The Diplomat
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, yesterday attended the official opening of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) in Brussels, in which, in addition to explaining the reiterated priorities of the Spanish semester, he called for the role of culture and the defense of European cultural heritage during the Spanish semester.
Albares’ day in the EU capital began with the ceremony of raising the flags of Spain and the European Union at the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU, where he thanked “officials and workers” for their “excellent preparatory work”.
Later, the minister toured the artistic exhibitions installed in the Justus Lipsius and Europa buildings of the Council of the EU on the occasion of the Spanish Presidency and inaugurated Paisaje Solar (Solar Landscape), a project by artist Rocío Asensi and Re-Create Studio that will be on display in one of the courtyards of the Council of the EU throughout the six-month period.
“The sun is placed at the center, just as the European institutions are central to the project of a closer Europe,” the minister declared in the courtyard of the Justus Lipsius building, which hosts the representatives of the EU-27. “Light, sun, ecological transition, energy, European values, all that is what this work represents. Artistic creation is the soul of European culture and European culture is the basis of the whole construction of Europe,” Albares added. “Spain is a country of artistic creation, art, culture and cultural diversity, and that is also what Spain is going to offer and display throughout this semester,” he added.
Inaugural speech
The importance of culture came up again during Albares’ speech at the inaugural ceremony of the Spanish Presidency, which took place at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels. During his speech, the minister declared that Spain assumes the Presidency “in a complex international context” marked by “the cruel Russian aggression against Ukraine” and by the need to defend “the global system with which we have built our peace and prosperity”.
He also reviewed the main priorities of the Presidency: Europe’s reindustrialization and economic competitiveness Priorities to “reduce vulnerabilities in areas such as energy, health, food and digital infrastructures” and to “protect our strategic security”, for which it is important to count on “strategic” partners such as Latin America; the “fair and ecological environmental transition” through the reform of the electricity market, the decarbonization of the European economy and the control of industrial emissions; social and economic justice “in favor of our most vulnerable citizens” and through “real tax justice”; and the strengthening of European unity, because “in a world of growing geopolitical tension, we must remain united in the defense of Ukraine and the international order based on rules”. Likewise, Albares again stressed the importance of moving towards the reform of the Migration and Asylum Pact “collaborating with our partners of transit and origin”.
José Manuel Albares also wanted to make “a special reference to the role of culture in the Spanish Presidency”. According to the minister, Spain will support “the recognition of culture as an essential public good” and will promote “a political debate on the need to improve the working, social security and tax conditions of artists and cultural professionals”. Likewise, he assured, the Spanish Presidency will facilitate “the presentation of a Green Paper for the sustainable management of European cultural heritage” in order to improve accessibility, financing and dissemination of culture.
During the opening ceremony, Spanish choreographer and dancer María Pagés, “one of the most relevant and contemporary flamenco artists,” presented “a show created especially for this occasion,” in Albares’ words. Specifically, the Andalusian artist composed and performed the show Europa, mi amor (Europe, my love). The guests were also treated to a culinary show offered by the Basque Culinary Center and chefs Adrián Mancheno and Marcos Morán.
Spain has organized more than fifty cultural events in Belgium on the occasion of the Presidency, in coordination with the Instituto Cervantes in Brussels and the Cultural Council of the Spanish Embassy in Belgium. The program includes exhibitions by Catalan artist Jaume Plensa, Alicia Framis and the late Catalan artist Antoni Tàpies (1923-2012) on the occasion of the centenary of his birth.
