The Director-General for External Action and Director of the European Academy of Yuste Foundation, Enrique Barrasa Sánchez, closed the “Charles V European Award-José Manuel Durão Barroso” doctoral seminar entitled “History, memory and European integration from the perspective of the European Union´s (EU) transatlantic relations” and held at the Royal Monastery of Yuste, alongside the Director of the seminar, Enrique Moradiellos.
During his speech, Mr. Barrasa highlighted that “ideas, ownership and leadership are the key to making further progress in European integration, where the principles of cohesion or solidarity must always be present”. Mr. Barrasa added in this regard that “ideas alone do not change things, no matter how good they may be; they have to be implemented, decisions have to be taken and the necessary leadership needs to be shown in order to engage society”.
The seminar was structured around the research of the ten selected candidates who have obtained a “Charles V European Award – José Manuel Durão Barroso” European research and mobility grant for European studies by the European Academy of Yuste Foundation. These young researchers have become part of the “Yuste Alumni” network, which brings together over 70 researchers from all over the world.
The European Academy of Yuste Foundation aims to provide ideas which can contribute to further European integration, as is the case with the work of the researchers from the “Yuste Alumni” European network. According to Mr. Barrasa, “we are at a crucial stage and the Foundation must continue to work to influence decisions and leaders.
Mr. Barrasa also highlighted the role of new technologies in this process and anticipated that a platform to connect members of the “Yuste Alumni” European network with academics, prizewinners and professors will be developed to promote the exchange of research findings. Mr. Barrasa explained that this was a very important step “because it will increase connectivity among the European Academy of Yuste Foundation community, allowing Extremadura to become a reference platform in Europe”.
The Director of the seminar, Enrique Moradiellos, pointed out that the Charles V European Award distinguishes a “great architect” of European integration and this recognition continues with the grant program that leads to the organization of the doctoral seminar and the publication of a book that compiles the findings produced by the researchers. In this way, Mr. Moradiellos noted, such knowledge is not lost but actually “contributes to expanding the boundaries of knowledge”.
