ANNUAL REPORT 2008 Casa Árabe is a consortium comprising: Casa Árabe 2008 01 Index 8 0 0 2 e b 52.Educational and academic a 04.Letter from the President r 04 52 Á programmes a s a C 0202.Index 0606.Letter from the Director General 5656.Arabic Language Centre 0808.Governing Board in 2008 5858.Sociopolitical Forum 1010.High Board of Trustees 6060.Socioeconomic and Business Programme 1212.Diplomatic Board 1414.Advisory Board 6464.Arabia Americana 1616.Headquarters 6868.Publications 1818.Inauguration of Casa Árabe’s 7272.Casa Árabe’s International headquarters in Madrid Institute of Arab and Muslim World Studies 2222.Casa Árabe’s Tribune 7676.Instrument of public diplomacy 2626.Casa Árabe’s Bookstand, books and words 80.Press and communications 80office 3232.Viewpoints 8484.Dynamics of institutional 3636.Voices collaboration 4242.Exhibitions 8686.List of activities 4848.Festival of Ramadan Nights 9494.Casa Árabe’s team 02 Casa Árabe 2008 03 Letter from the President 8 0 0 2 e b a r Á a s a C 0404.Letter from the President Hispano-Arab relations have strengthened substantially in the last five years, helped by the creation and consolidation of Casa Árabe. The Government’s foreign policy and interna- tional action have enabled traditional relations with the Arab-Muslim world to be modernised and relaunched. The relationship now has a multidimensional focus that encompasses not only traditional politico-diplomatic channels but also social, economic, cultural, scientific and technological relations. Public diplomacy and popular action form part of the exchange of knowledge and experiences to our mutual benefit, enabling old clichés to be overcome. As President of Casa Árabe I am particularly pleased about the growing influence of the institution within our country, in the Arab zone to which it refers, and in Europe and Latin America, making it a necessary and moder- nising tool of Spanish foreign policy. The directorship of this public consortium and its PRESIDENTPresident staff have rigorously revealed the potential of Miguel Ángel Moratinos Cuyaubé Hispano-Arab relations, their deep roots, and encouraged the interest and attraction between Spain and Arab countries. This explains the growing influence of Casa Árabe’s programme of activities and the response it receives within and beyond our frontiers. This year, Casa Árabe initiated a close rela- tionship with universities and Spanish institu- From its headquarters in Madrid and from its tions in the Arab region on matters of rese- International Institute of Arab and Muslim arch, publications and cultural and scientific World Studies in Cordoba, Casa Árabe pro- exchanges. Agreements were signed to deve- mote lines of research into political reforms lop a full programme of activities in various and socio-economic trends in Arab countries, Spanish regions and cities, aimed at reaching resulting in publications and activities produ- a broad and varied range of people across the ced by the socio-political observatory and the country. socio-economic forum respectively. Social conditions of Arab and Muslim women, Casa Árabe’s activities programme helped Muslims in the west, Islamisms in their con- develop and promote Arabic language and text, and education and the dynamics of culture, and supported our Foreign Service in socio-economic development are among the these and other educational tasks. Its move to research topics undertaken. The findings of a permanent Madrid headquarters, in the unique these investigations are passed on via various Escuelas Aguirre building, contributed greatly means and public events to experts and all to the effectiveness of its activity and aims. those interested. Madrid City Hall provided and renovated the building for Casa Árabe. Having a permanent Casa Árabe plays a crucial role in communi- base undoubtedly enabled us to strengthen cating and handling relations with the Arab its visibility, and signal the importance that world, and in promoting mutual knowledge Spain and its institutions give to relations with and intercultural diversity. The autonomous the Arab and Islamic world. communities of Andalusia and Madrid, and the town halls of Madrid and Cordoba contri- Activities in 2008 produced very satisfactory buted decisively to increasing our bilateral results and demonstrated the effectiveness of and multilateral relations, and developing this public consortium. This Annual Report relations with third parties, especially with provides information about all of them: they Latin America, the Gulf states and the are the fruit of inter-institutional cooperation European Union. and a legacy for Spanish society. 04 Casa Árabe 2008 05 Letter from the Director General 8 0 0 2 e b a r Á 06.Letter from the Director a s a C 06General The year 2008 continued to demonstrate the importance of the Arab and Islamic region in international relations, and its central place DIRECTORDirector General GENERAL Gema Martín Muñoz in Spain’s foreign policy. It confirmed the relevance of an institution like Casa Árabe in promoting knowledge, public diplomacy and research about Arab and Islamic countries. We focused on activities that included cross- cultural communication between the Arab world and the west, critical debate among intellectuals and academics, knowledge of temporary Arab artists; organise an ongoing the plurality of Arab and Islamic societies, film programme; establish the Arabic the dynamics of diplomatic and economic Language Centre, where more than 300 stu- interaction, and the dismantling of prejudi- dents currently learn literary Arabic and ces and stereotypes. These priorities encou- Moroccan dialect; take the first steps raged mutual engagement, the development towards building a Media Library and of common interests and points of contact Documentation Centre that will open to the between our respective societies. public next year. In this process of extending its programmes, Casa Árabe experienced a year of intense Casa Árabe launched Arabia Americana, an activity in 2008, when it extended its pro- interdisciplinary project aimed at publicising grammes, increased its public spaces and Arab influence and contribution to Latin services, and consolidated itself as a project American national identities. The project reflecting the progressive importance of this seeks to promote Spain’s role as a bridge region of the world in the international order between Latin America and the Arab world in and for global stability. all aspects: historical, political, economic and cultural. It therefore developed its field of We moved into our permanent Madrid head- activity in Spain, in Arab countries and in quarters, a unique and beautiful historic buil- Latin America. ding provided by the capital’s City Hall, in March 2008. The move enabled us to carry All this was accompanied by increased activity out activities planned in the founding project in support of Spanish diplomacy via the orga- but which could not be developed earlier nisation of Arab institutional visits covering because of the lack of necessary space. politics, economics and culture. This streng- Thus, Casa Árabe was able to launch its thened Spain’s role as an interlocutor with the exhibition programme, devoted to showing Arab world within a European and internatio- the most avant-garde expressions of con- nal framework. 06 Casa Árabe 2008 07 Governing Board in 2008 8 0 0 2 e b a r Á a s a C 0808.Governing Board in 2008 PRESIDENTPresident Miguel Ángel Moratinos Cuyaubé Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation VICEVice Presidents PRESIDENTS MEMBERSMembers Manuel Chaves González Soraya Rodríguez Ramos President of the regional government of Andalusia Secretary of State and President of the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation Esperanza Aguirre Gil de Biedma for Development President of the regional government of Madrid Ángel Lossada Torres-Quevedo Alberto Ruiz Gallardón Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Mayor of Madrid Diego López Garrido Rosa Aguilar Rivero Secretary of State for the European Union Mayor of Cordoba Alfonso Lucini Mateo Director General of Foreign Policy Fidel Sendagorta Gómez del Campillo Director General of Foreign Policy for the Mediterranean, Maghreb and Middle East Antoni Nicolau Martí Director of Cultural and Scientific Relations Carmen Moreno Raymundo Director of Cooperation with Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe Juan Díaz Muñoz Chief Adviser of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Gaspar Zarrías Arévalo Minister for the presidency of the regional government of Andalusia Santiago Fisas Ayxelá Minister for Culture and Tourism of the regional government of Madrid Ana María Román Martín Councillor for Coordination of Studies and External Relations of Madrid City Hall Rafael Blanco Perea First Deputy Mayor and Delegate for Institutional Relations and Culture of Cordoba Town Hall 08 Casa Árabe 2008 09 High Board of Trustees e d s i ´ s e e 8 b r 0 a p 0 r 2 n A e e a b e s a u r a Á Q C a d f s n o a a C g g s 10.High Board of Trustees n i n e t i 10 e e K t e s e u m h r t l T a s f u e o i n Under the Honorary Presidency of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain t s n d r e a j a a e o h M B t Abengoa High Board of Chambers of r i r h e e g Felipe Benjumea Llorente i Commerce v h o T Chairman Javier Gómez Navarro H Chairman Acciona José Manuel Entrecanales Domecq Dubai Port World Vocento Group Queen Sofía National Chairman Mohammed Sharaf Santiago de Ybarra Museum and Art Centre Chief Executive Officer y Churruca Manuel Borja-Villel Agbar Honorary Chairman Director Jorge Mercader Miró Elecnor Chairman Fernando Azaola Arteche Iberdrola OPEC Fund for International Chairman. Chief Executive Officer Ignacio Sánchez Galán Development Altadis Chairman Suleiman J. Al-Herbish José Francisco Mateu Extenda (Trade Promotion Agency Director General Isturiz of Andalusia) ICEX (Spanish Institute General Manager Teresa Sáez Carrascosa for Foreign Trade) P4R, S.A.