Juan David Latorre
On 28 and 29 March, the Association of Foreign Diplomats (ADE) made an institutional visit to the town of Aranda de Duero in Burgos, where they were received by its mayor, Antonio Linaje, with the challenge of establishing contacts and encouraging business recruitment.
Promoted by the Department of Promotion and Development of Aranda and its councilor, Juan Manuel Martín, the visit was attended by representatives from 16 countries (United States, Germany, Serbia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Romania, Malta, Georgia, Haiti, Honduras, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Uruguay and Paraguay).
During the two days, a complete program of activities was developed in which the strengths, opportunities and attractions of an intermediate city like Aranda de Duero were tested. An intense agenda, whose main event was a business meeting, where the members of ADE could know the economic muscle that owns the city, as well as its educational aspect, leisure and quality of life.
The program also included a guided tour of the dairy products factory in Pascual and the Dominio de Cair winery, belonging to the Ribera del Duero Designation of Origin. Other tourist proposals were also included such as a visit to the old town and underground cellars, and the possibility of enjoying various activities such as tastings, exhibitions or visits to museums, also placing special interest in the gastronomic offer.
The main objective of this I Diplomatic Forum organized by the Department of Promotion and Development of the City of Aranda de Duero, together with ADE, has been to place this town in Burgos as a strategic, attractive and dynamic center, and an ideal place for the implementation of new business projects. The initiative is part of the Aranda 2030 project, whose main challenge is to publicize the strengths and advantages offered by the capital of the Ribera del Duero. “We want this forum to become a showcase for the city, which will serve to establish future contacts and encourage business engagement. It is a novel formula to promote Aranda and attract investment at a time when the arrival of companies is increasingly difficult due to high competitiveness and globalization”, says the councilor for Promotion and Development, Juan Manuel Martín.
On Friday afternoon and after the guided tour of the dairy factory Pascual, the main event of the Diplomatic Forum took place in the events room of the Department of Promotion and Development (Casa de los Fantasmas). A meeting in which the present and future of Aranda was discussed with strategies to attract investment and business projects. For this, the participation of the director of the MICHELIN factory, Carlos Abril; the director of GSK Aranda, Carolina Sánchez Céspedes, and the general manager of AVINTIA, José Ignacio Esteban, who gave their vision on the strengths of betting for an intermediate city. The meeting also included an intervention by the managing director of SAN GABRIEL, Enrique García Agüera, who deepened the educational challenges. For his part, the director of the SONORAMA RIBERA music festival, Javier Ajenjo, spoke about the cultural, musical and leisure offer, to focus on the importance of quality of life when attracting talent.
The main event on Saturday was held at the Dominio de Cair winery, where the group of diplomats enjoyed a tasting of this Ribera de Duero wine Designation of Origin excellently offered by Noemí, a worker in the company, that with his sympathy and knowledge attracted the attention of all attendees.
Finally, highlight the very delicate and friendly attention at all times of the staff of the Hotel Torremilanos towards the group of ADE members, whose Board of Directors returned with great enthusiasm to promote their relationship with Aranda de Duero and his Mayor’s Office and with the celebration of the II Diplomatic Forum in mind next year 2026.
