Eduardo González
King Felipe VI conveyed his solidarity to the people of Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba, severely affected by Hurricane Melissa, this Friday in Madrid.
The monarch made these remarks during his address at the first Ibero-American Future Congress, organized by the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) and the Encounters of the Future Foundation at the Linares Palace in Madrid, headquarters of Casa de América.
“Before beginning, I want to express our solidarity with the people of Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba, severely affected by Hurricane Melissa,” the King stated at the start of his speech. “In these moments of pain and loss, we send our support and hope to all those affected,” he added.
Fifty people have lost their lives in the Caribbean due to Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded. Haitian authorities have reported at least 30 deaths, while the Jamaican government has confirmed at least 19 fatalities. A death has also been reported in the Dominican Republic, and millions of people have been left without communication and electricity in eastern Cuba, where significant material damage has been reported.
Besides the King, the first Ibero-American Future Congress was also attended by the Ibero-American Secretary General, Andrés Allamand; the Secretary of State for Ibero-America and the Caribbean and Spanish in the World, Susana Sumelzo; and the Director of Casa de América, León de la Torre, as well as Serge Haroche, 2012 Nobel Laureate in Physics.
The Ibero-American Future Congress originated in Chile in 2011 as an initiative of the Chilean Senate’s Future Challenges Commission, and since then it has become the most influential platform for dialogue between science and Ibero-American society. This first edition, promoted in conjunction with the Ibero-American General Secretariat, expands its international reach with the aim of fostering critical thinking, interdisciplinary dialogue, and Ibero-American cooperation in innovation, sustainability, and technology.