The Diplomat
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) presented yesterday the Gesher Award to King Philip VI in recognition of his role in promoting relations between Spain and Latin America and for his involvement in the signing of the Law of Nationality for Sephardim.
The ceremony took place at the Zarzuela Palace, during the audience granted by the King to a delegation of AJC leaders who have been visiting Spain since last Monday to develop an intense agenda of contacts organized jointly by Centro Sefarad-Israel and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain.
Founded in 1906 in New York, AJC is currently considered the most important Jewish organization in the world in terms of global diplomacy. It has 24 offices in the United States and 13 around the world, including Paris, Brussels and Berlin. The Committee’s delegation was led by Matthew Bronfman, a member of AJC’s executive board.
The Gesher Award (whose name means ‘bridge’ in Hebrew) recognizes individuals and institutions that have excelled in solidarity with Jewish communities in Latin American countries and in improving relations between the United States, Latin America and Israel. The award was given to Philip VI in 2019 for his role in fostering relations between Spain and Latin America, especially highlighting his involvement in the signing of the Nationality Law for Sephardim, which had an important impact on the American continent.
The delegation of the American Jewish Committee was received this past Tuesday by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, who expressed Spain’s “commitment in the fight against anti-Semitism”.
