on Spanish Development Cooperation was held in Madrid on October 25-26. All players involved in cooperation were invited, and after presenting their reports to the government, each spoke of the progress achieved and the challenges yet faced. The principal result of these highlevel discussions was the understanding that the development process is inherently linked to values.

Madrid hosted the main event for development cooperation

● The most useful outcome of the Madrid meeting was a series of conclusions covering areas such as poverty, hunger, inequality, exclusion, and environmental deterioration. These are all global phenomena affecting the entire world and can only be prevented through political will and commitment. The Millennium Development Goals represent a first attempt to make joint progress, but it will still be necessary to build broader and higherlevel global alliances.

Development is a process inherently linked to values, citizenship, and the protection of rights. The ability to ensure rights becomes possible when government institutions are strengthened,

Her Majesty Queen Sofía, with the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Leire Pajín, and Somaly Mam, who was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award in 1998. PHOTO EFE.

because such institutions contribute to the creation of a national vision and are accountable to society. Development must be understood as a basic human right and not as a unilateral and optional concession made by the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere.

The entire female population is essential for achieving human rights and the rule of law, and democracies are the best guarantee of achieving rights for women.

The cultural dimension of development refers to the right of peoples to

safeguard and lay claim to their diversity.

When a people recognizes and stakes a claim to the value of its own culture, its ability to tackle its own development challenges increases. Likewise, through mutual recognition between peoples and countries, it becomes possible to establish fairer relationships based on equality.

Spanish cooperation finds itself at a moment in history that it must take advantage of. Spain's commitment to assign 0.5% of Gross National Product to official development aid (increasing to 0.7%) means that in 2008 it will be among the nine largest international development donors in terms of percentage of wealth contributed. With this in mind, we will go into greater depth on several topics.

The first area to address is that of encouraging partnerships with countries in the Southern Hemisphere. This means that Spain must engage in ongoing dialogue with its partners and recognize its leadership over its own development processes. However, it also requires the commitment of Spain's partners to promote democratic reform at the national policy level, as well as to increase the involvement of civil society and the implementation of national agreements. Secondly, we must achieve coordination between all the players involved in Spanish cooperation, including government bodies, NGDOs, universities, labor unions, and the private sector. This also includes support for multilateralism.

Other priorities include modernizing Spain's cooperation system, fighting to achieve gender equality, and the obligation to ensure that the Spanish people benefit from these policies.

Finally, the challenge of sustainability and the fight against climate change must be a global commitment. Spain is working towards introducing sustainability criteria in its resource management and government purchasing processes.

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spain's commitment to cooperation

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REFLECTIONS ON A DECADE Laia cañigueral (ERC). “The great challenge is coherence”. Experimenting with exporting both the cultural and economic "development" models of rich societies (backed by the World Bank and the IMF, among others) has been shown to be ineffective at overcoming inequality, which is the result of a competitive system.

In light of this we must ask ourselves: should the result of solidarity and cooperation be to alleviate the most harmful consequences of this system (such as hunger and extreme poverty), or it should try to change structures in order to create a fairer world?

In other words, is the goal charity or justice? The conservative parties back the first option and the so-called progressive parties must defend the second.

JOAN HERRERA (IU-ICV). “More resources for cooperation, but no tools”. One vision of the future holds that we are lacking a high level of commitment,

An assessment of the challenges ahead ● The book entitled “Progress and Challenges for Spanish Cooperation.

Reflections on a Decade” brings together all of the parties involved in Spanish development cooperation like no other book before it. The book was released on October 23rd of this year, before the Meeting on Spanish Cooperation. It includes many key points relating to present and future Spanish cooperation.

The book, published by Fundación Carolina and Siglo XXI, was coordinated

by Manuel Iglesia-Caruncho and contains a foreword by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Almost 50 authors contributed to it. The publication is essentially a report to the citizenry on the use of the resources they themselves have targeted for the fight against poverty. The book cannot be accused of complacency, for while it recognizes the progress made, it also confronts the challenges that lie ahead in the coming years. The authors include parliamentary members of the Spanish Cooperation Commission of the Congress of Deputies.

greater certainty that what is being done right will continue, and that future challenges will be faced. The Spanish State Anti-Poverty Pact, proposed by the Spanish NGDO Coordinating Agency (CONGDE), could ensure that development policies progress independently of parliamentary number-crunching. This agreement entails a present commitment that would reduce the impact of future changes of government. For this reason, the greatest finishing touch that this legislature could add in the area of cooperation and development would be to approve this Pact and to achieve the commitment of the various political and social players involved in its implementation.

carlos campuzano (ciu). “More clear than unclear”. The five biggest issues that the new government must tackle in its upcoming term, while seeking the highest possible level of political agreement and social involvement are: the need to formulate a genuine development policy involving more than simply ODA; without structural reform, cooperation might well reach its target of 0.7%, but that growth might not all be for the good; the link between emigration and development will be the focus of many the OECD countries' political agendas; the need to create a more effective, transparent, sophisticated, and streamlined agency to manage increasing resources.

gonzalo robles (PP). “Spanish development cooperation”. This increase in the amount of aid must be accompanied by an increase in the quality of aid.

This means creating the appropriate cooperation tools, such as a reformed AECI, new regulations for the Aid Development Funds, greater transparency in the management of development cooperation funds, a debt policy in harmony with the new legislation, etc.

Furthermore, any quality development cooperation effort must back Latin America as a priority region while, of course, not abandoning cooperation with other regions. At the same time, it must back the strengthening of institutions and the fight against corruption in countries receiving Spanish ODA.

eduardo madina (psoe). “A commitment to solidarity”. Some of the goals that Spanish cooperation must continue to pursue include reaching the target of 0.7% of our GDP being assigned to international solidarity; continuing to increase non-refundable aid and reforming the tools for refundable aid which are in need of modernization and updating; continuing to be involved in alleviating debt by canceling that debt in exchange for development efforts; increasing Spanish influence in multilateral institutions by maintaining Spanish contributions as well as its role in decision making; and continuing to make progress in trade policies that are at the forefront of the battle to help countries in the Southern Hemisphere.

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Jose María Medina president of the spanish ngdo coordinating agency

Spanish NGDO cooperation ❖ For many years NGDOs, for reasons that motivate us all, have backed development cooperation that is clearly focused on the fight against poverty.

We have also developed a role and capacity as a critical partner within the Spanish cooperation system, both by being subject to continuous evaluation by Spanish cooperation agencies and by putting forth proposals for improvement. Furthermore, despite the large number of organizations in this sector, we have been involved in uniting key elements of this discourse through collaborative work carried out by a highly representative subset of Spanish NGDOs within the Coordinating Agency. This platform represents, in one way or another, over 400 NGDOs, which is probably about 25% of all Spanish NGDOs and over 70% in terms of human and economic resources. ❖ Our identity is non-governmental, which means, among other things, that we can't make decisions on public cooperation policy models, but we do have the ability to participate, contribute, propose and criticize policy if the opportunity arises. This is the situation in which we find ourselves at the close of the current legislative term, which has seen a strengthening of the involvement of all participants.

According the 2005-2008 Master Plan, NGDOs hold an unquestionable leadership role for four reasons: we are a channel for social involvement; we work directly with the populations of the Southern Hemisphere and their social organizations; we are able to communicate and broadcast the

reality in the Southern Hemisphere, thus raising the awareness of Spanish society; and we are able to propose designs for cooperation and implement policy.

Despite the large number of organizations in this sector, we have been involved in uniting key elements of our discourse through collaborative work ❖ In this respect, the Master Plan points out that NGDOs and their coordinating bodies are public interest organizations and, therefore, government administrations must support and contribute to their stability and sustainability, without reducing their autonomy and independence. ❖ I think that one ver y positive aspect of the current SECI and AECI teams has been that they have encouraged the involvement of different players, including NGDOs, while respecting and valuing their differences as an opportunity to enrich debate, although at times it has made the work more difficult.

It is positive that involvement has been encouraged, respecting and valuing differences as an opportunity to enrich debate.

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❖ This legislature has been characterized by a large and intensive effort to achieve reform and redirect cooperation policy. The new Master Plan for the four-year period between 2005 and 2008, created with the participation and input of all parties, has already set out the key guidelines for this new era. We recognize the progress made by the Coordinating Agency: a substantial increase in ODA, concerns over aid effectiveness, a clearer and more resolute focus on the fight against poverty and the Millennium Development Goals, greater openness in discussion with the other cooperation agencies (both public and private), reviving the consultative bodies created by the Spanish Act on International Cooperation 23/1998, a sustained effort to develop more and improved methodological tools, etc. On the other hand, we must acknowledge the difficulty associated with progressing in parallel on such a large front, working simultaneously on highly important areas such as sectoral and geographical strategies, AECI reform, using new cooperation tools, refocusing Spanish presence on multilateral cooperation, reforming humanitarian action and the Aid Worker Statute. ❖ It should be no surprise, with such a large deployment, that some things turn out to be more successful than others, but there must be recognition of the ef for ts being made and the results are being achieved. My impression is that there is much common ground between the approach and position of the Coordinating Agency and the basic aspects of the new focus on development cooperation policy included in the Master Plan. However, this doesn't prevent there being cer tain issues where there are different points of view and where the Coordinating Agency can maintain a stance of constructive criticism, contributing ideas and making proposals, with the aim of achieving the best cooperation possible.

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● foreign policy

When the first Alliance of Civilizations Annual Forum opens on January 15, 2008 in Madrid, it will mark the consolidation of an idea which, over the last three years, has been attracting countries and international organizations with the common objective of encouraging global mobilization in the fight against all forms of extremism.

Alliance of Civilizations

a global pledge TEXT: pepe bodas. PHOTOS: efe

● The idea of forming the Alliance of Civilizations came about at the end of 2004 as a result of a personal initiative by the Spanish and Turkish prime ministers, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, respectively. It was officially launched in 2005, when the then-Secretar y General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, decided to create a High-Level Group that would study the causes of the current polarization taking place between societies and cultures. It proposed a program of practical measures as a solution to these issues. The Group's first official meeting was in November 2005, in Palma de Mallorca. This was followed in 2006 with meetings in Doha, Dakar, New York and Istanbul.

In Istanbul in November, Mehmet Aydin and Federico Mayor Zaragoza, representing the High-Level Group, presented a repor t which, in addition to analyzing the current situation, formulated a series of practical recommendations. These ser ved as the basis for the Implementation Phase of the Alliance of Civilizations.

On April 26, 2007, Ban Ki-Moon,

The Alliance gives special priority to relations between Western and Muslim societies the new Secretar y General of the United Nations, named Jorge Sampaio, President of Por tugal from19962006, as the High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations. His mission was to lead the implementation phase of the Alliance. He deemed that the Secretariat of the Alliance should collaborate with nation-states, international and regional organizations, public interest groups, foundations and the private sector in order to mobilize effor ts made to promote intercultural relations between different nations and communities. The appointment of former Por tuguese president Jorge Sampaio was the culmination of the Alliance's institutionalization process.

The Alliance of Civilizations has a specific mandate. It is therefore appropriate to clarify its purpose and its field of activity. Because it is a United Nations initiative, the Alliance has a global dimension, which is reinforced

by a universal perspective. At the same time, it gives special priority to relations between Western and Muslim societies.

In its political plan, the Alliance of Civilizations aims to assist the initiation of contact and dialogue with political and religious figures, especially through its High Representative, as well as with the media and areas of civil society who are prepared to exer t their influence promoting the Alliance's objectives.

The Alliance is not attempting to create an "alternate road" or a "shor t cut" in the negotiation processes of different political spheres. Nor is it tr ying to duplicate already existing political channels or establish parallel channels. In other words, the Alliance will not, strictly speaking, inter vene in political decision-making processes, but instead will develop its influence at the before and after stages, with the aim of contributing to the creation of the required conditions so that different cultural and religious leaders gain greater knowledge and shared understanding.

It also aims to mobilize groups who can act as moderating influences. In this context, and in line with the rec-

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GRAPHIC DESIGN: JAVIER HERNĂ NDEZ

alliance of civilizations

ommendations in the High-Level Group's repor t, the High Representative may propose specific political initiatives depending on the circumstances in question.

In regards to planned activities, the Alliance works to promote, maintain and strengthen collaboration and interaction with related initiatives and it is fundamentally aimed at achieving collaboration with nation-states, international and regional organizations, civil society groups and institutions from the private sector which share its vision, aims and objectives.

In this regard, the Alliance will pay par ticular attention to the United Nations agencies whose work is of interest in relation to their objectives, which include the Organization for Education, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Program (UNPD). These are in addition to other international and regional organizations such as the European Union (EU), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

The Alliance of Civilizations is directed towards collaborating with nation-states, international organizations and private institutions, who share its vision and objectives (OSCE), the Council of Europe (CE), the Organization of The Islamic Conference (OIC), the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and the World Tourism Organization (WTO).

The Alliance's main function is not to take on the complete development of projects on the ground, nor was it created to run its own projects. On the contrar y, its overriding function is to

suppor t the adaptation or expansion of existing projects. Never theless, in the event that the High Representative considers it appropriate and necessar y for the Alliance of Civilizations to develop a new project to suppor t its goals and objectives, the Alliance will tr y to do so in collaboration with other competent agencies and organizations.

Working with par tner organizations always brings with it oppor tunities and challenges. The challenges consist of working towards a common goal, without losing the independence, mandate and priorities of each par ty. The opportunities lie in learning from each other and developing on equal terms. These types of par tnership relations aim to act as multipliers to suppor t improved coordination between projects, taking advantage of the comparative advantages of each par tner and generating greater visibility on the basis of shared goals. The par tners must make a triple commitment: to act to benefit all par tners, promote effective collaboration and develop a vision for the future.

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The Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ex-Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan, and Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, during a joint press conference at the beginning of November 2006 in Istanbul. EFE

In relation to the United Nations system, the Alliance will make the most of its nature and its small, flexible structure. It will act according to a programmatic and results-oriented approach. The High Representative must present an annual repor t on the Alliance's activities to the Secretar y General, which, in turn, may be presented to the United Nations General Assembly.

● Action Plan. On June 14 of this year, barely two months after being appointed by the United Nations Secretar y General, the High Representative

FIRST ANNUAL FORUM OF THE ALLIANCE Madrid will host the first Alliance of Civilizations Annual Forum on January 15-16, 2008. Attending the forum will be political leaders, international and regional organizations, as well as public interest

presented an Alliance of Civilizations Action Plan to Ban Ki-Moon which details a work program for the next two years.

The Action Plan consists of two phases. The first describes the Strategic and Structural Framework. It offers an over view of the main leaders of the Alliance of Civilizations and outlines the structure with which it will be suppor ting the work of the Alliance, including the mechanisms for creating links for par tnership, promotion, financing and establishing priorities. This initial phase is directly inspired by the recommendations included in the Alliance's

groups and foundations.

They are meeting to explore ways of tackling the threat posed to international peace and security caused by the increasing polarization between nations and cultures from all over the world, as well as to study new means for multicultural understanding on a global scale.

Opening the Madrid Forum will be the Spanish and

High-Level Group Repor t, with par ticular emphasis placed on the four prioritized spheres of action: youth, education, migration and the media. It also reflects on the High Representative's vision on how the Alliance must progress in its effor ts and missino.

The second phase outlines the Alliance's Action Plan for the 2007-2009 period. Following this, the Madrid Forum will carr y out a review of the Plan for assessing the progress made, highlight any obstacles and limitations encountered, propose solutions to overcome them and design a means for redefining and updating itself.

Turkish Prime Ministers, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Jorge Sampaio, and the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon.

The first Alliance of Civilizations Annual Forum has been designed to be an event with a predominantly practical approach, which will provide participants

with an unprecedented international platform in order to collaborate in the development of new joint initiatives. In addition to the high level debates on current national trends regarding relations between different cultures and religions, the Forum will also include work seminars focused on specific issues which will analyze the commencement of new initiatives.

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Rafael Dezcallar general director of foreign policy

A useful initiative for all ❖ The world of the 21st Centur y is characterized by the relative nature of international borders. Today we are all world travelers, and this is constantly increasing all the time: in 1990, 265 million people travelled to Europe and in 2004, 416 million did so, and by 2020 an estimated 717 million will travel there. ❖ What's more, nowadays everybody travels at high speed. Not only people, but also information and, of course, ideas. As a result, the events taking place in one part of the world affect us all. ❖ As minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos has reiterated, managing the coexistence of cultures, both within and beyond our borders, will be a challenge taking utmost priority on the international agenda over the next few decades. To face the new challenges of the 21st Century we must equip ourselves with new tools. The Alliance of Civilizations aims to be one of these tools. In fact, the events taking place in the international community since the proposal was formulated have served to highlight the timeliness of the initiative: the cartoon crisis, the deterioration of the regional situation in the Middle East and a clear loss of identity in many sectors of global society, from Latin America to the Middle East. ❖ Despite its infancy as an initiative, the sentiment behind the Alliance of Civilizations is not new. For example, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership created in Barcelona constitutes a regional application -- which started

over a decade ago - of the Alliance's principals. The difference rests on the fact that the Alliance has moved this reflection and design of practical activities into a global forum, and has an unmatched mandate and legitimacy for tackling these issues: the United Nations. ❖ Until the launch of the Alliance, the subject was dealt with using a more theoretical approach, as was the case with the Iranian initiative on Dialogue Among Civilizations. They were valiant efforts which must be continued, but new advances directed towards common action were required.

The Alliance of Civilizations seeks to focus on the political sphere, helping the development of predominantly practical recommendations that may be adopted by governments. In contrast to previous initiatives, the Alliance seeks to reach a broad international agreement regarding a specific action plan of a political nature. ❖ I believe that the appointment of a High Representative for the Alliance marks a before and after in the development of the initiative. Now we have a "face" for the Alliance, a personality with a huge political profile – the former president of Portugal, Jorge Sampaio - who is working to articulate and broadcast this new political concept on a global level. ❖ The High Representative presented an Action Plan this year in June, which starts by making political guidelines and numerous topical recommendations included the High-Level

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Group Report. This will constitute a "roadmap" for the initiative over the next two years. ❖ After consulting with the SGONU, Spain has offered to host the first Alliance of Civilizations Forum in Madrid on January 15-16, 2008. Our intention is for it to become a large annual event and an outstanding tool in helping to achieve political mobilization of the initiative for both nations and international organizations and public-interest groups: young people, opinion leaders, the business world, etc. ❖ The Alliance is action oriented, which is why we want the forum to produce concrete results. Some of those may include designing a political mechanism for crisis prevention and control, which revolves around the figure of the High Representative. It could intervene in situations such as the cartoon crisis that happened two years ago, and initiate plans encouraging youth employment and finance projects that promote the principals of the Alliance. ❖ However, if we want the Alliance of Civilizations to be long-lasting we need to gradually integrate it into our various national policies, both on a national and international basis. We need to make the Alliance a truly national policy which permeates all of our political activity, both locally and internationally, in a similar way to human rights. ❖ For this reason we have received the proposals of the High Representative with particular interest, inviting members of the Alliance's Group of Friends to develop national plans for the Alliance (in the case of nations) or association agreements (in the case of international organizations). These plans or agreements will include specific lines of political action for each country or international organization aimed at achieving the Alliance's objectives. It could be the way to convert this global initiative into concrete policies.

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Spain has held the OSCE Chairmanship for 2007 and has established certain priorities, which have developed throughout the year. As Chairman-in-Office, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has visited conflict zones. This gave him the opportunity to witness the complex reality of these areas, where the organization's work is vitally important.

365 days of the Spanish OSCE Chairmanship AN ACCOUNT OF A YEAR OF CHAIRMANSHIP BY SANTIAGO JIMÉNEZ PHOTOS: efe AND F. CORCHADO

● That cold day in January, while watching the flamenco show that marked the inauguration of Spain's OSCE chairmanship, nobody could have imaged what an intense and exhausting, but also rewarding and fruitful, chairmanship it would be.

Spain established a list of priorities for 2007 for the organization's three main spheres of activity.

In the political and militar y sphere, the objectives have been to improve the synergy between the Permanent Council and the Forum for Security Cooperation, continue with the debates on the issue of civilian-militar y cooperation in emergency situations, and place emphasis on the fight against terrorism on several fronts. These include improving legal cooperation in criminal matters, increasing the se-

curity of travel documents, integrating the fight against terrorism into civil society and promoting the protection and due recognition of the victims of terrorism.

In the economic and environmental sphere, Spain proposed increasing the scope of the OSCE's environmental security activities, attempting to raise awareness of the problem of soil degradation and pollution as a serious threat and emphasizing the need for rational water management. In shor t, giving the OSCE a more active role in this field, which is so vitally impor tant for our future.

As for the human dimension, Spain has tried to promote greater involvement and diversity in our societies, which are becoming ever increasingly plural. For this reason it has promoted various conferences, among the most notewor thy being the Conference on Combating Discrimination held in Bu-

Picture of the Plenary Session of 15th OSCE Ministerial Council held in Madrid at the end of November. The first session was inaugurated by the President of the Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, with 56 countries taking part.

charest and the Conference on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Muslims held in Córdoba. Youth involvement in these activities is vital for Spain. For this reason, the Chairmanship held the "Youth Forum", the first event of its kind to be backed by the organization. It brought together many young people from the various countries involved in the OSCE. As a result of these effor ts we are now in a position to asser t that the OSCE contributes to an improved effectiveness in the control of travel documents as compared to last year.

Today the victims of terrorism have

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a louder voice that is being heard in more forums. Today civil society is more involved in the fight against terrorism. Today our governments and societies are more aware of the need to prevent soil degradation and pollution.

Today we have more methods available for achieving better water management. Today we are able to say that we have more pluralistic societies and that more young people are aware of the need to adopt and disseminate the OSCE's values.

Does this mean the job is done?

No, of course not. Today, the OSCE continues to be a fundamental element of European security in a broader sense and its work, despite being unfinished, is still necessar y.

as 'prolonged conflicts'. Spain took on this task, placing a par ticular focus on these areas from a realistic and pragmatic perspective. It has been able to assist contact, develop means of trust-building, which enable the relevant par ties to understand how similar they are to each other, and above all prevent the conflicts claiming more victims. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has promoted this vision over a series of exhausting visits to all corners of the OSCE universe.

The Chairman-in-Office was met in Belgrade by a gray night and a light but pleasant rain. The city, now filled with an enviable vitality, is still recovering from its recent wounds thanks to the

â—? Conflicts. Another significant field of activity for the Chairmanship this year has focused on the centers of prolonged instability, which are referred to

Many people's daily lives have now improved as a result of these efforts

â—? foreign affairs

patient work of the OSCE in areas such as justice, security and education. Despite the threatening clouds, Serbia can now begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel and many people's daily lives have now improved as a result of these effor ts.

The city of Pristina in Kosovo is an unusual place where soldiers, volunteers and the police mix with a sea of suspicious faces that look on with the mistrust of someone who has seen almost ever ything. During his visit, the Chairman-in-Office visited the OSCE's largest land-based mission involving almost 1000 people. Hidden behind the building's white walls and blue windows are people working countless hours, patiently rebuilding the region.

Ever y effor t is being made to ensure that this vital task continues next year, and therefore the Spanish Chairmanship will continue its effor ts right up to the last minute in an attempt to

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FOUR BIG DATES FOR SPAIN The OSCE chairmanship has led to Spain staging important meetings of major international significance. These pictures show the Conference on Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims held in Cordoba, the 2nd Preparatory Conference for the 15th Economic and Environmental Forum held in Zaragoza, and the Youth Forum held at the beginning of November in Madrid.

achieve a renewal of this mandate for the upcoming year.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has poisoned relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan going back almost two decades. It has now reached such a point that they are not even capable of reaching an agreement over a game of soccer between the two countries.

The contrast between the two capitals is clear to see: while Baku is an ocean of cranes and concrete stemming from the black gold in the Caspian sea, Yerevan appears to have the Christian humility of a pover ty stricken but proud countr y. Creating means of trust-building is an arduous but necessar y task and the OSCE's Chairman-in-Office, perhaps thinking of the ping-pong diplomacy that encouraged Chinese-US relations, proposed Spain as a venue for entering into this impor tant "peace agreement", "because," he warned, "it is necessar y to keep on tr ying until there is a less-than-zero chance of success". This captures the spirit of the Chairmanship; perseverance and patience.

In Georgia, a countr y that is equally far away as it is unknown for the large majority of the Spanish public, torrid heat awaited the Chairman-in-Office as he stepped off the plane. Again in a prolonged conflict where little has cooled off, the OSCE's work is vital in order to prevent confrontations, as well as fur ther victims and suffering.

The aim has been to build bridges enabling the par ties to overcome their differences, live peacefully together and achieve stability in the countr y, as

stated by Minister Moratinos, whom is at the hear t of the organization.

During this review of the Chairman-in-Office's exhausting days of travel, we can't forget his visit to Moldova and the Transnistria region. It is perhaps in the most trivial of details where the key points can be found that enable a conflict to be understood in all its simplicity and complexity. During the first night of the visit to Chisinau, a wedding was taking place in the hotel where the delegation was staying. The bride and groom belonged to different

The overall balance is positive because it has contributed to the monumental task of building peace in regions where there has been suffering for too long sides of the conflicting communities, divided by an area without a name and protected by two barriers watched over by mistrustful guards repor ting ever y suspicious movement. When passing through this zone, one can't help thinking of the image of the two barriers uniting, merging to form a single barrier, dissolved by love. Perhaps the solution has an obvious political component that is both complex and convoluted, in which the OSCE is also involved. However its work goes beyond this; building a democratic society based on respecting human rights and educated in tolerance. This is the

sentiment backed by the OSCE, which may one day enable us to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Flying over five Central Asian Republics where few Spanish people have been turned out to be a unique experience. Minister Moratinos became the first Spanish Ministr y of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation to set foot in these countries, some of which border with Afghanistan. It was precisely for the purpose of improving security in this region, marred for decades by endless conflicts, that the 15th Ministerial Council in Madrid reached an agreement enabling greater control over this border.

During 2007, the Spanish Chairmanship of the OSCE has achieved some of the objectives that it set out for itself at the beginning of the year.

For the remaining objectives it has laid out a path that future chairmanships can follow if they so choose.

The overall balance, therefore, is positive because it has contributed to the monumental task of building peace in regions that have experienced suffering for too long.

If, as John Stuar t Mill said, "there is no greater test of the progress of a civilization than the progress in its ability to cooperate", then the Spanish Chairmanship can feel satisfied. This year the OSCE has revived its status as a forum for discussion and political cooperation. The Spanish Chairmanship has kept alight the flame that lit up Europe during the gloomy years of the cold war, so that it can again illuminate the long path to progress, rec-

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Carlos Sánchez de Boado

SPAIN'S AMBASSADOR AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE OSCE

With sights set on the future ❖ Spain has taken on one of the most interesting challenges for foreign policy in 2007: the Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). This organization is the most important existing regional security structure. It is composed of 56 participating countries and 11 Mediterranean and Asian partners for cooperation. It includes Canada, the U.S, Europe and Russia, as well as the countries that make up the former Soviet Union, South Caucasus and Central Asia. In short, it forms a bridge between the Euro-Atlantic Community and Eurasia. ❖ The Chairmanship is a complicated exercise that requires working together in defense of national interests, for both the European Union and the OSCE. The decision to chair the organization is basically due to the conviction that practicing active multilateralism is essential and Spain is prepared to do its part. Also because through the OSCE, Spain has the opportunity to increase its presence in regions where up until now, it didn't have much. ❖ The main role of the OSCE is to maintain peace and security within its borders with the objective of "shaping a free and peaceful Europe, being aware of the challenges affecting its security and the need to cooperate in a globalized and interdependent world". ❖ At the beginning of the Chairmanship, Minister Moratinos spoke of priorities, perseverance and patience. The Chairmanship's priori-

ties in the political-militar y dimension have been aimed at resolving prolonged conflicts, the fight against terrorism, integrating this fight into civil society, and the protection and recognition of the victims of terrorism. ❖ For the economic and environmental dimension, Spain has focused its attention on the link between the environment and security. ❖ Regarding the third dimension, the idea has been to increase involvement in our plural societies. For this reason, and at the behest of Minister Moratinos, a conference on antiSemitism was organized in Cordoba in 2005. Here, for the first time they introduced the concept that the fight

Chairing the OSCE was a result of the conviction that it is essential to practice active multilateralism. against intolerance should also focus on intolerance towards Muslims. This initiative bore fruit with the conference held in Cordoba in 2007, exclusively devoted to this issue. ❖ Likewise, during 2007, Spain has encouraged the involvement of public interest groups and NGOs, as well as education in human rights, tolerance and gender equality. ❖ Furthermore, Spain has attached more significance to the OSCE's Partners for Cooperation,

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especially to the six Mediterranean partners. This is based on the conviction that the security issues affecting us are not limited to Europe's borders. Our understanding, then, is that the OSCE, among other players, must pay particular attention to achieving cooperation between both sides of the Mediterranean. ❖ Some specific challenges that were raised at the Ministerial Council in Madrid on November 29-30 consisted of introducing certain innovative features into the meeting format and tackling issues related to reforming the organization; a task that some countries do not consider to be completed. Other highly relevant political issues covered at the Ministerial Council included: the OSCE's involvement in Afghanistan-related activities; the approval of a policy declaration, something that hasn't been achieved since 2002; prolonged conflicts in the OSCE region; and the election of future chairmanships. ❖ Spain is aware that it has not been able to be complete all of the objectives initially outlined. This is in the nature of multilateral diplomacy, especially in an organization that is governed by the rule of consensus.

However, apart from the results it has achieved, our Chairmanship can already feel proud of having reinforced the OSCE's role. Top figures in international politics such as the United States Secretar y of State, Condoleeza Rice, and the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister, Sergey Lavrov, have appeared before the OSCE's Permanent Council at critical times in the current debate on European security. ❖ With sights set on the future, it is vital that we know how to further promote the momentum that has been achieved. Because there is a space that we are obliged to fill, because there is clear political interest in active multilateralism, and because we have professionals that are able to move for ward with these challenges.

 foreign action in brief The Chile Summit approves the IberoAmerican Social Security Pact ● The Seventeenth Latin American Summit, held in Chile between the 8th and 10th of November, approved a Social Security pact that will allow emigrants to receive pensions even if they have made contributions in a number of different Latin American countries. His Majesty the King, the President, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation represented Spain at the Summit.

Other measures that were approved by the representatives of the 22 countries in the Ibero-American Community of Nations include a strengthening of the exchange program for professors and students and the creation of an observational body to monitor gender equality in the region. Ibero-American Summits have been held annually since 1991, providing a privileged forum for interaction between all Ibero-American countries. It is here that policies are agreed upon to improve the well-being of their citizens and to strengthen the region's standing in the world.

Agreement to improve the working conditions of Foreign Service workers ● The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and the Minister of Public Administration, Elena Salgado, presided over the signing of an agreement between the Administration and the trade unions to improve working conditions for Foreign Service workers.

The labor rights of this group, comprising of over 6,000 public employees who work in the offices attached to Spanish embassies and consulates, will be recognized at both an individual and collective level.

Some 30% of the 9,600 public employees working outside of Spain are categorized as officers or field experts, while the rest, some 6,000 people, are considered

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation during his visit to the Vatican.

The Minister at the beatification of 498 Spaniards in the Vatican ● Miguel Ángel Moratinos led the official Spanish delegation at the beatification ceremony of 498 Spanish martyrs of the Civil War in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City.

The Spanish delegation included the vice president of la Valencian Autonomous Community, Juan Cotino; the president of the Congress of Castilla y León, José Manuel Fernández Santiago; the advisor to the Presidency of the Community of Madrid, Francisco Granados; and the Spanish Ambassador to the Holy See, Francisco Vázquez. During his stay at the Vatican, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation met with representatives of the Spanish Church present in Rome and with members of the Vatican Curia.

administrative staff.

The agreement establishes a single regulatory framework governing working conditions, which will apply to all staff working abroad, regardless of their nationality (about 50% of are Spanish or EU citizens), as well as legislation governing their contracts. The agreement provides these workers with the same individual rights as those of the staff working in gen-

eral government administration. Furthermore, the rights of these workers to representation has been recognized for the first time. The agreement also provides for the regulation of representative bodies. Foreign Service staff now also have the right to participate in Professional Training and Social Action programs. The foundation has also been laid for later analysis, normalization, and development in areas such as professional classification, mobility and pay structures.

Fourth Spain-China Forum in Madrid ● The fourth Spain-China Forum was held on 27th and 28th of November in the Pabellón de Cristal of Madrid's Casa de Campo. The forum is a place for the institutions and civil society of both countries to meet with the objective of improving bilateral relations.

The meeting is structured into six committees: politics, economics and business, culture and education, sport, law, and regions and cities. After the inauguration, the Chinese Deputy Prime Minister, Hui Liangyu, who traveled with a delegation of government officials and business people numbering more than 200, was recieved by His Majesty the King in the Zarzuela Palace. Later he met with the President, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.

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Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Hui Liangyu, during the inauguration of the Fourth Spain-China Forum PHOTO EFE.

Casa África and Casa Asia organize a seminar on “Africa, the new Chinese frontier” ● The Vice-President of the Canary Islands Government, José Manuel Soria López, acted as master of ceremonies for the presentation of the seminar “África, the new Chinese frontier” at Casa África. The initiative was organized jointly by Casa Asia and Casa África.

The presentation was also attended by Amadeo Jensana, director of the Casa Asia Business Circle and J. Alfonso Ortiz Ramos, director general of Casa África. Soria, Jensana and Ortiz Ramos made special mention of the timeliness of this seminar, whose opening coincided with the end of the Lisbon summit, as it pursues greater understanding of what Europe might learn from the Asian powerhouse and its relations with the African continent.

Alfonso Ortiz reminded those present that China was not a new presence on the African continent. He said: "we all know the important role that China played, as a world power, in African independence.” Amadeo Jensana spoke of Africa's fundamental importance to

China, and of the need for that country to establish a more privileged symbiotic relationship than those traditionally maintained by the United States and Europe with Africa.

Finally, José Manuel Soria commented on the oppor tunities available to Europe, Spain and the Canar y Islands on the African continent, and about what can be learned from China.

According to Soria, Europe should focus on Africa to give the continent "a real oppor tunity for economic growth and governance". Soria, who is also an Economic and Treasur y advisor to the Canar y Islands Government, praised the initiatives put for ward by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in Lisbon and emphasized the need for intelligent, focused usage of resources targeted to Africa in order to improve living conditions for the 300 million Africans who live on one dollar (or less) a day. “The Canar y Islands can and must play a central role," concluded Soria.

Spain is still the olive oil capital ● Thanks to the signing of a new agreement between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and the Director of the lnternational Olive Oil Council (COI), Habib Essid, in November, Madrid will remain the international organization's headquarters.

The lnternational Olive Oil Council was founded in 1959, at which time it was decided the headquarters would be in Spain. The signing of this agreement renews the agreement on the organization's headquarters, where the international olive oil industry's action plans are formulated. Following the ceremony, Miguel Angel Moratinos underlined how it would be “impossible to think of our country without the cultural contribution of olives and their oil,” and then went on to present the “Tierras de Olivo” exhibition, which opened in December in Jaén and other towns in the province including Úbeda, Baeza and Baena.

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The Commission for the Ibero-American Bicentennial established ● Vice-President María Teresa Fernández de la Vega oversaw the creation of the Commission to commemorate the Bicentennial of the Independence of the Ibero-American Republics. Its executive committee will be presided over by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Other members will include former president Felipe González as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, the Minister of Culture, and the Secretaries of State for International Cooperation and for Ibero-America.

Spain earmarks 61 million for International Organizations ● The Council of Ministers has approved the payment of 17 voluntary Spanish contributions to various UN bodies and programs, as well as to other international organizations, in the amount of 61,600,000 Euros. From these donations, 24 million will go to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and 10 million to the Fund for the Empowerment of African Women; another 10 million have been earmarked for the Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology and 4 million for the UNEP. Other organizations that will benefit from Spain's contributions are the OEI, UNCTAD, the UNDP, the UN Capital Development Fund, the World Bank, UNHCR, and UNESCO.

Palestine 181: 60 years later ● To mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the Casa Árabe-Instituto Internacional de Estudios Árabes y del Mundo Musulmán (IEAM, International Institute for Arab Studies and the Muslim World) has organized two days of events revolving around

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Palestine under the name 'Palestine 181: 60 Years Later'. This name (Palestine 181) comes from Resolution 181/II of the UN General Assembly in which it was decided that Palestine, at that time under

British rule, would be shared between the two peoples inhabiting it.

The first day's events were centered around four conferences and the projection of the film "Rana's Wedding," di-

rected by Hany Abu-Assad (2002). On the second day a concert was given by the Palestinian group, the Oriental Music Ensemble. Created in 1997 by the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music (ESNCM), the Oriental Music Ensemble is one of the most prestigious and wellknown contemporary music groups, made up of four of the Conservatory's professors: Suhail Khoury (general director of the Conservatory), Ibrahim Atari, Yousef Zayed and Ahmad Al-Khatib.

Wanted - a common European policy on migration and development

The Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates and his Foreign Minister, Luis Amado, pose with the Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Miguel Ángel Moratinos. PHOTO EFE.

The signing of the Treaty of Lisbon brings the Portuguese EU presidency to a close ● The leaders of the 27 Member States of the European Union signed the Treaty of Lisbon in the cloisters of the Monasterio de los Jerónimos monastery in the Portuguese capital. The Treaty is the successor to the draft Constitution, by which the Member States aim to streamline the decisionmaking process following the accession of twelve new Members, as well as to successfully deal with globalization.

In the words of the Portuguese Prime Minister and current EU president, Jose Sócrates, the new Treaty, the fourth for the EU and the result of a long ratification process, answers "the challenge of achieving greater efficiency in the

decision-making process." "The European Project is further consolidated by this treaty, and only a Europe that is capable of making decisions will be able to get results." These were the words of the Portuguese head of state, who sees the document that was signed today as fundamental to the future of a more "modern, efficient and democratic" EU. During his speech, the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Durao Barroso, asked the governments of the EU to "make the most of the political courage" they showed during negotiations, in order to now take the ratification process forward. The Spanish Minister went on to state his view that the approved text "opens up a new position for the European Union as a global player." Among the advancements provided by the Treaty are the ability to approve decisions with a qualified majority, and new areas of activity for strengthened cooperation efforts.

● Representatives from Spain, France and Italy stressed the need for a common European policy on migration and development during the seminar organized by the Fundación Internacional y para Iberoamérica de Administración y Políticas Públicas (FIIAPP, International and IberoAmerican Foundation for Administration and Public Policy) in collaboration with the Italian Centro Studi di Politica Internazionale (CeSPI, Center for the Study of International Policy) and France Cooperation International (FCI). According to the Spanish Secretary of State for Immigration and Emigration, Consuelo Rumí, "today more than ever we face an immense challenge laden with expectations," though she also stated that "we cannot ignore the risks this entails." "The face of migration has changed, as have its patterns, demanding a change in the responses we must provide in order to respect the interests of all.

The EU must consider the historic reasons for migration and provide an appropriate solution that deals with the full scope of the issue,” stated Consuelo Rumí.

Patrick Cohen, the advisor in charge of organizing the Paris Conference on Migration and Development held by France's Ministry for Immigration emphasized that "France believes it necessary for there to be a European policy on this matter that favors an integrated, global focus on migration". Cohen expressed the need to create a policy on the integration and de-

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velopment of the countries of origen, facilitating the remittance of funds to those countries.

The Italian Ambassador to Spain, Pasquale Terracciano, recognized the growing sensitivity to these matters, as demonstrated by the Council of Europe's “Global Approach to Migration” held in December of 2005 and the Euro-African Conference on Migration and Development held in Rabat in 2006 and promoted

by Spain and Morocco.

providing a space for interaction, dialogue and sisterhood among African and Spanish women and organizations, which began with the "Mozambique Declaration” passed at the first “Meeting between Spanish and African women - Women for a better world" held in Maputo in March of 2006. The Steering Committee is made up of eight African and eight Spanish women who are preparing the program for the third Meeting in Niger, after those held in Mozambique (2006) and Madrid (2007).

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and that there is not a minute to waste."

The document confirms the findings of UN experts on climate change presented in Valencia, namely, that the cost of not taking action on climate change is far greater than the cost of measures that can and must be taken.

The Prime Minister stated that climate change is a "huge challenge," but also a "great opportunity" because it provides an incentive to create a new production model, a new economy that embraces

Rodríguez Zapatero speaks to the European Parliament Image of the Meeting held in the Canary Islands

Casa África welcomes the Seminar on the Leadership and Empowerment of Women ● Casa África, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI), the Fundación Internacional y para Iberoamérica de Administración y Políticas (FIIAPP, International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Policy) and the Instituto de la Mujer (Women's Institute) organized the 1st Course for the Leadership and Empowerment of Women as a part of the development events organized by the “Red de Mujeres por un Mundo Mejor” (Women's Network for a Better World), held from the 3rd through the 7th of December at Casa África. More than 30 women attended the course, each of them respected African leaders.

Also held at Casa África was the meeting of the Steering Committee of the “Red de Mujeres por un Mundo Mejor” (Women's Network for a Better World),

● Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero proposed ambitious developments of the European Union's policies on immigration, energy, organized crime and terrorism, as well as their foreign, defense and social policies, to the European Parliament. The Prime Minister presented himself as a “committed and militant Europeanist,” stating that the EU's main priorities should be to achieve the greatest possible independence from carbonbased energy, to strengthen civil rights, and to safeguard peaceful coexistence.

He also insisted that the EU "must meet the just and pressing demands" made

by Africa, improve dialogue with Mediterranean countries, "multiply" relations with Latin America and "involve Europe in the principal international challenges."

The Spanish Prime Minister also praised the work of the European Parliament and thanked them for the EU funds received

by Spain.

The challenge posed by climate change is a priority for development ● In response to a report on the state of climate change in Spain, Rodríguez Zapatero stated that the fight against climate change is an "absolute priority" for any "responsible modern government,

Desertification of the planet is one of the most striking effects of climate change. PHOTO EFE.

innovation and moves away from carbon production. He added that the Spanish Government is "fully committed" to "taking a lead in changing our energy and production models."

A Spanish general leads the EU troops in Bosnia - Herzegovina ● For the first time, Spain is leading a multinational operation after 15 years of operations in the Balkans. It will be in Bosnia-Herzegovina, a country where Spanish troops were first deployed in 1992. The General of the Ground Forces division, Ignacio Martín Villalaín, will now lead the European Union forces in BosniaHerzegovina (EUFOR), relieving German vice-admiral Hans-Jochen Witthauer. This mandate gives Spain an opportunity to show its commitment to this country and to stability in Europe.

The current Spanish EUFOR Bosnia contingent is made up of 258 people.

The majority belong to the Multinational Battalion, most of whom come from the Third Marine Infantry Divi-

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GOBIERNO DE ESPAÑA

MINISTERIO DE ASUNTOS EXTERIORES Y DE COOPERACIÓN

sion based in San Fernando (Cádiz).

There are also troops from the Navy Specialist Corps, Army Ground Forces and the Common Security Forces.

new chapter in the book on peace in the Middle East".

Throughout this year, Spain has been adopting a series of initiatives insisting upon an international conference as the best way to restart the Peace Process.

Collaboration between Radio 5 and Radio Exterior de España ● The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, through the Directorate General for Foreign Communication, has signed a cooperation agreement with ‘Radio 5’ y ‘Radio Exterior de España.’

The state radio station will broadcast informative programs on various issues regarding foreign policy, diplomacy, international organizations and other subjects of interest to Spaniards travelling or living abroad. These spots, named 'Miradas al exterior', last approximately three and a half minutes and will be broadcast on Friday mornings and evenings on the allnews program 'Radio 5 Todo Noticias'.

In the rest of the world, the reports will be broadcast on the following programs, based on their subject matter: ‘España en el mundo’, ‘Hora América’, ‘El español en Brasil’, ‘África hoy’ and ‘La hora de Asia’.

GOBIERNO DE ESPAÑA

The Congress of Deputies marks the 30th Anniversary of Spain's admission to the Council of Europe

MINISTERIO DE ASUNTOS EXTERIORES Y DE COOPERACIÓN

Spain participates in the preparation of the International Treaty on the Arms Trade ● Spain has been chosen by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, to form part of the governmental Group of Experts that will examine the viability, influence, and parameters of an International Treaty on the Arms Trade. The aim of this treaty is to do away with the discrepancies in controls implemented by different States, which hinder the fight against illicit arms trafficking. The UN has recognized Spain's commitment to establishing a legally binding treaty that sets out universal principles and criteria governing arms control, and which would be applicable to all Member States.

MAEC for gender equality ● “En el exterior por la igualdad” (world-wide equality) is the name of the campaign spearheaded by the Ministr y for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation to raise awareness of the work it is doing in the field of foreign policy to promote gender equality. Spain is leading the promotion of equality at international meetings and in forums such as the United Nations, the European Union and the Ibero-Amercian summits. Among other initiatives, our countr y has, since 2007, been the primar y contributor to the UN Development Fund for Women.

Annapolis: “A new chapter in the book on peace in the Middle East” ● At the Annapolis Peace Conference held in the United States on the 26th, 27th, and 28th November, the Israelis and Palestinians committed to reaching a peace agreement by the end of 2008. The Conference was attended by the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, who stated that Annapolis "opens a

● The Plenary session of the Congress of Deputies held on November 29th approved a declaration to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Spain's admission to the Council of Europe, thus renewing Spain's commitment to the values represented and defended by the Council.

The declaration brings to memory the importance of Spain's admission as a key step during our country's transition period. The declaration approved by all parties represented in the Congress reaffirmed that the pre-eminence of law and the ideals embodied by the European Convention on Human Rights would be guaranteed by the new Spanish Constitution, thus gaining the Council of Europe's confidence in Spain's democratization process.

María Jesús Figa named as Deputy Secretary of the Ministry ● The Council of Ministers approved the naming of María Jesús Figa as deputy secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, replacing Luis Calvo, who was named as Spain's Ambassador to Rome.

Born in Barcelona, María Jesús Figa will be the first woman to be appointed as Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs in Spain. She had formerly been the director general of International Economic Relations, after having served as Ambassador to the Dominican Republic and as Special Ambassador to Ibero-American summits.

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According to the UNDP, Spain is one of thirteen countries with the highest standard of living The Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D´Alema, his Spanish counterpart Miguel Ángel Moratinos, the Lebanese politician Saad Hariri and the French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in Beirut.

The Spanish, French and Italian Foreign Ministers travel to Beirut ● On November 22nd, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, traveled to Beirut with his French and Italian counterparts to meet with the Lebanese Prime Minister, Fuad Sinora, together with other leaders from the parliamentary majority and the opposition, in order to help with the election of a new head of State for Lebanon and to promote the stability of the country. This was the diplomats' second visit to Lebanon in pursuit of this objective in just over a month. Spain, France, and Italy are the countries with the highest number of troops in the UN mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL II. The Miguel de Cervantes military base is part of this mission and was visited by the Spanish foreign minister.

Expo Zaragoza participates in the initiative to plant more than 1.5 billion trees in 2008 ● Zaragoza's International Exposition has joined a global initiative to replant the planet and surpass the annual reforestation targets for most of the world.

Sponsored by the Nobel Peace Prize, the Kenyan ecologist Wangari Maathai,

● Spain ranks 13th in the world on a scale of well-being of its citizens, coming before Denmark, Austria, the United Kingdom and Belgium. At least, this is the finding of the United National Development Program (UNDP) in its latest Report on Human Development, published at the end of November. What is most impressive about Spain's ranking is that it has moved up from 19th place.

What happened to achieve such a significant improvement? The Human Development Index (HDI) used by the UNDP for its annual classification takes three areas into account: the life expectancy, education, and income of its inhabitants. And the changes from the previous Report are significant. For example, life expectancy in Spain has risen from 79.7 years to 81.5, while the gross domestic product (GDP) per inhabitant is now €18,308, compared to the previous €16,877. Meanwhile, the literacy rate for people over the age of 15 has remained at 98%.

However, these figures show that Spain still trails countries such Iceland, Norway and Australia, which top the charts year after year. The last countries on the list are Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, and Sierra Leone.

The Report does not just classify countries; rather, every year it also analyzes a real problem facing the world's population. This year, it deals with the fight against climate change.

in a joint initiative with the "Let's Plant for the Planet" campaign and Expo 2008, will work with more than one hundred participating countries to make commitments to planting trees. Expo 2008, which has ‘Water and Sustainable Development’ as its central theme, has already begun the effort to reforest Aragón. A few weeks ago, the organization presented a three year program to

The Report illustrates the human and economic impact of climate change, both present and future, and points out which populations are most affected, as well as the prospects for future generations, or in other words, how the change will affect today's children and their descendents.

The Report also proposes a series of measures to be taken in order to confront climate change and the repercussions it will have on human development. The annual publication highlights the deadlines that must be met and calculates the total cost of the measures that must be undertaken, along with those associated with no action being taken.

plant 3,500,000 trees in the autonomous community.

The Spanish government, through the Ministry of the Environment, has supported the campaign in Spain from the outset. It is estimated that in 2007, more than 25 million trees will be planted throughout Spain by government bodies, private land-owners, and non-profit organizations.

 spain abroad Ethiopia is one of the oldest nations in Africa and in the world, and, except for a five-year period of Italian occupation, is the only African country that has never been colonized by Europeans.

By the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, the ancient Empire, under the rule of Emperor Menelik II, had reached the borders of what is now modern-day Ethiopia

Ethiopia

one of the oldest Spanish

BY: ricardo losa. PHOTOS COURTESY: efe and the ethiopian embassy

● The Greeks used the name Ethiopia to designate all lands inhabited by black people. Abyssinia, the other name by which the country has been known, originates with the Arabic peoples who settled the territory 4,000 years ago.

Ethiopia has a long history as one of the most influential nations in the region. Biblical records tell of the queen of Sheba who, in the 10th century B.C., traveled through the kingdom of Meroë, where Alexander the Great would be stopped in his advance through Africa by the queens of the kingdom; and the Kingdom of Aksum was, from the beginning of the Christian era to the late 7th century, the world's greatest economic power, administering lands extending to modern-day Yemen. Throughout the Middle Ages, Ethiopia was a Christian kingdom in the midst of Muslim territory. Then in the 16th century, the Portuguese met the mythical king Prester John, and found themselves in a country politically similar to the European feudal states. This thousand-year history is reflected in cultural expressions as colorful and varied as the period itself.

Near the end of the 19th century, fol-

lowing a period of good relations between King Menelik II and the European powers, Italy attempted an occupation of Ethiopia, but found itself battling a well-organized Ethiopian army that defeated the Italian forces and further strengthened its dominion over its territory through an agreement with the United Kingdom for mutual respect of borders. It was then that Ethiopia's image as one of the oldest nations in the world was born--with its 3,000-yearold monarchy and its status as the only African country that had not surrendered to colonialism, which led to Addis Ababa being chosen as the headquarters of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963.

For a large portion of the 20th century, Ethiopia was governed by Emperor Haile Selassie. During his rule (1930-1974), Ethiopia fell to Italian occupation (19361941) under the government of Mussolini. In 1962, Ethiopia annexed Italian Abyssinia, also known as Eritrea, and thus gained access to the sea.

In 1974, a military coup brought down Haile Selassie's monarchy and in 1977 a Popular Republic was instated under the rule of Mengistu Haile Mariam. His administration, with support from the Soviet Union, confronted armed secessionist movements in the Tigray

and Eritrea provinces and also faced occasional border disputes with Somalia.

Three years of deep drought and poor economic administration brought on Ethiopia's most widely publicized famine in 1983. In May of 1991, Mengistu Haile Mariam was forced to resign and seek refuge in Zimbabwe.

Troops from the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) took over the government in the capital and the leader of the group, Meles Zenawi, assumed the presidency of this provisional government, promising that elections would be held. The EPRDF, which had received support from Ethiopian rebels, held UN-supervised elections in the province of Eritrea, which was granted its independence by a majority vote of over 99% in May of 1993.

Elections held again in 1995 brought Negasso Gidada to the presidency. Gidada proposed a new constitution which created a federal government structure in Ethiopia, and formed a government led by former president Meles Zenawi and comprised of ministers representing the various ethnic groups in Ethiopia.

● Social Matters. The country's recent history is characterized by famine and border conflicts with Eritrea, where

miradas al exterior the spanish embassy in ethiopia

â—? spain abroad

> Ethiopia Facts

Embassies in Africa

Capital: Addis Ababa Area: 1,097,900 km2 Population: 77,431,000 Official Name: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Currency: Birr Languages: Amharic, Oromo, Tigrinya, Gurage, Afar, Somali, Wolaita, etc.

Population Density: 70.1 inhab./km2 Infant Mortality Rate (2000-2005): 99.5 per 1,000 Life Expectancy (2000-2005): 47.6 years Urban Population: 15.9 % Illiteracy Rate: 50.8 % for men / 66.2 % for women Internet: 1.6 per 1,000 inhab.

Total GDP: USD 60.099 billion Annual Growth Rate (2005): 8.7 % Per-capita GDP: USD 823 Inflation Rate: 12.4 % Education Expenditure: 6.1 % of GDP Defense Expenditure: 4.4 % of GDP Imports from Spain: 52.338 million Euros (2006) Exports to Spain: 4.015 million Euros (2006)

Images of Spanish representation in Ethiopia.

demarcation remains undecided and has required the deployment of a United Nations Peace Mission (UNMEE) involving five Spanish military officers. There are also internal conflicts in Tigray and Ogaden.

Even though only 15% of its land is suitable for crops, Ethiopia must feed the second largest population in Africa-nearly 78 million people. Crops, and consequently famine, depend on highly unpredictable climate conditions such as rainfall. Only 15% of the population

lives in cities, which means 85% of the working population is reliant on agriculture, which makes up 45% of the GDP. The terrible famine of 1983 had international repercussions and broadcast the hardships faced by the Ethiopian population to the entire world. Since then, Ethiopia has become the recepient of international food aid in an effort to compensate for limited resources due to lack of rain.

In terms of human development, Ethiopia is ranked at 169 of a total of 177

countries. Ethiopia is an extremely poor country, where 78% of the population lives on the equivalent of less than two dollars a day, and 44.2% of the population lives below the poverty line. Over half the population is illiterate and average life expectancy is about 48 years.

In 2004 and 2005, Ethiopia's debt with the Paris Club and international financial institutions was renegotiated, resulting in a foregiveness of 1.296 billion dollars in bilateral debt and 4.4 billion dollars in multilateral debt.

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78% of the population lives on less than two dollars a day. PHOTO COURTESY EFE.

● Bilateral Relations. Spain reestablished diplomatic relations with Ethiopia in April of 1951. Since 2003, bilateral relations have grown with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and subsequent visits by high-level authorities. In 2007, the Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation visited Addis Ababa.

As a stable, influential countr y, Ethiopia carries significant weight in the surrounding region, which makes it a

Priority Countr y in Spain's Africa Plan.

Currently, only about 80 people are living in the Spanish colony in Ethiopia, most of whom are involved in cooperation and religious work. The Embassy has a Technical Department of Cooperation, where seven Spaniards and 27 local workers are currently employed. In addition, a continuous flow of trainees are being placed in charge of specific cooperation duties as well as commercial and cultural promotion tasks.

The Spanish International Cooperation and Development Agency (AECID) places a high priority on Ethiopia. In 2006, it donated 4.7 million Euros to various NGO and International Organization projects, and a total of 7 million Euros in aid was allocated in 2007, in addition to the opening of the Technical Cooperation Office. There has been a Spanish lecturer position at the University of Addis Ababa since 2005.

With regard to consular affairs, the number of international adoptions of Ethiopian children by Spanish citizens has shown notable growth, reaching 400 in 2006 and surpassing this number by mid-2007. A significant number of Spanish tourists also visit the country.

Economic relations between Spain and Ethiopia are limited. For Ethiopia, Spain is the destination of 1% of its expor ts and provides 0.6% of its impor ts. For Spain, both impor ts from and expor ts to Ethiopia make up less than 0.1% of the total. The rate of coverage has been ver y favorable for Spain, while business volume has been erratic and closely tied to onetime transactions.

“The surprising thing about Ethiopia is the smiles” a spaniard in ethiopia Nieves Crespo Martín is a Salesian Nun working in a Mission in Ethiopia.

— What can a Spaniard who wants to travel to, or even live in, Ethiopia expect?

— What does Ethiopia offer? If you come as a tourist... you can look forward to some incredible days exploring the Ethiopian landscape. From its ancestral Aksum culture, to churches carved out of the rock in Lalibela (one of the great wonders of the world), to the headwaters of the Nile in Lake Tana, to true tribes living all along the Omo river.

But more than anything, something you find in very few countries.... the perpetually smiling faces of the people... This is a people who, having grown accustomed to famine after famine, have learned to see life in a com-

pletely different way and to live each moment as if it were their last.

You can expect... children to come up to you and call you "ferenji" (which means "stranger" in Amharic).... or hold out their hands and say "money", but if you answer "lela guise" (which means "another time")... they give you their best smile and go away happy.

— How can we help in the Ethiopian cooperation effort from Spain?

— There are countries and organizations collaborating here, but sometimes it seems like they've forgotten the "old" Ethiopia and come here with ideas that just don't make sense. I feel that the

best cooperation will come from "walking hand-in-hand". From that perspective, there are many opportunities in Ethiopia, although the one that seems most fundamental to me is cooperation in education.

— What do the Ethiopians think about Spain? Do they have even a superficial knowledge of who we are?

— Honestly, Spain is not a "household name" in Ethiopia... Just like everyone dreams about winning the DV (a local lottery) and going to America... or hopes someone will help them go to Italy... the only thing they really recognize about Spain is "Raúl" if you say "Real Madrid", or "Ronaldinho", if you say "Barcelona".

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Carmen de la Peña

Spanish Ambassador to Ethiopia

Relations Between Spain and Ethiopia: A Renewed Effort ❖ Ethiopia in many senses is still a great unknown. Enveloped in a stereotypical image of famine, poverty, and instability, its true status as a country of great beauty, rich culture, thousands of years of history, and as a beacon of religious tolerance and economic potential, is frequently misunderstood and underappreciated. In the case of Spain, both historical and geographical distance have played an important role in our limited understanding of the country. ❖ However, Spain has had a presence in Ethiopia since the 17th century, when European interest in the Horn of Africa began. The key figure at that time was the Spanish Jesuit Pedro Páez Jaramillo, who authored the first known general study of the country and was also the first European to discover one of the greatest mysteries of ancient times: the location of the source of the Nile. ❖ Spain, which had established diplomatic relations with Ethiopia at the beginning of the great decolonization of Africa, opened a permanent diplomatic mission in Addis Ababa in 1961. Since that time, Spain has always enjoyed fluid, friendly political relations with Ethiopia, beginning with the monarchy of Negus Haile Selassie, one of the most representative figures of the events that unfolded in the 20th century. ❖ Following the overthrow of the Solomonic monarchy in 1974 and the establishment of a Marxist-Leninist dictatorship, relations between Spain and Ethiopia began to wane slightly as

a result of the dictatorial nature of the new regime. The fall of this government in 1991 paved the way for the current state of relations with Ethiopia, which itself started down the path of democratization, institutional modernization, and economic opening. ❖ One of the key motives for Spain's presence in and policy toward Ethiopia is the fact that Addis Ababa is, in a sense, the capital of Africa. The African Unity and UN Economic Commission for Africa headquarters, both fundamental institutions for the integration and development processes underway on the African continent, are located here. ❖ Spain's focus on Ethiopia is based on its demographic significance, its resource potential, and its stabilizing influence on the entire Horn region.

Ethiopia's priority status is founded on the 2006-2008 Africa Plan and the 2005-2008 Cooperation Master Plan.

One of the first results of this focus has been the creation of the Technical Cooperation Office, which opened its doors in March of this year, in the Spanish Embassy. The purpose of this department is to work closely with the Ethiopian government, with the UN system, and with NGOs to make an effective contribution to the five-year

It is important to note Spain's role in the adoption process in Ethiopia, ranking third in the number of children adopted

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program to fight poverty in Ethiopia (PASDEP). ❖ Along these lines, basic cooperation and cultural agreements were signed in February of this year during each official visit by the SEAAEE and SECI to Addis Ababa. Notwithstanding the immediate results being obtained by the new institutional framework for cooperation, it is significant that scholarship programs and a Spanish assistantship at the University of Addis Ababa, which began in 2005, have been in place for some time already. ❖ In addition, we are working to make a qualitative and quantitative leap from the excellent political and cooperation relations we currently enjoy to stronger economic and commercial ties. ❖ To complete this snapshot of Spain's relations with Ethiopia, with regard to what could be considered social relations between the two countries, it is important to note Spain's central role in adoption processes in Ethiopia. In fact, the number of Ethiopian children adopted in Spain is surpassed only by the number of children adopted from China and from Russia. ❖ The picture presented here can only be truly appreciated from a proper perspective. Ethiopia must be viewed in an optimistic light, beginning with its great human and natural resource potential, as well as the will and effort of its peoples--Ethiopian society as a whole--to make their country one of the most advanced countries in Africa. The principal tools in this effort will be the current democratization process and the modernization of its economy. ❖ Finally, it is worth pointing out that the Embassy in Addis Ababa also oversees Spain's relations with Djibouti, a strategic center of the region, and Seychelles, where Spain plays an important economic role. Likewise, it also has a multilateral branch responsible for representing Spain before the African Union.

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RIOJA An International Wine Rioja is known worldwide as Spain's wine region par excellence. It is an honor that dates back to ancient times and has become even more fitting today. From

the first written Spanish verses to the latest Fashion Week in New York City, Rioja wines have never ceased to inspire.

BY: DAVID MERINO. PHOTOS COURTESY: EFE

● It was Gonzalo de Berceo, the first Spanish poet and notary of the monasteries of San Millán de la Cogolla in Rioja, who, back in the 13th century, playfully confessed that a good glass of wine would inspire a few lines of simple prose: “For a speech in the common man's tongue I repine, / The language of folks gathering to work, play, and dine, / For my knowledge is dim of that Latin divine / And I trust 'twill yet merit a good glass of wine.”

Rioja's connection to wine dates back to Celtiberic times and would become nothing short of legendary during Roman domination. During the rule of the Catholic Monarchs, Rioja wine began to make its way to Flanders, France, and Italy. A few years later, in 1560, Logronian harvesters chose a symbol that would attest to the quality of their product: an anagram created from the initials of the families who owned the wineries of the day and branded into the leather wine bottles to be exported. ● The Road to Excellence. Concern for the quality of wine is also a historic

characteristic of Rioja. In the Logroño city hall is a municipal order from 1635 prohibiting the passage of coaches along the streets near the Ruavieja wineries "as the vibration of these vehicles may alter the musts and thus affect the aging of our precious wines."

Nevertheless, Rioja wine would have to wait until the middle of the 19th century to reach the quality it is known for today. In 1867, phylloxera, one of the most common grapevine diseases, destroyed French vineyards, and French growers turned to Rioja for wine to bolster production. Contact with French winemakers allowed the Spaniards to learn about production and aging methods using oak barrels. This process has become known as the "Bordeaux method".

It was this system that endowed Rioja wines with greater aroma and flavor, and thus ensured their fame. According to the experts, these wines have a medium body and a soft, elegant taste.

Exports for the year 2006 reached nearly 80 million liters

They are fruity when young, becoming more velvety with age. In fact, Rioja wines are known for their ability to age "with class". They are among the few wines in the world that will continue to improve over decades. This means that hidden away in the wineries of Rioja are some true enological gems.

● The Rioja Guarantee of Origin. In 1991, Rioja wines were privileged to be named, by ministerial order, the first and, up to this point, the only "Guarantee of Origin" (Denominación de Origen Calificada) certified wines in Spain.

"Designation of Origin" certified wines are prepared in a separate area, using locally grown grapes, and enjoy considerable prestige. Furthermore, they must have previous recognition as "quality wine with geographic indication".

The "Guarantee of Origin" requires a previous rating of "Designation of Origin" (Denominación de Origen) for at least 10 years. Sales must be transacted from regional wineries and quality control must be exhaustive. Parallel production of wines of any other quality except for "vinos de pagos" (estate wines)

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FACTS ABOUT RIOJA WINES

550 300 900,000

wineries make up the Rioja Guarantee of Origin million bottles is the total annual wine production barrels distributed throughout 250 Crianza cellars hold some of Spain's finest wines.

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is prohibited. The latter are produced in "mini denominations"; that is, they are prepared with the grapes of a single estate, ensuring maximum exclusivity specific to the land. These wines are also known as "terruño" (native soil) wines in Spain.

The body responsible for ensuring the quality of Rioja wines is the Rioja Wine Regulator y Council, a branch of the Ministr y of Agriculture that has played a significant role in turning Rioja wines into leading wines both inside and outside the countr y. It is responsible for quality control and promotional work, both of which are paying off handsomely.

● Historic Maximum in Sales. In 2006, more Rioja wine was sold than ever before in histor y: over 260 million liters. This figure is due principally to exports, which increased by 11%, and the sale of Crianza wines, which make up practically the entire increase in sales.

With the Rioja designation of origin, the need to invest in quality and distinction was clearly seen. In it lies the future of Spanish wines. The growth of the Spanish economy and the consequent increase in production costs has meant that Spanish wines are not as competitively priced as other varieties.

Therefore, today's Spanish products rely on design, innovation, and exclusivity.

The Rioja Strategic Plan for 20052020 has borne fruit. The purpose of this plan was to build a reputation for Crianza wines in markets of greater prestige, especially foreign markets.

That goal has been achieved.

Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva wines were the top sellers. A few years ago, young wines made up 60% of sales, but today the trend has reversed and today aged wines represent the vast majority of wines produced. Wineries in Rioja have thus modernized their facilities and made thousands of new barrels.

One of every three bottles of Rioja wine exported is destined for the United Kingdom: a country where sales have

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â—? foreign affairs

LOCATION MAP

VINTAGE CHART 1985 Good 1986 Good 1987 Very Good 1988 Good 1989 Good 1990 Good 1991 Very Good 1992 Good 1993 Good 1994 Excellent 1995 Excellent 1996 Very Good

1997 Good 1998 Very Good 1999 Good 2000 Good 2001 Excellent 2002 Good 2003 Good 2004 Excellent 2005 Excellent 2006 Very Good

RIOJA SUBREGIONS REGION

CLIMATE AREA. FEATURES

High Atlantic 24,457 Ha. Medium body and high total acidity Ideal for barrel aging Alavesa Atlantic and 12,050 Ha. Red wines with medium body and medium tota mediterranean acidity

Good both for consumption (young wines

obtained through carbonic maceration),

and for barrel aging Low Mediterranean 20,907 Ha. Red and blush wines with fuller body

and greater extract

TYPES OF WINE Red Wine: A classic, brightly colored, fresh, medium-body wine, with penetrating nose and light palate. The Tempranillo grape is the variety most often used for this type of wine.

Blush Wine: Very light, fresh palate, with a strong fragrance, bright pink color, and medium alcohol. The Garnacha grape is most often used for this type of wine.

White Wine: Greenish-yellow in color, relatively pale, fine aroma, light and fairly low bodied. The Viura grape

is most often used for this type of wine.

BY AGING Guarantee of Origin: Young Wines.

Crianza Wines: Third-year wines, aged at least one year in oak barrels.

Reserva Wines: Carefully selected and aged for a minimum of three years, with at least one in barrel.

Gran Reserva Wines: Wines from large harvests that have aged for a minimum of two years in barrel and three years in bottle.

RIOJA WINE EXPORTS BY COUNTRY (2006) Country United Kingdom Germany United States Switzerland Sweden Holland Mexico Denmark Belgium Ireland All Other Countries Total 2006

Liters

% s/2005

% of Total

27,841,470 13,195,453 6,836,737 6,551,781 3,908,920 2,739,830 1,933,161 1,846,430 1,767,058 1,687,508 10,657,269 78,965,590

13.76 6.24 12.89 19.23 11.06 2.41 0.75 -18.47 28.10 52.45 7.43 10.86

35.26 16.71 8.66 8.30 4.95 3.47 2.45 2.34 2.24 2.14 13.50 100

doubled since the year 2000. Small wonder, considering the fact that in the opinion of the British, Rioja is the foremost wine-producing region in Europe, according to a recent study

by ACNielsen consultants. Even the Germans, who place Rioja third in importance after Bordeaux and Chianti, consider it their favorite. Germany is the second-largest market for Rioja wines outside of Spain.

â—? Rioja and the United States.

Today, the United States also recognizes the virtues of Rioja wines. In fact, Rioja was named "Wine Region of the Year" by Wine Enthusiast. The corresponding award will be presented on January 28 in New York. This magazine, with over half a million subscribers, will present the award to the Rioja Guarantee of Origin "in recognition of its excellence, a leader in Spain".

The ACNielsen study covered the United States as well, and it was found that Rioja wines are the fifth most consumed in the country. The growth in U.S. market sales peaked in 2006. It increased by 13%, making the North American giant the third largest market for Rioja wines and placing it ahead of more traditional markets such as Switzerland and Sweden.

This success is due in large measure to the Vibrant Rioja campaign, launched this year in the United States by the Regulatory Council.

The U.S. market is felt by winemakers in Rioja to be a strategic market.

With an investment of two million Euros, information campaigns were launched describing "the passion for wine in Rioja and the changes the region has undergone in the past few years to harmoniously blend modern technology and tradition".

Vibrant Rioja has sponsored, among other events, New York's Fashion Week, which was held in September. Rioja was the event's official wine, and Rioja will be sponsoring the Spring 2008 and Fall 2008 Fashion Weeks in New York as well.

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Víctor Pascual

PRESIDENT OF THE REGULATORY COUNCIL FOR THE RIOJA GUARANTEE OF ORIGIN

A Successful Balance between Tradition and Innovation ❖ The reputation and image of quality associated with Rioja wines in the principal international markets has grown spectacularly in recent years, and has placed Rioja among the leading wine producers in the world, while the level of consistent quality of Rioja wines has surpassed that of other producers.

This privileged status was confirmed last September in an independent study by the British consulting group "Wine Intelligence", which rated Rioja as the wine region with the best ability to translate brand awareness into point-of-sale purchase. ❖ These conclusions confirm the positive changes ocurring in Rioja. Five years ago, a Nielsen consulting sur vey concluded that Rioja wines had excellent potential for growth on the international market thanks to the high brand faithfulness it achieved among those who tried it (55%), a level exceeding that of all other European wine regions, including some better known regions such as Bordeaux (51%) and Chianti (44%). Yet another indication of Rioja's success in the most important world markets is its being selected as winner of the "WINE STAR 2007" award for best "WINE REGION OF THE YEAR" by the prestigious U.S. niche magazine Wine Enthusiast.

❖ In Spain, where Rioja wine's market leadership is uncontested, it has become a benchmark of quality in wine both for consumers and for opinion leaders. According to studies, the public expects Rioja to be innovative and to maintain quality as it has up to this point, in addition to retaining tradition as a unique value.

In short, the collection of wines sold

by Rioja wineries are a testament to the significant changes and the rich diversity that characterizes the Rioja Guarantee of Origin (DOCa) today.

But it is not only the classical wines, whose elegance, subtlety, and unique personality still fascinate consumers, that have made Rioja wines the benchmark for quality--it is also the new generation of innovative Rioja wines that has once again turned the heads of both connoisseurs and the public seeking out new trends.

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❖ Rioja has, unquestionably, managed to retain a balance between innovation and tradition, remaining alert to changes in consumer demand and adapting as needed, which has ensured its market success. This success is not the product of chance, but of dedication by the entire wine production industr y in Rioja, through a designation and guarantee system based on quality and through self-regulation that exceeds government standards for quality control in both grape and wine production. Thus, Rioja has banned wine-making practices such as the use of pieces of wood in preparation, insisting on strict traditional Crianza aging in oak barrels, which today has become one of the differentiating characteristics most highly esteemed by consumers. Inter ventions by the Regulator y Council, such as the limitation of production per hectare to optimize grape quality, are a good example of Rioja's concern for applying policies that will ensure continual improvement in wine quality. ❖ Always looking to the future, plans for balanced development of the industr y are being made, with an eye on the markets and with full awareness of the threats arising from an ever more globalized economy that will certainly have an effect on viniculture. The use of wine tourism as a tool for communication and full development of the designation and guarantee is another future challenge--a challenge that the wineries are facing head on, with investments in architecture and visitor ser vices, sometimes with spectacular results, once again placing the region at the forefront of wine tourism in Spain.

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 discover spain The dizzying pace of architecture in Spain has brought some of the top international firms to our country. Pioneers in globalization, Spanish professionals are constantly redoubling their efforts to successfully meet this unprecedented challenge, the largest in history, and raising their corporate flag high in the vast majority of the public tenders held by public administrations, institutions, and businesses.

BY: jacobo garcía. PHOTOS COURTESY: efe and tourspain

● Recent stirrings in this field have begun to turn the heads of architectural critics toward Spain and the great awakening of a veritable wonderland of freedom in architectural creation. Firsthand investigation of this architectural phenomenon by these critics has given rise to a series of brilliant exhibitions on modern Spanish architecture, including

some focusing strictly on 20th century architecture: Spain (Spanish Exhibit at the Hannover Expo 2000) and On-Site: New Architecture in Spain (New York, Museum of Modern Art, February 12 to May 1, 2006, and Madrid, Real Jardín Botánico (Royal Botanical Garden), September 2006 to January 2007). All of these studies, which naturally include the Spanish Biennial Architecture and Urbanism Exhibitions, are attempts to summarize what has become a torren-

tial flow of creative activity that knows no bounds.

Regardless of the magical date modern Spanish architecture is thought to have begun--whether in 1929, year of the Universal Exposition in Barcelona and the design of Mies van der Rohe's celebrated Barcelona Pavilion; 1992, year of the Olympic Games and another Universal Exposition, which greatly altered the physical appearance of both Barcelona and Sevilla; or 1995, with the inaugura-

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Modern Spanish Architecture Riding the Waves of Globalization

tion of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao--what is certain is that today Spanish architecture's place at the forefront of the modern world and the globalization era remains undisputed.

Spanish architecture can be divided into three categories: architecture created by Spanish architects in Spain, architecture created by Spanish architects for foreign countries, and architecture created by foreign architects in Spain.

Each has notable similarities and dif-

ferences; however, the similarities tend to outweigh the differences, which are related more to the individual personalities of the designers themselves than to differences in style, ideology, or generation.

The first obvious difference is the seeming paradox that modern native architecture appears more functional and rationalist than that designed by foreigners in Spain, which the latter seems more baroque, more personal, and pos-

sibly more free.

How else, if not baroque, can proposals such as Peter Eisenman's City of Culture in Galicia, Frank O. Gehry's Marqués de Riscal Warehouses in Elciego (Álava), Richard Rogers and Estudio Lamela's Terminal T-4 at the Barajas Airport (Madrid), and Jürgen Mayer H.'s Metropol Parasol in Sevilla be described?

Each of these structures favors curves over straight lines, angles over arches, asymmetry over symmetry,

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modern spanish architecture

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draftsmanship over numeric relationships, imagination over ordered composition, and inclination over the verticality of the classic façade.

On the other hand, most Spanish architects tend to remain, to various degrees to be sure, within the boundaries of the severe austerity that has traditionally characterized Spanish architecture, for institutional, cultural, and private work alike. Of course there are a few notable exceptions, such as Santiago Calatrava's City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, or Mansilla and Tuñón's Museum of Cantabria.

Interestingly, modern Spanish architects tend to show the greatest level of freedom in construction--the greatest inclination to risk--in social-type projects, such as hospitals or homes, while institutional work tends to remain fairly orthodox.

A second characteristic of today's Spanish architecture is the growing transparency of regional borders, which have been very defined up to this point, leading to an openly internationalist style. As stylistic stereotypes begin to disappear, regional characteristics become less and less important. What then becomes important is setting--rural or urban, climate, budget, and type of architectural project: for public or private, tourism or for welfare, cultural or leisure use.

achievements and challenges ✒ The current explosion

in Spanish architecture is intimately linked to convergence with Europe on one hand, and the opening of the country to the free circulation of capital and people, on the other. ✒ Had it not become a net recipient of community funds, and had it not been able to establish, within the heart of the EU, a democratic legal and political frame-

Modern Spanish architects tend to show the greatest inclination to risk in social-type projects Thus, while Selgas and Cano's Congressional Palace in Badajoz and Acebo and Alonso's Center for the Arts in Labañou (Coruña) do not share the imperial size of Jean Nouvel's extension of the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid, they do share a similar ideology: that of integrating a building into the cultural discourse surrounding what is exhibited or created inside.

Does this mean that popular native architecture--anonymous architecture-will soon fall into extinction? Does this mean that the praiseworthy architectural works that underscore Spain's marginality and isolation with regard to canonized styles arising from studies of great urban centers are destined to retreat into oblivion? Let us hope not. While the fact remains that Spain is unique among countries--a fact that is rediscovered ever y day, it is no less certain that Spaniards themselves are a body of more or less congruent, more or less disparate groups, and Spanish architects, as informed as they may be

about the demands of a global market, cannot detach themselves from this fact.

Despite being a country of "insoluble diversity", to quote Terence Riley, curator of architecture for the MoMA, Spain is generally seen from the outside as a region of homogeneity. The designer of the Spanish Pavilion for the 2010 Shanghai Expo took full advantage of this fact.

Inspired by Spain's bright, sunny climate and focusing more on its roots in the countryside than its urban tradition, Benedetta Tagliabue's rustic proposal returns to more primitive materials--wicker, bamboo, textiles--to adorn a tubular steel structure--a solid defense of the principle of sustainability: The architecture of the future must hold regard for nature, or it will never come to be.

Luis Mansilla and Emilio Tuñón's Contemporary Art Museum of Castilla y León (MUSAC), located in the capital city of that community, is another outstanding example of the changes that have occurred in the last few years.

Completed in 2004, the structure, which has just one level and is built with white concrete walls, is designed to create a space where art can be displayed in a comfortable atmosphere--a space that helps erase the boundary between public and private, between work and leisure, between art and life. Its large

sidenote  D. santiago cid  architect work stable and safe enough to attract foreign capital, Spain would never have been able to free up the vast quantity of resources it has been able to dedicate to the social and public works currently underway within the country. ✒ Community funds (90 billion euros in the past 20 years) have been used to build highways, bridges, tunnels, railroads, railroad stations, airports, etc. ✒ Some of these proj-

ects, such as the Santa Justa AVE high-speed train station in Sevilla, the North Tenerife Airport, the T-4 terminal in the Barajas Airport (Madrid), and the EuskoTren headquarters in Durango (Vizcaya), can be found in every recent book on Spanish architecture. The government allocates resources for the construction of auditoriums, libraries, art, aid, and sports centers, dance and music halls, cultural

centers, schools, stadiums, hospitals, marketplaces, museums, exhibition and conference halls, hostels (state-run hotels) for tourists, theaters, and public housing, as well as resources for the remodeling of façades, covered areas, and landscaping of university campuses, gardens, parks, and plazas. ✒ These projects, which are renewing Spain's urban landscape, blend quite naturally with other buildings

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Previous page. Santiago Calatrava's City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia. Left: Terminal 4 of the Madrid-Barajas Airport, expansion of the Prado Museum into the Jerónimos monastery, and the Marqués de Riscal Warehouses in Elciego (Álava).

stained-glass windows to the outside express a joy for life fitting of a country that, up to this point, had scarcely begun to reflect such sentiments in cultural manifestations outside of music and dance.

The FAD architectural awards were created in order to offset a potential imbalance created by extravagant, spectacular architecture designed principally for media effect and financial success.

These awards, which are sponsored by a foundation in Barcelona, extol rigor over monumental design, and favor the civil over the iconic, the discreet over the visible, the subdued over the sensational in architectural design. The list of buildings that have received these awards will provide material sufficient for future critics and historians to fill countless volumes of intellectual musings about Spanish architecture derived from the International Style that reached Spain in 1929, when Mies van der Rohe's Spanish Pavilion was erected at the Barcelona Universal Exposition and that gracefully reappeared some years later in the form of Josep Lluís Sert's Spanish Pavilion at the International Exposition in Paris in 1937.

that have been in place for centuries and that are such a vital element of our cities' histories. Sometimes this integration is not easy, convenient, or pleasant. Other times it seems perfectly natural. ✒ In any case, the development of these projects falls into the hands of the top professionals in the world, as planning and execution are governed by a public bidding system that allows participation by professionals from all

over the world, regardless of their native country. ✒ But the pending duties of our architecture lie elsewhere. ✒ The first is to find an economical alternative to the ugly concrete wall that was raised along our coastline during the '60s to meet the growing needs of tourism.

Is is possible to create aesthetically pleasing and ecologically friendly architecture for the floating population of 50 million people that

Any corner of the Renaissance-style cloister of the Jerónimos monastery, where Rafael Moneo designed the new galleries of the Prado Museum, is a perfect place to reflect on modern Spanish architecture. Above, the arches hold the past, tradition, and classical order according to a pattern established thousands of years ago. Moving down from the archways, where there had previously been only empty space, new construction, intended to direct the passage of visitors and place at eye level the collections on display, has been put in place, blending in as far as possible with the preexisting frame. In the entranceway, majestic bronze doors stand as a direct link between the past and the future. An integral part of this architectural project, and not simply an adornment, Cristina Iglesias' doors take us directly back to nature--the world of flora, to be specific.

Had Dante himself stood before these doors, he may have found them worthy to appear in his Divine Comedy. Now they are here, in the very heart of this citadel of art and architecture, allowing millions of visitors to travel effortlessly from the past to the future, and return to the present unscathed.

visit Spain every year, most of whom are desperately seeking the solace of the sun and the beach? ✒ The second is to meet the needs of another foreign and growing population of individuals that have come to Spain to work and build for themselves a better future than that which awaited them in their home countries. This population is currently one of Spain's principal sources of wealth and prosperity. These people

cannot be left out in the elements, or be forced to live in miserable, run-down slums abandoned by previous immigrants. The solution: an enormous effort towards the creation of decent, functional, and aesthetic public housing projects. A perfect project for professionals whose number one objective is not to make a big media splash, although works such as these may even cause a significant sensation themselves.

42 miradas al exterior fauna

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Two years ago the trend made an about-face, and today extinction seems just a little farther away. For the first time in recent history, the number of Lynx pardinus has begun to rise, with the total number of animals on the Iberian Peninsula falling somewhere between 215 and 265

Iberian Lynx The Struggle to Save a Species BY: DAVID MERINO. PHOTOS COURTESY: efe

● In the year 2002 the International Union for Conservation of Nature placed it on its red list of critically endangered species. A rapid decline in the number of individuals--down to only 150 in 2005--and the continuous reduction of its natural habitat--limited to the Doñana and Sierra Morena areas--were making the disappearance of the species seem inevitable.

However, two years ago this trend made an about-face, and today extinction seems just a little farther away. For the first time in recent history, the number of Lynx pardinus has begun to rise, with the total number of animals on the Iberian Peninsula falling somewhere between 215 and 265. The Castilla-La Mancha community has confirmed the presence of the Iberian lynx within its borders. Nine

adults and six cubs were reported in an area that has not been revealed in order to prevent poaching.

In the '60s, the lynx population had reached 5,000 individuals scattered throughout the Extremadura, Madrid, Castilla y León, Valencian Community, Castilla-La Mancha, and Andalucía regions, and in keeping with its Iberian title, was also inhabiting several areas in the southern regions of Portugal.

Within a short period of time, only a few hundred remained, and its habitat had apparently been reduced to a few small regions of Andalucía, specifically the Doñana and Sierra Morena Parks.

In 2004, the Environmental Ministry's General Bureau of Biodiversity carried out the last population count, with devastating results: aside from the Andalusian populations, signs of this cat were found only in the Sierra de

Calderina mountain range, a spur of the Toledo Mountains. It was then decided to concentrate all efforts on this region: 182 cameras were placed throughout the area and over 14,000 photographs were taken of passing animals. None showed any sign of the most threatened carnivore in the world. It was therefore believed, until recently, that reports of lynx in Castilla - La Mancha were simply anecdotal and did not represent a viable reproducing colony in the area.

● Reproduction in Captivity. This third population nucleus will increase the genetic diversity of the lynx remaining in Spain. The vital importance of genetic diversity is illustrated by the methods followed by researchers working in the captive Iberian lynx recovery program, which has nurseries in Huelva, Cádiz, and Jaén. A captive population with less

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than 85% genetic variability is considered dangerously endogamic. Not until 60 animals of reproductive age are obtained, will the population have sufficient variability to begin repopulating some of the regions that, decades ago, were lynx territory. It is estimated that this may occur in 2010.

The lynx project will span the five-year period from 2004 to 2009. Each year a male and female from the Doñana colony and a few other from Sierra Morena are brought into the program. Cubs taken come preferably from large litters or are the weakest of a given litter and least likely to survive in the wild.

On March 28, 2005, Brezina, Brezo, and Brisa became the first lynx cubs born in captivity, although only Brezo and Brisa sur vived. They were born in the Acebuche center in Doñana National Park. Currently, the program has 37 individuals. This successful attempt at reproduction in captivity is due in large measure to the work of the center director, Astrid Vargas. A veterinarian specializing in conser vational biology, she has already helped bring the U.S. black-footed ferret and one of the most threatened primates in the world, the golden-crowned sifaka of Madagascar, out of critical situations.

The Iberian lynx is one of the 17 species in the feline family and the smallest of the big cats. Its diet is clearly different from that of other species. While it does occasionally feed on fawns, rodents, and birds, rabbits are its main food source; and it is precisely the vulnerability of the rabbit that has been the principal cause of reproductive difficulties for the lynx. Two man-made illnesses, myxomatosis and viral hemorrhagic disease, have been decimating rabbit populations in Spain and Portugal since the '50s.

This was the first time that a lack of food had become such a critical problem for the lynx. It is interesting to note that some philologists have traced the origins of the word "Hispania" to the Phoenician language meaning "land of rabbits", which today has ironically become a paradox. In fact, every adminis-

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 FACTS ABOUT THE IBERIAN LYNX Order: Carnivora. Family: Felidae.

Genus: Lynx Species: Lynx pardinus Length of head and body, not including tail: 85 to 100 cm.

Length of tail: 8 to 15 cm.

Height: 50 cm.

Physical Characteristics: Large pointed ears tipped with tufts of black hair. Long, pointed sideburns.

Brownish-yellow coat with dark spots of various shapes and sizes.

Weight: Males from 12 to 14 Kg. (rarely up to 18 Kg.), and females from 9 to 15 Kg. Status: Listed as critically endangered (IUCN, 2002).

Population Graph: No. of Individuals

880-1,150

1992

500-1,000

1999 2005 2007

150 215-165

In the '60s, the lynx population had reached 5,000 individuals scattered over half of Spain.

tration's strategies to save the lynx now place a high priority on rabbit conservation. Castilla-La Mancha is planning to modify rabbit hunting seasons and in Andalucía, a large portion of the 26 million euro Life program to save the lynx was used to aid in the recovery of its principal prey.

● The Iberian Lynx Pact. In November, the Iberian Lynx Pact was signed in Sevilla by Spain, Portugal, and the regional governments of Andalucía, Extremadura, and Castilla-La Mancha. This agreement will involve the transfer of lynx from the three operating centers in Andalucía to centers that will be opening in 2008.

However, captive breeding is just one pillar of support. The key to saving the lynx is restoring the ecosystems it needs to survive. A stable lynx population requires 10 square kilometers of Mediterranean highland, with an abundant rabbit population, and untouched by man, including the absence of highways, railways, and golf courses.

The objective of the Iberian Pact is to remove the lynx from the red list of endangered species and drop its status to threatened by 2011. If all goes according to plan, by 2020 the lynx will be a vulnerable species, meaning that the most protected cat in Europe will have been saved from extinction. At least for a few more years.

44 miradas al exterior world heritage site

● discover spain

The Tower of Hercules, standing at a height of 49 meters and holding nearly 20 centuries of history, is Spain's latest nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A recognition that has been bestowed upon 40 sites in Spain, making it the second most recognized country in the world. The Mercury Route and the dinosaur tracks are the other two nominations.

Hercules the last Roman lighthouse in the world BY: MIRADAS al exterior. PHOTOS COURTESY: efe

● This year, Spain is seeking to honor its ancient Roman roots by declaring the Tower of Hercules a World Heritage Site. If successful, Spain could become the country with more World Heritage Sites than any other on the globe. The tower itself is the only standing Roman lighthouse in existence, and its nearly 20 centuries of history are filled with legend.

History states that the lighthouse was erected to help guide mariners through uncharted waters near "finis terrae"--the end of the earth; waters lying far from the safety of Mare Nostrum, where the Romans had begun their journey and where they had had their last glimpse of terra firma. The lighthouse was built at

the height of Imperial Rome, during the rule of Hadrian and Trajan, the "Spanish Emperors".

The Greek legend surrounding the tower comes from the Mediterranean region, and was adopted by the Romans. Hercules was the son of the great god Jupiter and of Alcmena, a mortal. Jupiter's wife never forgave his infidelity and ultimately had her revenge on the fruit of that affair.

Among other charming antics, when the young hero reached adulthood, she drove him into a fit of rage that caused him to kill his own wife.

As punishment, Hercules was forced to perform 12 labors, which included capturing, stealing, or slaying all sorts of creatures, such as the Nemean Lion and the Lernaean Hydra. Legend places

 WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN SPAIN ■ Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín.

■ Burgos Cathedral.

■ Historic Center of Córdoba.

■ El Escorial Monastery and Site.

■ Works of Gaudí, Barcelona.

■ Old Town of Ávila and its Extra-Muros Churches.

■ Old Town and Aqueduct of Segovia.

■ Altamira Cave.

■ Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of Asturias.

■ Mudejar Architecture of Aragón.

■ Old Town of Cáceres.

■ Historic City of Toledo.

■ Garajonay National Park.

■ Catedral, Alcázar, and Archivo de Indias in Sevilla.

■ Old City of Salamanca.

■ Poblet Monastery.

■ Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida.

■ The Route of Santiago.

■ Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe, Cáceres.

■ Doñana National Park.

■ Historic Walled Town of Cuenca.

■ La Lonja de la seda, Valencia.

■ Las Médulas.

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one of these labors on the shores of the Atlantic, in ancient Brigantium, where modern-day Coruña now lies. The area was ruled by the ruthless giant Geryon, who exacted enormous tributes from his subjects. Even though classical sources place this episode in what is now Andalucía, Coruña tradition states that Hercules ordered the construction of the tower to commemorate his victory, and that the head of the giant was buried in its foundation.

Unlike the Romans, the Celts had no misgivings about heading out into the dark, forbidding sea, at least not according to Irish legend. Irish mythology tells the story of King Breogán, who ordered the construction of a tower so high that from the top he could see the green hills of Ireland. This discovery caused him to send his sons to conquer the island. This story was popularized by 19th century Galician romanticists who laid claim on the lighthouse as the tower of Breogán.

● Roman Roots. What is certain is that this tower is the only remaining Roman lighthouse in the world. It has been shown to be of Latin origin, based on, among other evidence, a tablet that was found near the lighthouse and that today rests inside the structure. This tablet contains an inscription that reads: MARTI AVG. SACR C. SEVIVS LVPVS ARCHITECTVS AEMINIENSIS LVSITANVS EX Vº. That is, “Consecrated to Marte Augusto. Gaio Sevio Lupo, architect of Aeminium (near what is now Coimbra), Lusitanian, in fulfillment of a promise”.

Julius Cesar visited Brigantium in the

first century to ensure that its port was part of the metal trade. This is the probable reason the lighthouse was built years later. Of the 49 meter tower, elements that are still of ancient Roman origin include principally the internal structural elements and the square base. The arrangement of large ashlars used around the openings, opus quadratum; the thin, horizontal masonry work with smaller stones, opus vittatum; and opus caementicium, which, like modern concrete, was used to fill holes with stones, lime, and sand.

● World Heritage Site. The concept was born in the '60s, when Egypt began construction of the Aswan dam. The Abu Simbel and Philae temples were located in the flood region of the dam. UNESCO, the United Nations Education, Science, and Culture Organization, launched a worldwide campaign that resulted in the transfer of these monuments to a safer location.

Since that time, UNESCO has designated as World Heritage Sites over 800 locations in five different regions of the world: Europe and North America, which contain nearly half of these sites; Asia and the Pacific, with one fifth; Latin American and the Caribbean, with 14%; Africa, with 9%; and the Arab States, with 7%.

Spain has the second largest number of World Heritage Sites of any country in the world, with 40 sites. Only Italy, with 41, has more. But Italy's time as leader may be nearing an end. In addition to the Lighthouse of Hercules, Spain has also made two other nominations for 2008:

■ San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries.

■ Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona.

■ Pyrenees - Mont Perdu (Spain and France).

■ Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula.

■ University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares.

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'the dinosaur tracks of the Iberian peninsula', with Portugal, and the 'Mercury Route of the Camino Real', which has been nominated in conjunction with Slovenia and Mexico.

The dinosaur footprints found on the peninsula are the best preserved in Europe. Whether preserved as a depression or in relief, a sort of "negative" image, they allow the species, strength, speed, and lifestyle of these ancient animals to be identified. The Rioja region contains the most fossils, although many can also be found in Castilla y León, Asturias, Cataluña, the Valencian Community, and Aragón. This year, the fossils of Portugal will be considered part of this collection as well.

Meanwhile, Castilla-La Mancha, with its Almadén mines in Ciudad Real, is preparing Spain's third nomination to be presented to UNESCO: the Mercury Route. During the 16th and 17th centuries, America's gold and silver mines filled the royal coffers. In some deposits, mercury was used to more easily extract the metals. This nomination also includes the Idria mines in Slovania, and the San Luís Potosí mines in Mexico.

Since 2006 another way has been available to define a World Heritage Site: through intangible heritage--a very recent UNESCO list, but one that is being filled very quickly. Up to this point, Spain has achieved the inclusion of the Mystery of Elche and the Patum of Berga festival.

Next year, the Silbo Gomero whistle language, the Valencian Water Tribunal and the Murcian Council of Good Men, and the Mediterranean Diet may also be added to this list.

■ Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture.

■ San Cristóbal de la Laguna.

■ Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco.

■ Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí, Gerona.

■ Roman Walls of Lugo.

■ Palmeral of Elche.

■ Archaeological Site of Atapuerca.

■ Aranjuez Cultural Landscape.

 culture and society Art in typography and typography in art ● Through January 27, 2008, the Biblioteca Nacional is hosting the 'Art in typography' exhibition which brings together 40 examples carefully selected from over fifty thousand typefaces that have been designed since the invention of the printing press. Another exhibition, 'Typography in art', looks at twentieth century artists' interest in printed letters, which can often be found in their master works. Here, 40 works are exhibited that have been selected from the informal tendencies that began with cubism. The artists include Picasso, Miró, Juan Gris and Braque. As the commissioner of the exhibition, Enric Satué, explains, typography "is something that one does not see; we are left with what these letters transmit to us. The only certainty is that there are 50,000 different typefaces and hundreds of these are works of art in their own right".

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

Ten years of “the Guggenheim effect” ● The “Guggenheim effect” is one of those phrases that is repeated incessantly by both the media and politicians to explain the impact the Guggenheim Museum has had upon the economy and appearance of both Bilbao itself and the Basque country as a whole. Ten years after its official opening, the building designed by the Canadian Frank Gehry has become an international icon, winning the architect prestigious awards and attracting over ten million visitors.

To celebrate the museum's tenth birthday, those in charge of the build-

ing have organized a number of events, including the exhibition “Art in the USA. 300 years of innovation”, which will run in the Pinacoteca until April 2008. All kinds of performances, ranging from music and dance to cinema and theatre, have been organized to run concurrently.

The Ibero-American Debate-Casa de América prize is born ● The Casa de América and Random House Mondadori, through their Debate imprint, have announced the first edition of the Ibero-American Debate-Casa de América prize, which will be awarded on a yearly basis to non-fiction writing in the broadest sense of the word. The texts must meet the following requirements: they must be written in Spanish (though the authors(s) may be of any nationality), they must be unpublished, never have been submitted for any other prize and the rights to the text must not have been given to any publisher.

The last condition is that all texts deal with subjects linked to the Ibero-American reality. The award will carry prize money of €$50,000 and the jury's decision will be announced on June 2, 2008 in Madrid.

To enter this first edition of the competition, the candidates must provide two copies of their original text to the Editorial Debate offices, calle Agustín de Betancourt, 19. 28003 Madrid, or any of the Random House Mondadori subsidiaries in Latin America (found in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Colombia and Uruguay) by April 30, 2008.

The Jury will be chaired by Mexican writer and journalist Carlos Monsivais. Also on the panel are Spanish journalist Soledad Gallego-Díaz, Bolivian writer Edmundo Paz Soldán, Ricardo Cavallero, a representative of Random House Mondadori, and Miguel Barroso, director of the Casa de América.

The prize winner will be announced in the media, by the institutions involved, and on the following websites: www.casamerica. es and www.editorialdebate.com.

The Minister of Education and Science, Mercedes Cabrera, with the Chinese Deputy Prime Minister, Hui Liangyu, at the inauguration of the Confucius Institute. PHOTO EFE.

The Confucius Institute opens centers in Spain ● In December, Madrid's Casa Asia and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid opened the country's first Confucius Institute, dedicated to the promotion of the Chinese language and culture. In addition to the new center in Madrid, one has also been opened in Valencia and two more are planned for Barcelona and Granada.

Since its founding in 2004, the Confucius Institute has opened 120 centers in 50 countries to teach Mandarin as a foreign language. The aim is to create mixed centers and to share funding, unlike the Instituto Cervantes or the British Council which are run by Government employees.

New York and the Spanish Civil War ● “New York and the Spanish Civil War” is the title of an exhibition opened on December 12 at the Instituto Cervantes Alcalá de Henares in Madrid.

The exhibition is a collection of over 200 documents such as flyers, leaflets, letters and newspapers, along with the weapons, uniforms and tools of the American volunteers who went to Spain to fight in the civil war.

Between 1936 and 1939, New York was the epicenter of campaigns, fund raising and circulation of propaganda about the war in Spain. Half of the

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2,800 American volunteers who fought in the conflict were from New York and its surrounding areas, and almost all of them left for Spain from New York's harbor. The Spanish Civil War was a key political event of the twentieth century, and a precursor to the Second World War.

A Spanish video game teaches history in the European Parliament

One of the exhibits at the Valencia exhibition. PHOTO EFE.

‘Sorolla. Vision of Spain’, in Valencia ● Through March 31, 2008, Valencia's new Centro Cultural Bancaja will serve as host to the exhibition "Sorolla. Vision of Spain", which will then travel to Barcelona, Seville, Málaga, Bilbao and Madrid. The exhibition comprises of fourteen large-scale panels which were commissioned in 1911 from Joaquín Sorolla by the American hispanicist Milton Huntington to decorate one of the halls of the Hispanic Society, founded at the beginning of the twentieth century in order to raise awareness of the Spanish culture in the United States. It is the first time that these works have left their original home, after being restored for the occasion by a team of experts put together by Bancaja and the Hispanic Society.

Once he had received instruction to paint the Hispanic Society's library, Joaquín Sorolla spent 1912 travelling Spain in search of images that he could later use in his grand decoration of the Hispanic Society. In 1913, he changed his mind and, although he used some of the paintings, he started to paint the panels directly. That year he created the

monumental 'La fiesta del pan. Castilla'. The following year he created five panels: Los nazarenos. Sevilla (MarchApril), La jota. Aragón (summer), El concejo del Roncal. Navarra (summer), Los bolos. Guipuzcoa (September) and El encierro. Andalucía (November-December). In 1915, he painted four more: El baile. Sevilla, (between January and March), Los toreros. Sevilla, from March to May, La romería. Galicia, during the summer and El pescado. Cataluña, in the autumn.

In 1916 he only painted Las grupas.

Valencia, between January and March of that year. 1917 saw the production of just one panel, El mercado. Extremadura. Between November 1918 and January 1919, he painted El palmeral. Elche and, finally, that same year he painted the last of these panels between May and June; La pesca del atún. Ayamonte.

It was, in short, a colossal piece of work that occupied the last active years of Joaquín Sorolla's life. It is considered to be his "life work" and is referred to as such in a number of different texts on the panels that have been preserved.

● The first video game to make it into the European Parliament is Spanish. Imperium is a game for the PC that recreates the Roman Empire, mixing action with strategy, and was designed by the Spanish company FX Interactive. The initiative, the first of its kind in the European Parliament, aimed to demonstrate how video games can be used to learn about history.

A report on how the videogame was piloted in two schools, Liceo Highlands in Italy and Instituto Santa Eugenia in Spain, was presented by Italian and Spanish members of the European Parliament in December. In these cases, the video game was used to help young people to understand the birth of Rome.

This initiative proves that video games can teach us about history and values such as responsibility, the ability to manage our resources and respect for the law.

Spain is now the fourth largest investor in the United States ● In the 2007 report by Thomson Financial on information gathered from the Chicago-based Oficina Económica y Comercial de España, Spain was named as the fourth largest investor in the US following the purchase of firms a number of American businesses by Spanish banks, energy and infrastructure companies.

The report shows that operations

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● culture and society

Gelman, Premio Cervantes 2007 ● The author Juan Gelman (Buenos Aires, 1930) has been awarded the Premio de Literatura en Lengua Castellana Miguel de Cervantes 2007. Gelman began to publish his works in the 1950s. His first two books were Violín y otras cuestiones (1956), with the prologue by Raúl González Muñón, a poet who shares Gelman's love of folk traditions, and El juego en el que andamos (1959). Both books were published in Buenos Aires, as was all of his work up until 1971. With his later works, Velorio del solo (1961) and Gotán (1962), he gained recognition throughout Latin America.

Gelman's writing progressively be-

Argentine author Juan Gelman. PHOTO EFE.

came another manifestation of his leftist ideological position. He joined the editorial team of the magazine Crítica (1968-1975), with the Uruguayan Eduardo Galeano, who had founded the publication in Buenos Aires. The deterioration of Argentina's political situation made it increasingly difficult for the poet to work, write and publish in his own country. He took a break from publishing between 1971 (the year a collection of all of the poetry he had written since 1968, Cólera buey, was published) and 1980, when he began to work in exile.

He was forced to flee Argentina in 1975 after receiving death threats and the 'disappearance' of his son and daughter-in-law.

After spending time in Paris and Rome, Gelman travelled to New York and then onto Mexico where he still lives. The books published while he was in exile, Hechos y relaciones and Si dulcemente, among others, show the pain of defeat and loss suffered by the author. The collection Obra Poética (1956-1973) gives a clear sense of the poems written by Gelman in Argentina, and is complimented by De Palabra. Poesía (1971-1978). Following this volume, Gelman regularly published new volumes of poetry in either Mexico or Buenos Aires, including his series, Interrupciones. A particularly curious aspect of Gelman's work are those of his poems that are presented as the translation of works by other non-existent poets, such as his Traducciones III: los poemas de Sydney West (1969).

In other news, the Ministry of Culture has published the winners of Premios Nacionales. The Catalan author Ana María Matute has been awarded the National Prize for Spanish Literature; the Asturian poet Olvido García Valdés has been awarded the National Prize for Poetry; Alicante's Vicente Molina Foix won the National Prize for Narrative; Madrid's Luis Gil Fernández, for History and Murcia's José María González García, for Essay writing. Juan Mayorga was awarded the National Prize for Theatre; MAX (Francesc Capdevila), the National Prize for Comedy; Editorial Crítica, the prize for Best Cultural Editorial work; the magazine Platero and the Fundación ONCE took the awards for the Promotion of Reading; José Luis Reina Palazón was awarded the National Prize for Work by a Single Translator; while Baldomero Macías Rosendo and Fernando Navarro Antolín took the National Prize for Best Translation.

carried out by Spanish businesses are focusing on the financial and energy sectors. It is the first time our country has appeared among the top ten countries for foreign investment in the United States. The level of Spanish investment changed dramatically when large Spanish banks and leaders in the renewable energies sector entered the US market.

'Crossroad of Civilizations’ in Santiago, Chile ● The Palacio de la Moneda in Santiago, Chile, is hosting 234 exhibits from the Museo Arqueológico Nacional in an exhibition that looks at cultural transformations which, over many centuries (and thanks to the country's advantageous geographical position) have made Spain a highly important cultural melting pot.

The exhibition, organized by SEACEX, follows a chronological order and reflects upon the consequences the arrival of people from very different cultural and ethnic backgrounds in quick succession had for the peninsula's inhabitants. The central thread running through the exhibition are the various concepts of racial mixes and cultural changes, highlighting the most important technical and social advancements. This exhibition manages to communicate an engaging, didactic and unified vision of Spanish history, highlighting the importance and quality of the people who contributed to it.

Fahrenheit 451 comes to life at the Cervantes Institute ● Ray Bradbury's 1950s tale of bookmen, Fahrenheit 451, is being brought to life by a project of the same name, supported by the Insituto Cervantes and presented in its Madrid headquarters on December 22. The project aims to encourage Europe to declare reading a symbol of European identity.

Con la ayuda de todos, luchamos contra la pobreza La Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional (AECI) es el órgano de gestión de la política española de cooperación para el desarrollo. Adscrita al Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperación, la AECI tiene como objetivo principal contribuir al crecimiento económico y al progreso social, cultural, político e institucional de los países en desarrollo, de acuerdo con los principios de la defensa y la promoción de los Derechos Humanos y del desarrollo sostenible, participativo y equitativo para hombres y mujeres.

www.aeci.es

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● culture and society

The new Instituto Cervantes in Marrakesh ● The Príncipe de Asturias presided over the inauguration of the new Instituto Cervantes in Marrakesh, the sixth of its kind to be opened in Morocco. The ceremony was also attended by Prince Muley Rachid, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and the director of the Instituto Cervantes, Carmen Caffarel. Morocco has become the country with the most Cervantes Institutes, with centers in Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Tetuán, Fez and Marrakesh. During the ceremony, homage was paid to the poet José Angel Valente, to whom the center's library is dedicated.

A letter detailing this will be presented to the European Parliament in Februar y. The initiative seeks to encourage people to learn cer tain books by hear t and recite them out loud, as happens in Bradbur y's novel. In the world described by Bradbur y, there are no books. They are prohibited and the firemen have the sole task of burning them. However, there are people who resist and decide to each learn a book by hear t.

Paris' Picasso Museum is moving to the Reina Sofía ● Beginning February 5th, Madrid's Museo Reina Sofía will be home to 407 works by Pablo Picasso on loan from the Musée National Picasso in Paris. The exhibition will include sculptures, paintings, engravings, ceramics and photographs, most of which will be displayed in the great hall that houses Guernica. It will be the first time that the Parisian collections dating between 1936 and 1945 will be seen together with the painter's masterpiece.

“This way we reunite the two souls of Picasso, at least symbolically", explained the Minister of Culture, César

His Royal Highness, the Príncipe de Asturias during his speech at the inauguration ceremony of the new Instituto Cervantes. PHOTO EFE.

Antonio Molina, after signing the agreement with his French counterpart, Christine Albanel. The collection held in Paris covers Picasso's key artistic periods; the exhibition in Madrid will allow the works of his youth to be appreciated together with his ver y last creations. After its time in Spain, the collection will travel to China, coinciding with the Olympic Games, and will later go to Japan.

Clinton and Penélope Cruz receive medals from the Instituto Español Reina Sofía ● Former US president, Bill Clinton, and Spanish actress Penélope Cruz, were awarded gold medals by the Instituto Español Reina Sofía in New York on November 27, 2007. The institution works to improve the cultural ties between Spain, Ibero-America and the United States, while raising awareness of Hispanic cultures.

The Queen, along with Institute's honorar y president, Dominican designer Óscar de la Renta, awarded the medals at a ceremony attended by more than 600 guests. Doña Sofía

highlighted the former President's “effor ts to improve political and economic relations between Washington and Madrid", while the star of Volver was congratulated for “knowing how to bring an authentic taste of Spanish popular culture to an international audience".

A National Center for Visual Arts is founded ● The Government has approved the creation of a National Center for Visual Arts, which will be based in Madird. It is the first of its kind in Spain. Its objective is to consolidate Spain's visual arts heritage (photography, film, video and television), bringing it together with the new technologies that facilitate artistic expression.

It will also act as a reference point for artistic creation and research, as well as serving the popularization and interpretation of the visual arts. The Center will also hold a permanent collection made up of the works held by state cultural institutes that offer an historic perspective on visual arts, photography, film, video, television and new technologies.

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.. . s thanks to astellano n ic o l á s c t) o u r n a l is g a r c ía (j o b o c ja by

❖ “I was always ver y clear, I would be bishop and pastor for a few years only. I didn't see myself growing old as a bishop. Plus, serving 24 hours a day requires youth, willpower, a great deal of spirit and a sense of utopia...I had also reached a point where I felt the call of the poorest. I told myself: 'everything you have preached your whole life, now that you are 56 years old, put it into practice. Walk the path of the poor and outcast.’ And this is what I did, as soon as John Paul II accepted my resignation. I went to Bolivia because I had fallen in love with the country when I went there to speak at some conferences in Cochabamba and La Paz. And because it was the poorest country in Latin America after Haiti.” ❖ As soon as he arrived, he witnessed the tragic death of Carmelo, a 12-yearold child who rummaged through the municipal rubbish dump looking for anything of use. One night at midnight he covered himself in newspaper to sleep and he was killed by a steamroller.

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At the age of 56, the Bishop of Palencia handed the Pope his resignation, packed his suitcase and went to Bolivia. There, in Latin America's second-poorest country, he worked to give children with no present the hope for a future.

What the psalms said ❖ Until he was 56, his life was much like that of any other clergyman, quietly carr ying out his pastoral mission with responsibility and faith.

He attended high school and seminar y with the Augustine monks in León, going on to study theology in Rome in order to become a priest. He then returned to a parish in Spain, taught classes at the University...until he was made Bishop of Palencia in 1978. But thirteen years later, ever ything changed.

● culture and society

❖ In Bolivia, a country with nine million inhabitants, more than 800,000 children work. 120,000 of these work essentially as slaves in the mines. Each year 16,000 children are killed by diarrhea, while a million of Bolivia's boys and girls do not go to school. ❖ In this countr y which lacks everything, Hombres Nuevos has built five dining halls for a thousand children and fifty schools. There are also sports schools: the girls' rhythmic gymnastics team has been the national champions

ish cities which have the same GDP as the whole of Bolivia. In addition to the classrooms and cafeterias, HN also boasts swimming pools, a play center, a youth club, basketball courts and a chapel... ❖ This has been made possible by HN's half a million volunteers (prhnuevos@cotas.com.bo). Practically all of those who go to college receive grants, and the majority attend the public university. Just two hundred Euros is enough to pay for their enrollment, transportation, food, and photocopies.

Father Nicolás is quick to point out that not one of them is asked about their religious or political beliefs. ❖ In marginalized areas and rural communities, HN has introduced medical services including laparoscopic surgery, endoscopies and urology, and, with the help of Bolivian and Spanish public unversities (Valladolid, Oviedo, Salamanca, Alicante, Politécnica de Madrid, Málaga, León, Palencia, Valencia) masters and bachellor degree programs have been organized.*

for five consecutive years. For those who finish high school, HN has created three Higher Education Centers for Tourism, Computer Science and Drama. In the computer science facility, they have robots - something that other university computer science departments in the country do not have. The drama facility is the only one of its kind in Bolivia and is run by a professor who had worked very successfully in Paris.

For those who leave these schools and look for work, there is a scheme for micro-enterprises, with four already up and running, and four in the pipeline.

HN also supports a youth Orchestra that is miles ahead of those in Span-

❖ Father Nicolás went to Bolivia to share the fate of the downtrodden, the forgotten; to use a phrase belonging to Eduardo Galeano, the "Nobodies". And he went there also to remind us that we must not forget them. He always knew that he could do the things he was doing over there, because futility is only in our minds. As the Psalm says: “He raises the poor from the dust,/ and lifts the needy from the ash heap,/ he seats them with princes, /with the princes of their people." Father Nicolás has always remembered these words. But we either do not know these words from Psalm 113, or we often forget them.

 cooperation The AECI Opens "Araucaria XXI" Office in Haiti ● Spanish Ambassador to Haiti, Juan Fernández Trigo, and Haitian Environmental Minister, Jean Marie Claude Germain, led the inauguration of the Araucaria XXI Program offices in the southern city of Jacmel. The building will house Haitian officials working alongside international project technicians, and will serve to reinforce the environmental institutions already operating in Haiti.

Araucaria XXI will focus its efforts on the southeastern region of this Caribbean countr y--an area of great biodiversity that is also highly susceptible to cyclones and other natural disasters.

The AECI will donate 750,000 euros to this program in Haiti, and hopes to donate one million additional euros over the next few years. Of the work to be carried out over the next few years, priority will be given to management of the southeastern watershed, management of the "La Visite" National Park, and support for the creation of a biosphere reser ve. In addition, collection and treatment of urban solid waste from the Cayes-Jacmel and Marigot waterfront--a region of great tourist potential-will begin, leading to cleaner beaches for the region.

Araucaria XXI is also an example of triangular cooperation. Argentina is collaborating through the "pro garden" program. The purpose of this program is to improve the diets of rural families in the Belle Anse region through crop

Façade of the 'Araucaria XXI' Office in Haiti.

Various images from 'Fichados Tatuados', with which Asturian photographer Germán Gómez will represent Spain at the exposition.

Germán Gómez to Represent Spain at the Alexandrian Biennial Expo ● Germán Gómez has been selected to represent Spain in the XXIV Biennial Alexandrian Ar t Expo-an event that has become one of the most prestigious biennial expositions for contemporar y ar tists today. Gómez (Gijón, 1972), who over the course of his career has received several photography and ar tistic awards, will be showing his work entitled "Fichados Tatuados" (Tattooed Records) in Alexandria.

In the ar tist's opinion, this project has "sociological and conceptual aspects; it is sor t of an imaginar y historical self-por trait--a biography

of images found on the skin of fifty individuals who have agreed to act as props for me to tell the stor y of my life."

“Fichados Tatuados” includes photographs of 50 individuals "with records" who carry marks, in the form of tattoos, that symbolically reflect something about their lives: desires, wounds, frustrations. Through this project, the General Bureau of Cultural and Scientific Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation can reaffirm Spain's presence at the event in Alexandria, which ends on January 10, 2008.

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diversification and improvement. Brazil is cooperating with the AECI in reforestation work throughout the Mapou Basin, one of the areas most affected by flooding in 2004. Chile and Cuba are expected to soon begin collaboration with other environmental projects.

Azahar Program Workshop. PHOTO BY PEPA ACEDO.

The Azahar Program Holds Its First Experts Workshop in the Balkans ● The first Azahar Program reformulation workshop was held in Budva, Montenegro in order to discuss proposals for new methods of action in the Balkan region and establish new environmental priorities and needs for the region. The central purpose of this conference was to analyze specific problems affecting the region as a whole, as well as provide a forum for exchanging experiences through round-tables and debates among experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and Albania.

The fast approaching integration of these countries into the European community has compelled them to show continual progress in reaching the community's environmental management standards. Despite notable differences in their rates of development and significant internal problems, the possibility of forming a part of the European Union in the relatively near future has driven them to develop policies favoring economic development through a sustainable growth model.

The Azahar Program, which is coor-

dinated by the AECI, thus represents an important effort on the part of both public and private Spanish Cooperation players in the establishment of sustainable development, environmental protection, and the conservation of natural resources in the Mediterranean region.

The Azahar Program is open to participation by autonomous communities and local administrations, as well as by the public in general through NGDOs and through academic and research institutions. The objective of all Program activities and projects is to have a decisive impact on improving the living conditions of Program beneficiaries.

Spain-Mozambique Culture Week ● In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and Mozambique, a Spain-Mozambique Culture Week was hosted by the Madrid Círculo de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Center) for the purpose of promoting mutual awareness. Scheduled activities thus included a wide variety of African culture.

Performers included the National Song and Dance Company of Mozambique, as well as popular artists such as Ghorwane, Sonia Mocumbi, José Mukavele, and Wi. A fascinating exposition of Mozambique painting remained on display throughout the week.

In addition to the activities in Madrid, the Spanish Embassy in Mozambique organized a series of events that were held in the city of Maputo. These included a Spanish cinema week, a Spanish Africanists conference, and an exposition of the history of cooperation in Mozambique.

Spain Contributes to Improving the Education Sector in Namibia ● Representatives of Spain and Namibia signed the memorandum of understanding that governs the AECI's contribu-

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tion to Namibia's Education and Training Sector Improvement Program (ETSIP).

Following the Declaration of Paris regarding the Effectiveness of Aid and guidelines from the 2005-2008 Spanish Cooperation Master Plan, the AECI is, for the first time, using this method of financing in Namibia. It hopes to achieve cooperation and harmony among donors and remain within the bounds of national public policy, while establishing a framework of trust in the Namibian financial and planning system.

The objective behind this aid, which amounts to 3 million euros, is to collaboratively implement a more effective and focused method of managing of the country's education and training system. Supporting the ETSIP will also allow Spain to contribute to reaching Namibia's development objectives outlined in "Vision 2030", which are to be carried out through the country's National Development Plans. Aid provided

by Spain is being coordinated with support from other donors, including the European Commission, the World Bank, France, and Germany.

Leire Pajín, with Bill Gates.

Leire Pajín Participates in Seattle Malaria Forum ● The city of Seattle hosted the Ma laria Forum, where Leire Pajín, Spanish Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Spanish physician Pedro Alonso, and Bill and Melinda Gates, founders of the organization that bears their name, agreed to become involved with the Manhinça (Mozambique) research center, which is financed by the Spanish International Cooperation Agency (AECI). During his speech at the "Malaria Forum",

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Spanish Cooperation Opens the First Blood Bank in Badghis, Afghanistan ● Afghan authorities in Badghis, the province being reconstructed by Spain, opened the Provincial Hospital's first blood bank in October. This new service, equipped according to Afghan Health Ministry standards, will be capable of providing safe blood to patients.

According to Luis de la Fuente, head of the AECI health program operating in Afghanistan, "Badghis is among the five Afghanistan provinces with the highest maternal mortality rate--where one of every six women will die while giving birth, due to complications as preventable as postpartum hemorrhage. Providing the hospital with this blood bank is a vital step to saving the lives of these mothers”.

The Spanish International Coopera-

Bill Gates acknowledged the Spanish Government's work and support for this cause, which is also dedicated to training local health staff. It was at the Manhinça center, which is financed by the AECI, the government of Mozambique, and other organizations, where Pedro Alonso was able to develop the RTS,S prototype malaria vaccine. Test results for this prototype, which have been published in "The Lancet", have met every expectation for a successful vaccine.

The Secretary of State and Doctor Pedro Alonso held a video conference with researchers from the Barcelona Clinic Hospital, who are also involved in researching the vaccine.

The fight against malaria is a priority of the Spanish Cooperation Master Plan, and efforts to combat the disease include support for worldwide anti-malaria programs, the formation of alliances with the private sector to ensure the sustainability of treatments, sup-

The training of Afghan physicians is a priority of the Badghis Hospital project. PHOTO BY J. CALVILLO

tion Agency is rehabilitating the hospital through the construction of new buildings, the purchase of quality medications, and installing medical facilities and equipment such as operating rooms, X-ray and ultrasound machines, heart monitors, incubators, etc. This is the first time these Afghan physicians have used much of this equipment. Therefore, since last summer, Spanish Cooperation

medical specialists have been training the Afghan physicians in the use of the equipment and in a wide range of medical and surgical techniques. "This training has not only been a challenge for the Afghan physicians, but also for the Spanish specialists who have frequently been called upon to treat illnesses that only appear in textbooks in Spain," said Luis de la Fuente.

port for research, and support in many other areas. To do this, the AECI has made contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria amounting to 225 million dollars from 2003 to 2007 and has allocated 600 million dollars for 2008-2010. It is also involved with the Gobal Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), and has agreed to donate 240 million dollars to this organization by 2025.

als from the Health Ministry, Associations of Friends of the Saharawi People working in health care, several non-governmental organizations, and representatives of the AECI. At the roundtable, the results of the various Work Groups created during the last meeting were presented, with a special emphasis on the implementation of infrastructures and equipment, and a statement of conclusions and recommendations was drafted. In addition, the great commitment shown by both the NGOs involved and by the Saharawi people in charge of various public health departments was highlighted.

Medical Care in Saharawi Camps ● The second Health Consensus and Coordination Roundtable was held in Tindouf near the end of November, in the framework of the agreement signed by the AECI and Médicos del Mundo (World Physicians) to implement a health care program for mothers and children. In attendance was a wide range of individu-

Guatemala Honors Spanish Cooperation ● The National Council for the Protection of La Antigua (Guatemala) rec-

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ognized the efforts of Spanish Cooperation in the recovery of the country's historical heritage by awarding the Order of Diego de Porres to the Spanish International Cooperation Agency (AECI) for its Heritage for Development Program, which has been in operation in the city since 1991.

The central purpose of the Heritage for Development Program is to use cultural heritage to drive sustainable development in communities with a rich cultural heritage. Cooperation in the preservation of heritage focuses on the human and social development that precedes the creation of wealth and improved living conditions through the valuation and sustainable management of cultural heritage by establishing the conditions necessary for these improvements to benefit low-resource populations in particular. In addition, it promotes the development of cultural skill and the preservation of identity and cultural diversity.

In La Antigua (Guatemala), the Heritage for Development Program has been responsible for the restoration of the Compañía de Jesús School (currently the Spanish Cooperation Training Center), the Historic City Center, and the Handicraft Market through the workshop-school that went into operation in 1991. The program has also played an important role in reconstruction work on the façade and tower of the Old Cathedral, the old Government Palace, and the Quetzaltenango Historic Center. Likewise, work is currently being done on the old Mail and Telegraph Palace and the Historical Center in the capital city.

The Heritage for Development Program has collaborated in several regions of the country. Its first projects involved the restoration of the sacristy and Sagrado Corazón chapel of the Church of San Franciso in Tecpán and the structural reinforcement of the Gran Jaguar Temple in Tikal. In collaboration with the Institute of History and Anthropology of Guatemala, the Program has continued its plan to restore the principal structures of the ceremonial city of Tikal, with work on Temple V and on the Plaza of the Seven Temples.

The 10th Anniversary of the Ibermedia Program ● Secretary of State for Cooperation, Leire Pajín; actress and director María de Medeiros; CEO of the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA), Fernando Lara; director and president of the Brazilian National Film Agency (ANCINE), Manoel Rancel; and executive secretary of the Conference of Iberoamerican Cinematographic Authorities (CACI) and president of the National Autonomous Center for Cinematography (CNAC) of Venezuela, and Juan Carlos Lossada were in attendance at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Ibermedia Program held in the Casa de América.

Photo of anniversary celebration in Casa de América, near the end of November. PHOTO BY P. ACEDO.

The Ibermedia Iberoamerican Aid Fund was created in November of 1997 during the Iberoamerican Summit held in Margarita, Venezuela to promote, among member states, the establishment of an Iberoamerican audiovisual medium through financial aid. During its ten years of operation, the program has been a remarkable success. The ever growing number of Iberoamerican countries becoming involved in the program is evidence of this success--the number of participating countries has practically doubled from the seven initial members to the 17 members that make up the program today. Since the establishment of the program, over 1,049 projects have been supported.

In her speech, the Secretary of State reflected on the role of film as an instrument of cultural cooperation that allows

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community development conditions to be created and that can be used as a tool in the fight against poverty. Likewise, she highlighted the importance of the program in establishing cooperation networks through the formation and support of institutions such as the Conference of Iberoamerican Cinamatography Authorities (CACI), and in continuing to nurture the film industry within Iberoamerica.

Actress and director María de Medeiros, one of the first beneficiaries of the program with her film "Capitanes de Abril" (April Captains), also lauded the importance and success of the program, which is, in short, "an acknowledgement of the creative specificity of our countries".

The ‘Goya-Calero’ Exposition Reaches the Czech Republic ● On February 3, 2008 The Bohemia Art Gallery in Pilsen will be hosting the "Goya-Calero, Continuation of an Unfinished Project” exposition. After showings at the Spanish Academy in Rome and the National Pisani Villa, in Venice, the exposition will now be on display in the Czech Republic. The exhibition was organized by the General Bureau of Cultural and Scientific Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and by the State Corporation for Cultural Action Abroad (SEACEX), with the collaboration of National Engraving, the Fuendetodos Goya Cultural Consortium, and the Alcort Foundation.

The city council of Fuendetodos, Goya's city of bir th, contracted ar tist Ricardo Calero through the museum to work on the "Los Disparates" collection and create a series of works that would, in a sense, provide a continuation and new interpretation of Goya's original engravings. The exposition is a display of Goya's reflections and thoughts set in metal, alongside a modern ar tist's vision of ar t and society in a power ful tribute to the genius from Aragon.

 miscellany The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has regained one of its most traditional buildings after a restoration that showed great respect for the Palacio de Viana's four centuries of history

Viana restored TEXT: ramón gandarias PHOTOS: ignacio gómez and javier fernández

● The restoration of the Palacio de Viana, also formerly known as the Casa del Artillero, The palace has a long history. After being built by Doña Beatriz Galindo, or 'la Latina' as she was known to her devotee and disciple Isabel the Catholic, it was used predominantly as the convent of the Concepción Jerónima and inherited by the Saavedra family.

One of its most illustrious inhabitants was undoubtedly Don Ángel Saavedra, Duque de Rivas. This remarkable author carried out numerous diplomatic missions, a highly important addition to the group of authors who also had diplomatic careers.

Fausto and Sofía Saavedra, the Marquises of Viana were the last members

of this family to live in the palace, employing the services of the architect Mariátegui to renovate it. He was very close to Alfonso XIII and in 1939, following the war, the palace was leased to the Foreign Ministry.

Fortunately for the State, Martín Artajo bought the property and the restoration and redecoration process was instigated by two diplomats, Mar-

Various rooms inside the Palacio de Viana and its facade.

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garita Salaverría and Mariano Serramagna.

Fernando Castiella, his successor, came from Rome to live in the Palacio de España, the official residency for the Ambassador to the Holy See and brought with him a great deal of influence. He was the first minister to live there permanently.

However, it was Luis Martínez Fe-

duchi who gave the palace the appearance it enjoys today. Martínez Feduchi was a great architect who had proven his talent even before the war with such buildings as ‘El Carrión’ (better known as the ‘Capitol’) on Madrid's Gran Vía, and who gave rise to a long line of brilliant architects.

As the Ministry's architect, Feduchi is responsible for a great number of its buildings, such as the annex of the Palacio de Santa Cruz, the Colegio Mayor Guadalupe, the old Instituto de Cultura Hispánica en Reyes Católicos and the Escuela Diplomática. (Works whose importance is comparable only to the work of Feduchi's son-in-law, Rafael Moneo, who is responsible for the Banco de España, the Museo Thyssen and the extension to the Prado…)

Fernando Castiella gave the Carlos Beystegui the task of decorating the palace. Beystegui had a great knowl-

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edge of antiques and owned a palace in Venice, the Labia, and others on the outskirts of Paris. Beystegui had been involved with the decoration of the Wagram Palace with the painter José María Sert,. Beystegui knew how to make the most of the great number of pictures, wardrobe, tapestries and rugs in the palace, utilizing them with great skill.

Viana has since been one of Spain's greatest embassies, but now it stands out amongst the best in the Capital.

The palace is a building par excellence for a Ministry that considers receiving guests to be one of its most important functions.

The architects Ramón Bilbao and Fernando Espinosa de los Monteros won the competition held by the Spanish National Heritage and have created a great masterpiece that shows immense respect for the personality of this Madrid palace. Its decoration was entrusted to Gastón y Daniela whose work was, as ever, magnificent.

Our Ministry now boasts a home to rival the best in Europe. Our visitors can now be received with the same hospitality Spain has always been known to show to its many illustrious visitors.

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This section is intended as an open door to all of our readers, a forum where our readers can share reviews of common interest. Institutions, organizations, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAEC) officers who wish to contribute to this section may submit their work to the following address: Revista “Miradas al exterior”. Dirección General de Comunicación Exterior. Serrano Galvache, 26. 28034 MADRID

the Premio Ateneo-Ciudad de Valladolid in 2006. He has also written El látigo y la pluma, an essay on the repression of homosexuals during Franco's regime.

> ‘A Russian Diary’, Anna Politkóvskaya, Editorial Debate.

A Russian Diary is the book that Anna Politkóvskaya finished just before she was killed by an assassin in 2006. A human and political testimony, this book is a collection of articles and personal notes written by the journalist during the period between the Russian parliamentary election of December 2003 and the end of the tragic siege of a school in Beslan in 2005. Anna Politkóvskaya's pessimism grew when she was isolated for being a journalist, an individual, and a defender of freedom.

Anna Politkóvskaya was born in1958 in New York, where her parents worked as diplomats for the United Nations.

She studied journalism at Moscow State University and worked for the Izvestia and Novaya Gazeta newspapers.

A symbol for freedom and democracy in Russia, Anna Politkóvskaya often took part in negotiations during hostage situations, including in October 2002 when a group of Chechens took the audience of a Moscow theatre hostage.

>‘Gerda Taro. War Photographer’, Fernando Olmeda, Editorial Debate.

Despite her premature death in 1937 while photographing key moments of the Spanish Civil War, Gerda Taro has become a legend in photo-journalism.

Taro, who was of Polish origin, had been educated in Germany and Switzerland and was temporarily exiled in Surrealist Paris, showed her passion for images at a ver y young age. She travelled to Spain with her par tner and fellow photographer André Friedmann (Rober t Capa) to bear witness to the horrors of war from behind Republican lines. A tenacious and resourceful repor ter, Taro was a trailblazer for many women and her disappearance cut shor t a brilliant career in photojournalism that had already begun to shine through in her first repor ts.

A book on her life written by the journalist and writer Fernando Olmeda was presented at the Casa Sefarad-Israel. His first novel, Contraseñas íntimas, won

> ‘Spain's Foreign Policy: Parliamentary Balance and Debates (2004-2008)’, Real Instituto Elcano.

The Real Instituto Elcano has launched this new publication just as the current legislature draws to a close, in order to give a clearer picture of where Spain stands in the world and the key points of its foreign policy as laid out over the last three and a half years.

This book deals with the most impor tant debates on foreign policy that have taken place during the legislature, four from the Congress of Deputies and one from the Senate. It also details the various approaches and positions taken by the Government and Parliamentar y Groups on those issues it is crucial for our countr y to maintain a clear position on. >What was the European

Constitution? Edited by the Fundación Rafael del Pino, the Florence University Institute and the Institute for European Studies at the Universidad San Pablo CEU The book What was the European Constitution? has been presented by the PP's Eurodeputy Iñigo Méndez de Vigo. The Treaty of Lisbon: a path to the future. According to the book's coordinator, this new text "resolves a problem" as Europe could not be in a state of "permanent institutional debate".

However, Méndez de Vigo warns that despite advancements being made in the fields of representation, democracy and efficiency, there are still a number of deficiencies which are caused by a lack of 'European spirit'.

During the book's presentation, Ministro de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperación, Miguel Ángel Moratinos assured those who have accused the new Treaty of being "simplified", that it is a "condensed" text, and that though it has been "stripped of its

ADVERTISING

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constitutional robes, it is the same in essence and content" as the defeated European Constitution.

The president of the Institute for European Studies at the Universidad San Pablo CEU, Marcelino Oreja, highlighted how the Treaty allows the most ambitious countries to continue building Europe. In doing so, he showed himself to be a believer in a two-speed Europe where "the countries at the leading edge can decide how far they will go, without closing the door behind them".

>'Battlefields. Decisive Conflicts in History', Richard Holmes, Editorial Ariel Richard Holmes, professor of Militar y Studies at the Defense Academy of the United Kingdom, together with author Mar tin MarixEvans, has taken a look at histor y's most significant battles, from Ancient Egypt to the Second Gulf War, passing through Greece, Rome, the Crusades, the Thir ty Year War, Napoleonic invasions, the American Civil War, the British Empire, the Boer wars and the two World Wars. The book compiles essential information on three hundred decisive battles in the histor y of man, including historical and militar y data, maps of the troops' movements and a great number of illustrations. > ‘Orientalism: A Step Backwards. Homage to Edward W. Said, Editorial Los Libros de la Catarata.

Eight authors, brought together in the city of Tangiers for the Obser vator y Forum Tangiers-Tarifa, have

paid tribute to Edward W. Said (1935-2003) who, in his book Orientalism, gave the political and economic reasons for the emergence of Orientalism as a branch of cultural and academic studies, which resulted in

a romanticized and banal view of the Eastern world just when the East was star ting to be understood as a complex and varied place. This book is a crusade against prejudice, against the idols worshipped by tribes on both sides of the Straits. The authors are Juan Goytisolo, Ar turo Lorenzo, Pedro Molina Tembour y, Lourdes Or tiz, José Luis Pardo, Fernando Rodríguez Lafuente, Javier Sádaba and Ruth Toledano.

>‘History and Artists of Arbaic Calligraphy’, José Miguel Puerta.

The Casa Árabe and the International Institute for Arabic Studies and the Muslim World (IEAM) held a ceremony to present José Miguel Puer ta Vílchez's book ‘La aventura del cálamo. Historia, formas y ar tistas de la caligrafía árabe’ (Granada. Edilux, 2007). The author was

joined at the ceremony by the Islamicist Carlos Andrés Segovia and Professor Waleed Saleh Alkhalifa from the Depar tment for Islamic and Arabic Studies at Madrid's Universidad Autónoma. A doctor in Arabic Philology and professor at the Depar tment of Ar t Histor y at the Universidad de Granada, José Miguel Puer ta Vílchez has also authored works such as Los códigos de utopía de la Alhambra de Granada (Granada, 1990) and Historia del pensamiento estético (Madrid, 1997), together with his research on Arabic ar t and philosophy.

>‘The Prado Museum and Contemporary Art’, Editorial Galaxia Gutenberg/ Círculo de Lectores.

Published by the Galaxia Gutenberg/Círculo de Lectores, the book ‘The Prado Museum and Contemporar y Ar t’ brings together the views of 16 international ar t histor y specialists and respected ar tists working in different fields, on the relationship between the old masters of the Museo del Prado and modern ar t. The book echoes the conferences organized by the Fundación de Amigos of the Museo del Prado during 2006-7 to

understand the relevance of the ar tistic successes of the past to modern ar t.

This group included Javier Barón, Jose Luis Borau, Francisco Calvo Serraller, Jean Clair, Jesús Gutiérrez Burón, Siri Hustvedt, Antonio López García, Juan Antonio Ramírez, Norman Rosenthal and Agustín Sanchez Vidal.

The book under takes to demonstrate how the best Twentieth Centur y ar t was formed by its predecessors. This is par ticularly true of Spanish ar tists thanks to their constant dialogue between the past and the future. Though traditionally it is believed there is a great divide between modern ar t and that of the past, the reality is that ar t has always been and still is ageless.

>‘A Changing World. Dialogues on Development’.

Editorial Los Libros de la Catarata.

Kemal Der vis is the UNDP administrator and chairs the United National Development Group. Leire Pajín is the Secretar y of State for Internaitonal Cooperation. They come from radically different worlds and there is an age

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difference between them of nearly thir ty years. Yet they have come together in a bid for the future based on cooperation between countries and States with a civil society, and they have carried out this task with a critical eye that, while it is in no way self-complacent, is optimistic about some of the current initiatives.

The dialogue flows naturally throughout the book, allowing space for anecdotes and furious debate alike. The truth is that the book's central theme - the role of development in a changing world - raises many issues, such as the challenges posed by development, migration, coherence in the relevant policies of developed countries, reform within cooperative bodies, the global association for development, the emergency in Africa and the Alliance of Civilizations initiative and the role it may play in the future…

The book also has a number of appendices where the

reader can find reference documents on each of the themes dealt with in this dialogue. such as the Millennium Development Goals,

the structure of Spanish system of international cooperation for development, the tools utilized by the Spanish cooperation, the 2006 Barometer on Latin America, the UN and EU views on migration and development and the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change. In short, it offers a series of guides to help us understand this rapidly changing world we have been given the chance to live in.

>‘MED 2007. The Mediterranean Yearbook’, European Institute of the Mediterranean and the Fundación CIDOB. An account of the most essential aspects of relations between Mediterranean countries. This publication examines some of the year's most salient issues, such as the war in Lebanon, African migration and the impact of the rise in oil prices. It also includes an extensive dossier on knowledge society and social modernization, as well as a broad selection of relevant data and information.

This publication has been created by exper ts from a wide range of fields and is essential to gaining a better understanding of the

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region. The quality and variety shown in the book is testament to the hard work that has gone into it.

>'Humanitarian Action in 2006: Chronicle of a return to reality’, The Institute of Studies on Conflicts and Humanitarian Action.

In this book, the Institute of Studies on Conflicts and Humanitarian Action (IECAH), in collaboration with Médicins sans Frontiers (MSF), analyses the evolution of the international and Spanish systems for humanitarian aid in a year where an absence of large-scale crises such as the tsunami or any new developments of media interest, such as the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, has allowed us to space to contemplate those crises and the terrible suffering they cause.

According to Jesús Núñez, co-director of the IECAH, “international humanitarian aid has often been used as a smokescreen to hide the lack of real interest in these disasters, which leads to a delay in the search for lasting solutions that will alleviate the suffering of the millions of victims claimed by these crises each year. This responsibility also lies with many of the countries that are directly affected, who have shown a clear lack of will to respond to the needs of their people”.

The Repor t also states that in 2006 Spain gave almost €247.7 million to humanitarian aid through its central, autonomous and local administrations and its universities: a

129% increase over the previous year. The Ministr y of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation provided around 50% of the aid, whilethe AECI gave 52.6 million Euros, almost half of the total amount.

>‘Stolen Voices’, Zlata Filipovic and Melanie Challenger, Editorial Ariel.

Wars take place on the battlefield, but there is another world: a world that lies in the background, full of cities under siege or destroyed that also experience the pain and destruction of war. Children and adolescents are among the victims in the background; perplexed and broken-hear ted, they watch their world fall down around them.

This book offers a perspective of the twentieth centur y's most terrible conflicts through the innocent eyes of the young. From the First World War to Iraq, the Holocaust to Vietnam, the Palestinian intifada to the war in Bosnia, this volume bears witness to the emotional testimonies of war's most innocent victims.

 The interview For now, there is only one report that has not given in to her will--a report she hopes to do about the Japanese Sumo wrestling "stables", where women are

forbidden. But she warns: “Someday I will get in there and fulfill this dream”.

Knowing her, we have little doubt that sooner or later, she will.

“I see

photography as a continual challenge

“

She is considered one of the greatest photographers in the world, but she says that every day she learns something new, because she sees her work and career as a constant challenge.

Isabel Muñoz is not at all shy about saying how much she learns from her mistakes and she feels that art is anything that moves her.

Behind her distinguished air and long black hair hides a woman of character who has traveled all over the world laden with cameras, lenses, and other paraphernalia in search of stories to photograph and to tell, which in reality are simply “excuses to talk about life and feeling”, she muses.

She is also proud of never letting difficulty stand in her way and of fighting to get what she wants if necessary.

sabel m

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BY: luis sánchez pérez PHOTOGRAPHY: IGNACIO GÓMEZ AND ISABEL MUÑOZ

— You are, without a doubt, one of the most internationally renowned Spanish photographers. In fact, I get the impression that you may be more recognized outside of Spain than inside the country.

— Quite honestly, I don't worry about or pay any attention to that. I have to admit that I live in a sort of bubble, and what is most important to me is to keep taking pictures--to be able to tell stories with my camera and share those stories with others.

— This may be anecdotal, but I have found evidence that one of your books-a book about flamenco no less--was published in France and not in Spain.

— Well, it was nearly published in Spain, but the project never came together. I am very grateful to France for all the support I received there during the beginning of my career: I was able to do exhibitions in Paris and had the good fortune to have people like Joël Brard behind me.

— Even your first exhibition in Spain was at the French Institute of Madrid.

— I believe in destiny and I have always had a special relationship with France.

I am grateful to the French people for having the courage to support me when nobody really knew who I was.

— Even though you started out wanting to become a mathematician, perhaps it was destiny that led you to photography, following in the footsteps of your Russian great-grandfather, Ivan

Lolossin, who traveled all over the world and was himself an amateur photographer.

— I discovered my great-grandfather's penchant for photography in the '90s, when my grandmother died and I was given a trunk filled with photographic plates he had taken. Interestingly, I also discovered that he used the same developing processes as I did. My grandmother was also a great amateur photographer. Yes, it is interesting.

— I imagine you hold those mementos as some of your most prized possessions.

— Of course. I am something of a fetishist. I am convinced that objects like these carry a part of those people to whom they once belonged. These items have enormous meaning to me.

— When you were just 12 years old, you bought a Kodak Instamatic, and from then on...

— I saved up for it. When I was a girl I would get money for Christmas or for my birthday and when I was thirteen I was able to buy a Kodak Instamatic, which I still have to this day. That was, in fact, my first experience with photography.

— That camera may have also helped shape your destiny--it may have ultimately turned you away from studying mathematics.

— I feel that it probably was a twist of fate. I had the choice, and had I opted for mathematics, my life would have been completely different.

— Then came an intense learning period, in both Spain and in the United States.

— Actually, I learn something every day, because I see photography as a continual challenge. But yes, I remember that in those days, both in Spain and abroad, learning photography was not easy. Here there was just Photocentro, where I had the opportunity to study under and work with Eduardo Momeñe and Ramón Mourelle. From there, I learned to learn from my mistakes and from my work, where I had the opportunity to do a little of everything, from commercial photography to still photogrphy for the film industry. It was a time of rich training for me. At the same time, I started

to wonder if I could add the sensuality of watercolor paper to photography. I love to touch, not just look, and I wanted to capture the feel of watercolor paper, which led me to the United States where those sorts of techniques were being used in the '80s.

— One of the elements that makes your photos unique is precisely your use of older development techniques based on platinum.

— Specifically, platinotype. For me, the challenge lies in finding other forms of expression, and in this sense, technique becomes as important as the final product. It is central to achieving, for example, more intense blacks, larger sizes...

— But today we are witnessing a revolution of new technologies and digital photography. How does all that fit into this process?

— From a photography perspective, the introduction of digital techniques makes this an almost magical era. I liken it to what photographers living near the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century may have experienced, with the seemingly endless discoveries being made. What interests

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Sometimes you are the one who chooses your topics, but other times the topics are the ones that choose you The key is to evoke emotion in whoever will be viewing that photograph

Samples of Isabel Muñoz' work that speak of the human body's place in contemporary society.

Her photography is simultaneously pure and erotic--a tribute to freedom symbolized by bodies capable of defying earth's gravity and the weight of worldly reality.

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I am something of a fetishist.

I am convinced that objects like these carry a part of those people to whom they once belonged

For me, the challenge lies in finding other forms of expression

me about the digital world is to be able to assimilate all the elements of this technique that will allow me to create more power ful images... and then, forget about it altogether.

— Is there a risk that older methods of developing will disappear because of the advent of new technology?

— It's obvious that some products will no longer be made and some techniques will disappear because they can be replaced and even improved upon through digital technology. That's just the way it is. For example, we can now use digital techniques to create negatives on higher quality acetate film than before.

What I personally like about digital

technology is that everyone can use it in their own way to express themselves more power fully. New products and methods are being developed every day and it's up to you whether you use them or not. We live in a world with room for all kinds of people and techniques.

What is important is having something to say and being able to share it with others.

There is another advantage to digital technology: the ability to share your images with the person or people you are photographing instantly. It becomes a magical moment that allows you to reach them in a completely new way.

Recently I was able to experience this firsthand in El Salvador, with prison-

I love holding a camera

I also like to play with time to create timeless photographs What is important is having something to say and being able to share it

ers from the "Maras" gangs and also in Cambodia with the young prostitutes that would light up just seeing themselves on the screen--and this was at nine o'clock in the morning after being up all night working in oppressive Asian brothels.

— Technique is just part of the equation. However, photography, like other forms of art, is a combination of technique and aesthetics.

— I'm not sure I even dare discuss this yet, because we should probably first ask what it means to be an artist.

— I'm sure you have asked yourself this question before. What conclusions did you reach?

— To me, art is anything that moves

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me. For example, I love to cook, and I feel that a delicious meal is a form of art. In any case, I believe that others should be the ones who decide whether someone is an artist or not.

— So the "title" of artist should be conferred by, let's say the public, or the critics?

— I think so. It's not something that worries me. Again, what I enjoy is telling and sharing stories.

— And it certainly shows. Normally your exhibitions and work are quite thematic (tango, flamenco...). It is easy to see that you are trying to tell a story, but you have said that you don't consider yourself a reporter.

— Honestly, I don't really see the difference between being or not being a reporter. In my opinion, anyone who uses a camera is a photographer. You may or may not dedicate yourself to documentary photography, but the key is to evoke emotion in whoever will be viewing that photograph.

— One element of your style is that you frequently avoid showing the faces of the people you photograph. You show fragments, as one of your most recent exhibitions was aptly named.

— You do run into situations or topics where it is necessary to show the face and eyes of your subject, because the eyes never lie. However, there are other times when what I want to achieve is mystery, ambiguity. When you begin to fragment your subject -- less is more-the viewer is able to apply his or her own universe, his or her own imaginary world. I also like to play with time -- to create timeless photographs. I enjoy talking about feelings and feelings are not subject to the constraints of time.

— Speaking of which, I am reminded of one of your sayings: “Black and white is mysterious. It removes you from direct contact”. Please explain that.

— Black and white photography is where I find that world of ambiguity, mystery, and fragmentation I'm looking for. Human beings are accustomed to seeing the world in color, so black and white tends to separate us a little bit from reality, which we then make our

The individuals working in cooperation, are truly in touch with that world Our diplomatic services have always opened doors for me

own. It also allows me to explore the timelessness of the images, which has been so difficult to find.

— In other words, art should be something different from everyday reality.

— Again, to me, art is something that moves you. In that sense, I see no reason everyday subjects cannot be art.

Art simply has to "get you".

— In a word, seduction?

— When you're telling a story, you can use a topic like dance, or the human body, or any other item that moves you at a given time. But really, these are simply excuses to talk about life and feelings. I could not live in a world without sensuality. I feel that human beings need sensuality in the full sense of the word: we need to smell, we need to see color, we need to feel the warmth of human skin, the touch of a caress.

— What are you looking for when you do a photographic study of the human body?

— I look for the beauty that remains hidden in the deepest, darkest corners of human existence. Our bodies speak about us, what we are. I believe that we truly are an open book.

— Your work has focused on typically Spanish themes, such as flamenco or the bull runs, but it has also explored the seduction of foreign lands and peoples, including Cambodia and the Ethiopian tribes.

— I enjoy photographing things that move me, whether my purpose is to expose a given situation or simply because a particular topic fascinates me.

I love dance. I like tango and flamenco (I remember listening to Radio Tarifa as a little girl) and I can live out my fantasies through my photography of the oriental world. You discover new things every day. Sometimes I feel that you are the one who chooses your topics, but other times I feel that the topics are the ones that choose you.

— One topic leads to another.

— One project will certainly allow you to discover a new one. That actually happened to me in Cambodia--a country you can fall in love with and want to explore its every detail: I began photographing

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PROFILE She

planned on being a student of the Exact Sciences, but a when a camera--a simple Kodak Instamatic that she keeps to this day--crossed her path at the age of 13 her life destiny took a dramatic turn. ● She was born in 1951 in Barcelona, and moved to Madrid when she was 20, where she made her decision to become a professional photographer. Her first photographic studies were done as an apprentice at Photocentro. She later went to the United States to learn new developing and printing techniques. ● Her first exhibition "Toques" was hosted by the French Institute of Madrid in 1986. ● But it was in 1990, after her exhibition during Paris' Month of Photography when her career took a quantum

leap and her work began to appear in galleries all over the world. ● At the same time, several books were published featuring her work, including “Parade Nuptiale”, “Rome Efemer”, “Figures sans visages”, “Isabel Muñoz, 2000”. ● Isabel Muñoz has told

its dances and architecture, but then I turned to its mutilated and terminally ill people with AIDS, and finished with the topic of child slavery.

I found one of my most recent projects, the one about the Salvadorian "Maras" gangs, after reading a newspaper article during my Ethiopian tribes project and saying to myself: "What are we doing in the 21st century that drives youth to use their own bodies as form of expression".

— There is no doubt that these are all powerful, special issues.

— I need to feel that power. If I feel a topic has that power, I do everything I can to make it happen.

— I'm sure you must enjoy traveling, seeing other countries, other cultures...

— Yes, I do enjoy traveling. And I enjoy it for many reasons: It allows me to

thousands of stories: of flamenco and tango dancers, of mutilated warriors and AIDS victims in Cambodia, of Turkish wrestlers, of a remote Ethiopian tribe, of Buddhist Monks who excel in martial arts, of Iranian women, and most recently, of the "Maras" gangs of El

share experiences, expose situations, and express the things I feel. I try to travel in a way that will open new universes for me, that will give me experiences and allow me to live in a way that I would never have otherwise. I have had the good fortune to be able to see worlds and meet people that I would never have seen or met except through photography.

In any case, there are many ways to travel--I can even travel right here, in my studio. I also enjoy working right here, in the quiet of my studio.

— With so much hustle and bustle in airports, on airplanes, and everything, it's easy to see how that can get tiring.

— I travel with a tremendous amount of equipment, because I have to carry everything I will need with me, including cameras, lights... Walking into an air-

Salvador. ● The variety of her subjects also shows her willingness to approach even the harshest issues. ● Her photos are large, up to 100 x 140 cm, and designed to be touched, taking the viewer on an extraordinary visual and highly palpable journey.

port has become something of a nightmare--to the point that actually stepping onto the plane is one of the greatest feelings of pleasure I have ever felt.

And returning with all my photographed material and getting them not to let it all go through one of those X-ray machines is another triumph--another magical moment--for me.

— Does the fact that you are a woman make your work easier or more difficult?

— Well, it's been a little bit of both, but, with one or two exceptions, I feel very privileged to be a woman and to have been able to get into places that, as a man, I would have never been able to experience.

— In certain situations a woman raises less suspicion…

— There are countries, Iran for example, that have been source of endless

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discovery for me, and being a woman has allowed me to enter a very special world, where men cannot go, and share experiences with other women. That, in particular, is absolutely amazing to me.

— However, there are still many places where women are prohibited.

— Of course, of course, but in those cases, you just have to keep fighting and insisting until you reach your goal. Up to this point, only the world of the "Sumo" has been completely impenetrable for me, because these Japanese wrestling training stables are completely off limits for women. This is one of my dreams as a photographer, and some day I will go inside and do this dream report.

— I guess you have to be a little "hardheaded" for this line of work.

— Of course, and I have to admit that I have even been rash on occasion. But one thing is certain: you have to fight for it until you get it.

— Have you ever had to turn to the Spanish embassies and consulates to get you out of any tight spots?

— Fortunately I have never had to turn to them to get me out of jail or anything like that. However, our diplomatic services have always opened doors for me, and I have always felt protected as I've gone about my work. That's how it was in El Salvador, as I was working on the "Maras" report, in Ethiopia, as I searched for a tribe completely untouched by development, and in Cairo, working on Eastern dance...

— The quality of your photography has received some of the highest praise, and your work is certainly part of the international elite in your profession.

How do you feel about this acclaim?

— Well, it's actually quite embarrassing really. My greatest reward is to be able to continue doing photography. For me, life is photography and affection--those are the two things that allow me to feel alive. But again: what really moves me is the ability to continue to tell stories through photography, even if those stories are about issues I personally do not agree with.

— When you were starting out, did you have a clear idea where you would end

up in the world of photography?

— I have never really thought about it, then or now. You find the path as you go, and the most important thing is to live from day to day.

— What do you enjoy more; what do you feel most passionately about; field work, say with an Ethiopian tribe, or lab work, discovering the results of that effort?

— The entire process of photography is filled with moments...There are bad moments, but there are also magical moments. I love holding a camera, and I can take pictures for hours and hardly notice the passage of time--and exhaustion and pain become imperceptible.

There are so many magical moments when you really become one with the people you photograph... Finally, in the lab, the most exciting time is seeing the printed copy for the first time, still dripping wet, in such vibrant, living color…

— Have you ever gotten a print that has made you say: “that is exactly what I wanted”?

— I'm never really completely satisfied with my work. I believe that we can always improve. That is the challenge.

— Lately you have been discovering the world of color photography.

— Yes, and digital technology has opened the door to that discovery. I've always been reluctant to use color, because I feel it counts for too much. In any case, the personal work I've done in color is a little bit different, because I still use platinum and the tones I get are quite different--you could almost say that they belong to the other side of reality.

— You were recently involved in a conference organized by the Spanish Cooperation system. You gave a lecture on culture and development. What role can art and culture play in cooperation, especially in less fortunate countries?

— That was the first time I had ever been involved in an event like that, and I have to admit that it was exciting for me. It was exciting because I was able to share many of my concerns with people who have deep feelings for the aid

and cooperation work they are involved in.

I believe that culture can play a very important role in this area. Culture is like a foundation that binds us together--all of us. What this experience has given me is a lesson in how every time Spanish culture goes abroad, whether through an exhibition or a concert or in any other form, it speaks of us as Spaniards and reaches countries that desire to know more about us…

— Tell me about another good experience.

— I've had a lot of experiences. Recently, my work with the Ethiopian tribes has been touring through Brazil, where it has awakened special interest because many Brazilians have begun to see a clear similarity between the problems faced by the Amazonian indigenous tribes and those faced by the African tribes. They saw themselves in that project, and they were able to identify with it in some special way.

There are many reasons for believing in international cooperation.

— You have been to many countries, and I would like to hear your opinion of how Spaniards are perceived in foreign countries.

— I personally have always been well received and treated very well. My experience with SEACEX has shown me that outside of Spain we are appreciated and there is true interest in learning more about us. I would like to make special mention of the individuals working in cooperation, because I have seen that they are working in that field because they are truly in touch with it.

I have also seen Spanish cooperation at work in Iran, helping to alleviate the disaster of an earthquake; or in Cambodia, helping the children; in El Salvador; in Brazil... And quite honestly, it gives me a lot of satisfaction.

— I have time for just one more question about your future: Where are you headed?

— One of the things I have learned is to live day by day. If we strive to live in the future, you lose the moment, you lose the today. I want to continue to make my little contribution to a better world.

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