José María Méndez attends the celebration of the Patronage of the Fundación Carolina supporting the plan “Knowledge and cooperation for a just transformation”

José María Méndez, General Director of CECA, attended the XXXIII ordinary session of the Fundación Carolina’s Patronage on January 25, 2023, held at the Palacio de la Zarzuela and presided over by H.M. the King.

Also present at the event were the President of the Government and Executive Chairman of the Patronage, Pedro Sánchez; the First Vice President and Minister of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, Nadia Calviño; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares.

Additionally, the Ibero-American Secretary General, Andrés Allamand, the Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Pilar Alegría; the Minister of Culture and Sports, Miquel Iceta; the Minister of Universities, Joan Subirats; the Secretary of State for Ibero-America and the Caribbean and Spanish in the World, Juan Fernández Trigo; the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Pilar Cancela; the Director of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, Antón Leis; the General Director for Ibero-America and the Caribbean, Enrique Yturriaga; and the Director of Cultural and Scientific Relations of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, Santiago Herrero, also attended the event.

Among the representatives of the sponsoring companies, present were: the President of Abertis, Marcelino Fernández Verdes; the President of BBVA, Carlos Torres Vila; the President of El Corte Inglés; the President of ICO, José Carlos García de Quevedo; Marta Álvarez; the President of Havas Media Group Spain, Alfonso Rodés Vilà; the President of Iberdrola, Ignacio Sánchez Galán; the President of Mapfre, Antonio Huertas; the President of Telefónica, José María Álvarez-Pallete López; the Vice President of the Santander Spain Council, Juan Manuel Cendoya; the General Director and Vice President of Fundación Repsol, Antonio Calçada de Sá; the General Director of SUEZ Madrid (AGBAR), Federico Ramos; the General Director of CECA, José María Méndez; and the Corporate Director and Head of Institutional Relations of Grupo Prisa, Jorge Rivera.

Furthermore, the patronage was attended by the management of Fundación Carolina, consisting of the Director, José Antonio Sanahuja, and the Secretary General and Manager, Hugo Camacho.

During the meeting, the 2023 Action Plan of the Fundación was approved, aimed at promoting knowledge and Ibero-American cooperation, revitalizing relations between Latin America and the European Union, and contributing to a “just transition” in terms of digitalization, sustainability, and social inclusion. Annual accounts corresponding to 2021 were also approved, and several appointments and renewals of its members were made.

During the session, the President of the Government referred to the key role of the Foundation in intensifying relations between the European Union and Latin America based on the reinforced institutional framework that is intended to be achieved under the Spanish presidency of the EU Council. He emphasized the importance of having public-private institutions like Fundación Carolina, which unite strategies and pool resources in favor of Spanish external action.

Next, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation highlighted how the institution’s training and analytical work impacts all dimensions of Ibero-American socioeconomic and cultural life, projecting the democratic, multilateral, inclusive, and feminist vision of the government’s foreign policy.

For his part, the Director of Fundación Carolina presented the main lines of action for the year 2023, which are based on reinforced investment in higher education and research linked to the “common good,” institutional strengthening, gender equality, and raising awareness of responsible citizenship. He also presented the main results of the study on the impact of the Foundation’s scholarships, confirming its role in terms of generating social value in the countries of origin.