COMUNICACIÓN

This meeting will include the participation of the High Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda from the Spanish government, Cristina Gallach.

The 10th Hispanic-Portuguese Meeting of Foundations “Foundations and SDGs: Synergies and Opportunities to Address Common Challenges” will bring together more than seventy institutions from Spain and Portugal in Mérida over 20th and 21st February to debate the challenges, opportunities and synergies among the participating foundations from both sides of the border for the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals; a key and communal issue today that marks the international agenda for the next twelve years in order to contribute to a sustainable future for all.

The foundations have a lot to discuss and to contribute to this issue, as practically all their objectives are related to the subject: social and integration issues; promotion of equality and reduction of inequalities; education; health; the environment and climate change; economic growth; industry; responsible consumption; the development of sustainable cities; corporate social responsibility; the energy or demographic challenge; the promotion and maintenance of peace, justice and democracy; the strengthening of institutions and many others, and all these objectives are of huge concern for citizens.

The European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation; Spanish Association of Foundations; the Portuguese Foundation Centre; Association Foundations from Extremadura; Eugénio de Almeida Foundation; Maimona Foundation and the Jesús Usón Centre of Minimum Invasion Surgery Foundation were responsible for organising this 10th Hispanic-Portuguese Meeting of Foundations.

The meeting shall be inaugurated on Wednesday 20th at 5pm in the Multifunction Room at the Edificio III Milenio by the General Manager of Exterior Action, Rosa Balas; President of the Spanish Association of Foundations, Javier Nadal; president of the Portuguese Foundation Centre, Maria do Céu Ramos; president of the Association Foundations from Extremadura, Luis Acha, and the Vice-rector of Students, Employment and Mobility at the University of Extremadura, Rocío Yuste.

Following the inauguration, around 5:30pm, the programme will begin with the intervention of the High Commissioner, for the 2030 Agenda, Cristina Gallach, who is responsible for coordinating the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Spain.

This event is organised into the following three panels: “Quality Employment and Education”; “Economic Growth; Cities and Sustainable Communities” and “End Poverty; Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality; Reduction of Inequalities”.

There will also be networking activities and conference tables on which the foundations themselves shall present their projects, give keys on their approach and open opportunities for collaboration. In addition, the programme is complemented with the exhibition titled “The SDGs and the 2030 Agenda in Easy-to-Read Format”, by the Citizens Foundation.

Extremadura Avante; Alimentos de Extremadura; Alexfo; Corresponsable Foundation, and the International Festival of Classic Theatre of Mérida are participating in this meeting.