“The majority of Spaniards want more from Europe and we trust that this will do better for us”
King Felipe VI called this Thursday to continue “working together to build a stronger, more inclusive and prosperous Spain and Europe for future generations”, and I defended dialogue and collaboration to face the challenges that lie ahead.
He said this on the second day of the 39th Cercle d’Economia Meeting held in Barcelona, when presenting the Cercle d’Economia Award for European Construction to the co-founders of BioNTech, Ugur Sahin and Özlem Türeci, the company that developed the first vaccine against Covid-19.
He also stated that the “spirit of solidarity and cooperation” that Europe demonstrated in the face of the pandemic is fundamental for its future, after recalling the continent’s ability to unite in times of adversity and work to find innovative solutions.
“The story of Ugur Sahin and Özlem Türeci is an inspiring example of how commitment to European construction can have a tangible, perceptible impact on people’s lives. By receiving this award, you not only recognize their talent and dedication, “but also celebrates the spirit of collaboration and solidarity that has characterized the European response to the pandemic,” the King said in his speech, where he used Spanish, Catalan and English.
He has valued this spirit of solidarity and cooperation to face “the increasingly complex challenges” that lie ahead, such as climate change, geostrategic and geoeconomic tensions, sustainability, digitalization and AI.
He considers that they are “challenges that require all actors to play a very active role in promoting dialogue and collaboration.”
SPAIN IN EUROPE
“We owe a lot to Europe, but we must also feel proud knowing how much we have contributed in the last 4 decades to achieve what the Union represents today,” he said a few days before the 9J European elections.
“The majority of Spaniards want more from Europe and we trust that with this we will do better. In short, it is evident that the future of Spain is intrinsically linked to that of its European partners,” he stated before the authorities and economic representatives present at the conference. .
Furthermore, he thanked the Cercle d’Economia for its commitment to European construction and its conviction that with union we can face “any challenge” that arises.
In previous editions, the Cercle has awarded protagonists of European integration, such as the former Prime Minister of Italy and former President of the ECB, Mario Draghi; the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the mayor of Warsaw (Poland), Rafal Traskowsky.