Catalan Diplomacy appoints 39 internationally-known citizens to explain Catalonia to the world

The Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia (Diplocat) decided in a plenary session held on Thursday at the Sala Tàpies at the Catalan Government Headquarters, Palau de la Generalitat to set up an Advisory Council to advise and guide the actions of the institution. The 39 members that from now on – and for a period of four years, which can be renewed – form part of the Council do so in an altruistic manner. They will help Diplocat project Catalonia to the world, one of the objectives of the organisation. Former US ambassador, Ambler Moss; former Mexican ambassador, Arturo Sarukhan; Representative of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Central Europe, Montserrat Feixas; businesswoman Sol Daurella; musicians Jordi Savall and Josep Carreras; Swedish MEP Bodil Valero; philosopher Josep Ramoneda; chef Carme Ruscalleda and footballer Xavi Hernàndez are among the members of this new council.  The Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, met with them all and asked them to ‘make the most of their capacity for international outreach and experience’ to help Catalonia open its doors to the world. ‘Make ourselves known’ and ‘our work valued’, Puigdemont stated

‘Recent events in Europe and the USA remind us that the world is becoming more and more complex and uncertain but, on the other hand, it is a world of opportunities and we must not miss the chance to take advantage of them’, the Catalan President said, referring to the Brexit and the US election results.

The Catalan Minister for Foreign Affairs, Raül Romeva, who also attended the plenary session on Thursday, stated that ‘the greatest natural resource of Catalonia is its people’. ‘This Advisory Council will allow us to gain international influence and present our country’s assets on the international stage’, he added.

During the plenary session, Diplocat also offered its Statement on this year’s activities. In 2016, the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia, carried out parliamentary diplomacy in countries such as Estonia, Switzerland and Finland and twelve academic conferences co-organised with prestigious universities around the world, such as the one given by Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont in May at Chatham House in London. Furthermore, it has also co-organised conferences such as the one given by the American economist and sociologist Jeremy Rifkin and the International Forum on refugees.