Eduardo González
The Governing Council of the Sefarad-Israel Center approved this Friday the appointment of José Eugenio Thovar as director general of the institution, replacing Jaime Moreno Bau, according to diplomatic sources informed The Diplomat.
The Sefarad-Israel Center is a public diplomacy institution formed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Community of Madrid, and the Madrid City Council. Its purpose is to serve as a bridge between Spain and the Jewish world and to create bonds of friendship and collaboration with the different Sephardic communities around the world.
Since its creation in 2006, the Sefarad-Israel Center has been deepening its study of the legacy of Sephardic culture as an integral and living part of Spanish culture, fostering greater understanding of Jewish culture within Spanish society, disseminating and commemorating the victims of the Holocaust, and promoting the development of bonds of friendship and cooperation between Spanish and Israeli society through mutual understanding.
To this end, the institution develops an extensive program both at its headquarters and in other venues, as well as online, including conferences, seminars, concerts, presentations, exhibitions, and film screenings.
The Sefarad-Israel Center is part of the Network of Houses of Spanish Public Diplomacy, along with Casa de América, Casa Asia, Casa Árabe, Casa África, and Casa del Mediterráneo.
The Governing Council of the Sefarad-Israel Center is the collegiate governing body and exercises the highest authority within the Consortium. It is composed of a president (the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in this case José Manuel Albares), two vice presidents representing the other two member administrations (the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez Almeida), and four members representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one member representing the Community of Madrid, and one member representing the Madrid City Council.
The director general is the highest executive officer of the institution and is appointed by consensus by the Governing Council from among individuals of “recognized prestige and experience” in the fields of study and knowledge of Jewish culture and relations with the Jewish community and organizations. His or her term is for three years, renewable for equal periods.