<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>King Felipe VI received this Thursday a representation of the Spain-US Council Foundation, with whom he discussed, among other matters, the holding of the edition of the Spain-United States Forum, which will take place next July in Santander.</strong></h4> During the meeting, held at the Zarzuela Palace, the delegation of the Fundación Consejo, headed by its president, Josu Jon Imaz, by its general secretary of the Foundation, Fernando Prieto, and by its general coordinator, Mónica Otero, informed the King about the conclusions of the previous Forum, held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on May 31 and June 1, and which focused on the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and other topics of mutual interest, such as climate change or drought. Likewise, the representatives of the Foundation explained to the King the main activities of this institution of Spanish public diplomacy in 2025. Among them, the celebration of the XXVIII edition of the Spain-USA Forum stands out, which will take place in Santander on July 4 and 5 of next year. Since its first edition, held in Seville in 1995, the Spain-United States Forum has become the main platform for dialogue between Spanish and American civil societies and “has demonstrated its usefulness as a tool to strengthen bilateral relations within a framework of public-private collaboration,” according to the Fundación Consejo. If everything goes as planned, it will be the first Spain-US Forum in the new stage of Donald Trump as president of the United States. Another of the most notable activities in 2025, as explained by the delegation to the King, is the touring of the exhibition ‘Invisible Immigrants. Spaniards in the U.S. (1868 – 1945)’ in the United States, which can be visited at the Tampa Bay History Center from March 1 to August 3, 2025. During the meeting, His Majesty the King expressed his interest in the work of the Foundation, aimed at continuing to promote relations between both countries in all areas. “For more than a decade, the Royal Family has shown its support for the activities of the Spain-US Council Foundation,” which has been reflected in the participation of the King and Queen in the bilateral Forums of Malaga, in September 2014, and St. Augustine, Florida, in September 2015, as well as in the inauguration of the exhibition ‘Designing America: Spain’s Imprint in the U.S.’ at the Bexar County Courthouse in San Antonio, Texas, in June 2019. The Spain-US Council Foundation is a private, non-profit entity whose Board of Trustees is made up of large companies, cultural and academic institutions and members of the Spanish Public Administration. Established in 1997, its purpose is to strengthen ties between Spain and the United States in all areas to achieve better knowledge and mutual understanding that fosters common initiatives. This mission has been shared since its inception with its American counterpart, the United States Spain Council. The Foundation also has the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as its main strategic partner in achieving its founding purposes, and the support of the Embassy of Spain in the United States and the Embassy of the United States in Spain and Andorra in the organization of many of its programs and activities.
