Welcome

Welcome to the  Fundación Consejo España – EE.UU.

In April 1997, a group of Spanish diplomats and business figures created the Fundación Consejo España – EE.UU. to promote cooperation between our two countries in all areas –from economic and business to cultural, scientific and educational– and to heighten mutual knowledge and understanding. We share these objectives with our counterpart, the United States Spain Council, created by former Governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson, and currently chaired by Senator Ben Ray Luján.

Over a quarter century later, the Fundación continues these endeavors and has become the institution of reference in public diplomacy between Spain and the United States, as seen by its inclusion, together with the Fulbright Commission and the United States Spain Council, in the Joint Declaration between the Kingdom of Spain and the United States of America of June 28, 2022, which sets forth the goals and the principal mechanisms of our transatlantic relationship.

This close meaningful public-private connection has been sustained year after year by the Spain-United States Forum, where we discuss the main topics of the day, from the status of the transatlantic relationship and Spain’s role in the European Union to technological, defense and security cooperation, along with other economic, trade and cultural issues.

The relationship has also been strengthened by our longstanding ‘U. S. Young Leaders’ visitor program and the recently created ‘U.S. Hispanic Leaders’ visitor program. It has also grown through its activities in conjunction with prestigious U.S. institutions, such as George Washington’s Mount Vernon, and our Bernardo de Gálvez Award, which has been received by the United States Library of Congress, among others.

All this has been achieved through the leadership of my predecessors and the commitment by the companies and institutions that make up the Fundación’s Board of Trustees, as well as the constant support by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain.

I, for my part, am fully committed to continuing these efforts, as there remains ample room for continued enhancement of the relationship between Spain and the United States, two countries that are partners, friends and historical allies.  We will, therefore, continue to work in that direction, our sights set on the future without forgetting our shared past.

We are inspired by figures such as Bernardo de Gálvez, a Spanish hero of the American War of Independence, and Diego Gardoqui, Spain’s first Ambassador to the United States, and also by the many thousands of Spaniards who have come to work on U.S. soil since the end of the 19^th century.

They all remind us that our common past is the history of the people who forged the ties between our two countries and that our common future will take shape through the relations the Fundación and all the other Spanish institutions, corporate entities and initiatives are able to establish with our U.S. partners and friends.

Without further ado, I invite you to explore our webpage and take stock of our progress, as well as our programs and activities, and encourage you to reach out to the Fundación with any questions or any suggestions you may have. Thank you very much.

Josu Jon Imaz
Chairman
Fundación Consejo España – EE.UU.