The European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation opened the call for applications for the Research Prize to Ibero-American Doctoral Theses, aimed at supporting the development of research work while promoting reflection and the exchange of ideas among university researchers and professionals on Ibero-American and European topics. (26/12/2024)

The prize includes full funding for the publication of the winning thesis in the “Tesis Doctorales” book collection published by Yuste Foundation. Additionally, it provides a monetary prize of €3,000 for the winner. The award is granted through a competitive selection process.

Doctoral theses eligible for this research award must address themes related to the relations between Spain, Portugal, or Europe as a whole and Ibero-America, and vice versa, from historical, cultural, social, scientific, economic, or other academic perspectives.

Research papers submitted for the Prize must be written in Spanish, English, or Portuguese; presented in Portugal, Spain, or any Ibero-American or European country; have received the highest grade stipulated by the regulations in force at the time of their presentation; have been presented within the two years prior to the publication of the corresponding call; and must not have been published.

Regarding the assessment criteria, the literary and scientific quality will be taken into account, with particular attention given to the language and clarity of concepts; the creativity and originality of the approach; the novelty of the results achieved; the robustness of the arguments used to demonstrate the proposed hypotheses; and the alignment of the thesis with the objectives and purposes of the foundation as outlined in its statutes, among other aspects.

Following the evaluation, the authors of the five highest-scoring doctoral theses will be invited to defend their work before the jury.

Applications, along with the required documentation and the thesis in PDF format, can be sent by email to: tesisdoctorales@fundacionyuste.org by 10 February. Information about this call can be found at the following link: https://www.fundacionyuste.org/premio-de-investigacion-a-tesis-doctorales-iberoamericanas-2025/

The maximum period for resolving and notifying the award decision will be three months from the closing date for submissions. If no decision regarding the award has been communicated by the end of this period, it may be assumed that the prize has not been granted.

The Regional Government of Extremadura and the board of trustees and staff of the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation express their deepest condolences on the passing, at the age of 90, of Federico Mayor Zaragoza, former minister of Education and Science and former director-general of UNESCO. Mayor Zaragoza was also a member of the Academy of Yuste since 2008, when he was inducted into the Leonardo Da Vinci chair during the ceremony to deliver the Carlos V European Award to French lawyer and politician Simone Veil. (19/12/2024)

Born in Barcelona in 1934, Mayor Zaragoza held a doctorate in Pharmacy from the Complutense University of Madrid. He was a professor of Biochemistry and rector of the University of Granada. Among his many posts, he served as vice-president and acting president of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) from 1971 to 1973, co-founded and directed the Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Centre in 1974, and was director-general of UNESCO from 1987 to 1999.

In Spain, he founded and chaired the Fundación para una Cultura de Paz (Foundation for a Culture of Peace) and held several political positions, including minister of Education and Science in 1981 and member of the European Parliament. In 2005, he was appointed co-chair of the High-Level Group for the Alliance of Civilizations and, in 2010, was named president of the International Commission against the Death Penalty.

Regarding his involvement in the activities of Yuste Foundation, Federico Mayor Zaragoza attended the Carlos V European Award ceremonies when the award was delivered to Marcelino Oreja in 2017 and António Guterres in 2023. Additionally, he served as a jury member for the Carlos V European Award given to Jacques Delors in 1995 and to Wilfried Martens in 1998.

He also participated as a speaker in several editions of the Campus Yuste training programme, held at the Monastery of Yuste each July. Notably, he delivered the lecture “La defensa de la paz, los derechos humanos y la democracia en el actual sistema internacional” (The Defence of Peace, Human Rights, and Democracy in the Current International System) during the course “Conflict Resolution, Peace, Gender, and Development” in 2018. In 2019, he presented the conference “Los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible: una agenda pensando en la próxima generación” (The Sustainable Development Goals: An Agenda for the Next Generation) as part of the summer course entitled “Perspectives and Challenges of the 2030 Agenda: Equality, Sustainable Communities, and Strong Institutions for Development, Peace, and the Achievement of the SDGs”.

His connection with the Foundation also brought him to Guadalupe, where he participated as a speaker in the event “World Heritage Site. Exceptional Cultural, Historical and Architectural Values of the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe”, which was held in 2020.

Federico Mayor Zaragoza further contributed to the Foundation by writing articles for the Newsletter of the Academy of Yuste, focusing on Europe and humanism from 2019 to 2023.

The board of trustees of the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation, which convened today under the presidency of the president of the Regional Government of Extremadura and chair of this board, María Guardiola, approved the action plan for 2025. This comprehensive programme encompasses around one hundred activities aimed at furthering the study and analysis of European and Ibero-American realities, while also promoting and strengthening Extremadura’s ties with Europe and Ibero-America. 17/12/2024)

The meeting was attended by Mariano Jabonero, secretary-general of the Organisation of Ibero-American States for Education, Science, and Culture (OEI), whom the head of the Extremaduran government congratulated for receiving the Princess of Asturias Award for International Cooperation in recognition of his efforts to promote Ibero-American multilateralism.

During her address, Guardiola underscored the work of Yuste Foundation, which has organised more than one hundred events and conferences over the course of 2024. These have covered topics ranging from security and defence to economics and international relations between Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe.

Regarding Yuste Foundation’s new action plan for 2025, the head of the Extremaduran government highlighted the numerous activities it envisages, which she believes “will serve as a lever for further deepening relations between Europe and Ibero-America”. “All of this, from Extremadura —a region that is proud to carry its European identity and American vocation enshrined in its Statute of Autonomy”, she affirmed.

ACTIVITIES

The main activity for the coming year is the Carlos V European Award, which Yuste Foundation organises annually at the Monastery of San Jerónimo de Yuste around Europe Day, under the presidency of His Majesty the King. The Foundation will soon announce the call for nominations for the 2025 Award, which marks its 30^th anniversary.

Another prominent initiative is the Campus Yuste educational programme, which includes international summer courses organised in collaboration with the University of Extremadura. Campus Yuste has become a well-established forum for debate, thoughtful reflection, and knowledge-sharing among university students, researchers, academics, and professionals. Topics range from the European integration and construction process to issues related to the history of Spain, Europe, and Ibero-America.

Aligned with the goal of continuing to build bridges with Ibero-America is the School of Guadalupe, which encompasses the activities Yuste Foundation develops in this Extremaduran town, historically significant for its ties with the American continent. The School of Guadalupe aims to continue paving the way for encounters and knowledge exchanges between Extremadura, Europe, and Ibero-America through congresses and conferences. Notable among these is the “7^th International Congress on Relations Between Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean: A Meeting Space”, where young researchers, doctors, and doctoral candidates specialising in the Americas will present their new lines of research. Another significant event will be the preparatory meeting for the Ibero-American Judicial Summit.

In line with this mission, Yuste Foundation will strengthen collaborations in 2025 through the organisation of two congresses in the American continent, fostering partnerships with Ibero-American universities. These initiatives will help consolidate relations across the Atlantic.

The Aula Abierta programme encompasses a range of academic activities, such as seminars, conferences, round tables, and debate and reflection sessions on historical and contemporary issues. For 2025, a course on Agrarian and Livestock Law has been scheduled in collaboration with the General Council of the Judiciary.

RESEARCH AND CULTURE

In the field of academic research, the Foundation will continue to promote well-established initiatives such as the Carlos V European Award European Research and Mobility Grants, the Doctoral Seminar showcasing papers selected through these grants, as well as the Research Prize to Ibero-American Doctoral Theses.

Cultural and awareness-raising activities will also continue, including the Emperor’s Concerts; the Luis Alcoriza Young Jury Award, in collaboration with the Badajoz Iberian Film Festival; school programmes focused on Europe and Ibero-America, which will be held in various educational centres across the region; and the Network of Routes of Emperor Charles V, whose board of directors is chaired by the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation.

The Foundation’s publishing line will expand its catalogue by releasing several volumes across its various collections, which focus on topics related to its Euro-Ibero-American scope of activity. In addition, the monthly issues of the 2024 Academy of Yuste’s Newsletter will be compiled into a printed Annual, serving as a valuable source of information and reference.

Yuste Foundation will continue to foster a network of collaboration with other associations, foundations, and national and international entities to strengthen partnerships and further build bridges between Extremadura, Europe, and Ibero-America.

The EHL-Bureau allocates €30,000 to the project, which will be used for digital promotion and cooperation between sites recognised with the European Heritage Label.

Cuacos de Yuste, 12^th December 2024. The Monastery of San Jerónimo de Yuste and the Minas de Almadén Parque Minero are leading the project “IVEPC – Integrar los valores europeos en el patrimonio cultural”, initiated by Patrimonio Nacional and the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation. It is one of the ten initiatives selected by EHL-Bureau, co-financed by the European Union, to carry out actions promoting cultural values and relationships between sites recognised with the European Heritage Label.

The project “IVEPC – Integrar los valores europeos en el patrimonio cultural”, which will begin in 2025, will include the creation of audiovisual materials and digital media campaigns to bring the Monastery of San Jerónimo de Yuste and the Minas de Almadén Parque Minero closer to all audiences. Additionally, actions for cooperation, interconnection, and joint training for European cultural managers are planned.

The first call for grants awarded by the EHL-Bureau aims to foster collaboration between the various sites recognised with the European Heritage Label, such as the Monastery of Yuste and the Minas de Almadén Parque Minero, promoting activities, synergies, and shared learning. “By fostering collaboration, we are ensuring that our cultural legacy is accessible to all and protected for future generations”, stated Vincent Curie, director of the European Heritage Label Office.

When selecting the projects to receive funding, aspects such as digital innovation, youth participation, sustainability, and the strengthening of the sense of European citizenship were considered, highlighting the commitment to common European values and the creation of a more integrated and collaborative future.

For further information see:

https://ehl-bureau.eu/en/european-heritage-label-sites-to-receive-financial-support-to-boost-collaboration-and-outreach-activities/

Over 150 participants from 26 countries registered for the follow-up meeting and conclusion of the sessions entitled, “EU-CELAC Relations: Creating Certainty in the Face of Common Global Challenges”, held at the Permanent Representation of Spain to the European Union (REPER) in Brussels. The event was organised by the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. (04/12/2024)

The aim of this meeting, held as a continuation of the one organised in November in Guadalupe, was to present the conclusions of the sessions held in Cáceres. To achieve this, the event brought together experts in EU-Latin America and Caribbean relations, including senior officials from EU institutions, representatives of specialised organisations, as well as ambassadors from Latin American and Caribbean countries. Their task was to draft a document to serve as a proposal to help identify current challenges and opportunities in preparation for future high-level engagements.

The sessions held in Brussels provided a platform for debate, reflection, and the exchange of ideas, highlighting the importance of leveraging EU-Latin America and Caribbean relations to deliver a united response to the uncertainty threatening both regions. Additionally, the conclusions, proposals, and recommendations from Guadalupe were presented to identify and analyse the key current and future global issues and challenges ahead of the CELAC-EU Summit in Bogotá in 2025, as well as the forthcoming Ibero-American Summit to be held in Spain in 2026.

The meeting also addressed new priorities, such as combating the climate crisis; the energy, digital, and social transitions; conflicts threatening international stability, with a particular focus on the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East; tackling organised crime; and managing migration. Discussions took into account recent developments to ensure the effective implementation of established guidelines and to identify areas for collaboration.

In his remarks, the director of Yuste Foundation, Juan Carlos Moreno, highlighted that the European Union, Latin America, and the Caribbean together represent a quarter of the global GDP, a third of UN member states, and nearly half of G-20 members. He emphasised that “when sixty countries act together, they contribute to achieving significant outcomes”, underscoring the need to “jointly seek solutions to shared challenges, despite the complexity of the task”.

Both regions must focus on what unites them and work to overcome their differences, “preserving the consensus built over three decades of summits”, Moreno stated. He cited the meetings held in November at the Royal Monastery of Guadalupe and at the Spanish Representation to the EU (REPER) as examples of such efforts.

To conclude, the director of Yuste Foundation referred to the critical role Spain will play over the next two years in fostering dialogue among all stakeholders involved in EU-Latin America and Caribbean relations.

The event’s opening session also featured Guillermo Santamaría, the regional minister for Economy, Employment and Digital Transformation of the Regional Government of Extremadura. Santamaría expressed gratitude for the creation of forums like this, spearheaded by Yuste Foundation and the Regional Government of Extremadura, as they provide an opportunity to reflect on relations between the two regions. He stressed the importance of jointly navigating the roadmap for collaboration, noting that many global challenges are best addressed through common solutions.

Following the welcome address by the ambassador permanent representative of Spain to the EU, Marcos Alonso, the event was formally inaugurated by the secretary of State for the European Union, Fernando Sampedro Marcos. The opening session also featured contributions from the first vice-president of EUROLAT, Leire Pajín, and the president of EUROLAT, Gabriel Mato.

During the closing session, the vice-president of the European Parliament, Javi López, delivered remarks, while Susana Sumelzo, secretary of State for Ibero-America, the Caribbean, and the Spanish Language Worldwide, delivered a video message on behalf of the minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, officially closing the event.

Throughout the day, several key figures participated, including Cristina Manzano, director of International Relations at the Ibero-American General Secretariat; Alberto Brunori, director of EU-LAC Foundation; Félix Fernández-Shaw, director for Latin America, the Caribbean, and Relations with Overseas Countries and Territories at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships; Pelayo Castro, deputy director for the Americas at the European External Action Service; Javier Samper Orgilés, director of EL PacCTO 2.0 at FIIAPP; and Erika Rodríguez Pinzón, director of the Carolina Foundation. Myriam Ferran, deputy director-general at the Directorate-General for International Partnerships, and Latin American and Caribbean ambassadors, including Gianni Avila, ambassador of Belize to Belgium and the EU, and Camila Polo Flórez, chargé d’Affaires at the Colombian Embassy to Belgium, Luxembourg, the EU, and NATO, also contributed to the discussions.

The event was attended by Elena Nevado, member of the European Parliament representing Extremadura; Pablo Hurtado, director-general for External Action of the Regional Government of Extremadura; and Irene Palomino, director of the Office of Extremadura in Brussels.

“In these turbulent times we are living in, the future is at stake; we must, therefore, strengthen the strategic alliance between Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean”. This was stated by Pablo Hurtado, director-general of External Action of the Regional Government of Extremadura, during the closing ceremony of the event “EU-CELAC Relations: Creating Certainty in the Face of Common Global Challenges”, held on 21st and 22nd November at the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe. The event was organised by the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation. (22/11/2024)

During his speech, the director-general highlighted that Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean are experiencing significant changes, which makes reaching agreements and building consensus increasingly challenging. He stressed that, “we, therefore, need to promote multilateralism, dialogue, and improve international cooperation”. In this regard, the head for External Action referred to the natural alliance between Europe and Latin America, citing “our historical, cultural, and emotional ties.”

The event addressed topics such as commerce, digital transformation, the green transition, climate change, sustainable development, security, governance, and geopolitics —key subjects of the EU-CELAC Summits, which concern the nearly one billion people living in the two regions. These issues, according to Hurtado, are global and shared, “as should be the solutions to renew relations that benefit both regions, enabling them to play a more prominent role in a complex and volatile international context”, he stated.

Finally, the director-general of External Action recalled that Extremadura has its European identity and American vocation enshrined in its Statute of Autonomy. Through the work of the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation, “the region seeks to continue building bridges between both sides of the Atlantic”.

During the meeting, the Vice-president of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EUROLAT), Elena Nevado, also took part, reaffirming her commitment to “continue promoting the agreements of the 2023 EU-CELAC Summit to achieve a closer, stronger, and renewed partnership”.

The closing ceremony also included remarks by Monika Krzepkowska, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Poland in Spain. Poland will hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2025. In her address, she reaffirmed her country’s commitment to supporting all activities aimed at fostering bi-regional dialogue.

In turn, Carmen Fernández Torres, Ambassadress-at-Large for Summits and the Ibero-American Space at the Secretariat of State for Ibero-America and the Caribbean and Spanish Worldwide of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation, highlighted that the event underscored the obligation and mandate to understand each other, to engage in dialogue, and to advance a common agenda. “To this end, we are certain of our work, our commitment, and the hope that through this coordination, we can seek joint solutions to issues that affect us symmetrically across all the countries that make up these two regions”.

Finally, Santiago Mejía Idárraga, minister counsellor in charge of Political Affairs at the Embassy of Colombia in Spain, announced that Colombia, which will assume the presidency of CELAC in 2025, intends to ensure that the Bogotá Summit builds on the achievements already made while focusing on the uncertainties arising from current geopolitical changes. Thus, he has announced that the flagship subjects of its presidency will be bi-regional relations, drawing on the experience in his country’s peace process, with the second priority theme being the energy transition and the green transition.

With the aim of creating spaces for dialogue and reflection, and providing a joint response to the common challenges faced by the countries of the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean, the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation of the Government of Spain, have organised the meeting entitled “EU-CELAC Relations: Creating Certainty in the Face of Common Global Challenges”, which will take place on 21^st and 22^nd November at the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe (Cáceres). (20/11/2024)

This meeting, which brings together politicians, experts, academics, and professionals from Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean, will analyse, reflect on, and offer various perspectives on the global issues affecting relations between the two regions at large, and individual States in particular. This will be done considering the Final Declaration of the 3^rd EU-CELAC Summit held in Brussels in 2023, under the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, as well as the outcomes of the 29^th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, held from the 12^th to the 15^th November in Cuenca (Ecuador). This meeting will serve as a foundation to help identify current challenges and opportunities in preparation for future high-level events.

The meeting will be formally inaugurated by the Secretary of State for the European Union, Fernando Mariano Sampedro Marcos. Joining him in the opening ceremony will be Juan Carlos Moreno Piñero, Director of the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation; Fray Guillermo Cerrato, Prior of the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe; Isabel Belloso Bueso, Director of the Extremaduran Agency for International Development Cooperation (AEXCID), Regional Government of Extremadura; Marlon Brevé Reyes, Ambassador of Honduras to Spain and pro tempore President of CELAC; and Katalin Tóth, Ambassadress of Hungary to Spain, the country currently holding the presidency of the Council of the EU.

Throughout the sessions, other participants will include Annika Lotson, Head of the Latin America and Caribbean Division at the Cabinet of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union and Vice-President of the European Commission; Érika Rodríguez, Director of the Carolina Foundation; Andrés Delich, Deputy Secretary-General of the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI); Alberto Brunori, Director of the EU-LAC Foundation; José Frederico Ludovice, Deputy Secretary-General of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB); Juan Martínez Moya, representative of the Ibero-American Judicial Summit; Pablo Hurtado, Director-General for External Action of the Regional Government of Extremadura; as well as ambassadors and representatives from the embassies of Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, Poland, and Hungary, and representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the vice-presidency of the EU-LAC Parliamentary Assembly (EUROLAT).

The event can be followed in person or online via Yuste Foundation’s YouTube channel. Those interested can access the programme and register via the following link: https://www.fundacionyuste.org/las-relaciones-ue-celac-2024/

Academics, experts, and specialists from Spain, Italy, and Mexico gathered for four days at a scientific and academic congress aimed at interpreting and uncovering the legacy of the so-called “Twelve Apostles of Mexico” in today’s society. These intellectuals, brought together by the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation and the Royal Academy of Extremadura for Arts and Letters, sought to highlight through presentations and discussions the humanistic, social, political, cultural, and religious contributions of the twelve Franciscan monks who traveled from the convent of Belvís de Monroy to Mexico, leaving a lasting impact as a model of Spain’s best heritage in America. (26/10/2024).

This Congress, with over 350 registered attendees, was held in Guadalupe, Cáceres, and Belvís de Monroy, commemorating the date when twelve barefoot Franciscan men arrived in New Spain, carrying the banner of poverty with a calm vision and freedom of thought, understanding history as a process of advancement and progress.

In today’s closing ceremony at the San Francisco del Berrocal convent in Belvís de Monroy —the very place where twelve Franciscan friars set off for New Spain in 1524—Belvís mayor Fernando Sánchez advocated for the convent to become a vibrant space hosting activities that foster ties across the Atlantic.

For the director of Yuste Foundation, Juan Carlos Moreno, the congress has helped to publicly acknowledge Spain’s role in America, “with its errors and excesses, but also with its successes, among them being carriers of the evangelical message”. In this regard, he referred to the Franciscans’ work as protectors of native communities and their rights against the abuses of those in power.

The director of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, María del Mar Lozano, expressed her satisfaction with the excellent attendance and the content presented, which will soon be published in a book.

The secretary-general of Culture of the Regional Government of Extremadura, Francisco José Palomino, thanked the organising institutions for holding the congress and affirmed that the convent will continue to thrive.

During the sessions, tribute was paid to those who, in 1986, brought the twelve Franciscan friars who departed from the convent of Belvís de Monroy out of obscurity in Extremadura. Among them were Antonio Montero, the first archbishop of Extremadura, and Juan Carlos Rodríguez Ibarra, former president of the Regional Government of Extremadura and promoter of the convent’s restoration, among others.

Throughout the congress, the role of religious figures as cultural mediators was highlighted, alongside the function of Franciscan missions as centres of evangelisation and meeting points between European colonisers and Mesoamerican indigenous communities. The Franciscans’ interest in the political and social affairs of the New Spain viceroyalty was also underscored, particularly through an analysis of the correspondence between the Spanish crown and “the Twelve.” Additionally, Hernán Cortés’s preference for the Franciscan order as a means to understand society in the Mexican territory was noted, with emphasis on the monks’ humanitarian approach in fostering closer ties, protection, and integration for indigenous populations subjected to abuses and extortion by the authorities.

The congress provided an opportunity to update recent research on the significance of Franciscanism in Extremadura during the latter half of the 16^th century, as many of the first Franciscans in Mexico were from Extremadura and carried fundamental characteristics to America: evangelical poverty and, particularly from 1492 onwards, an evangelical fervour that they had already demonstrated both in newly conquered Granada and in Extremadura, whose population faced adversity. All presentations and papers will be compiled into a book.

The “Twelve Apostles of Mexico” played a crucial role as cultural mediators, protecting indigenous peoples and promoting equality among native communities. (21/10/2024).

Reviewing and interpreting the role played by the Franciscans during the early stages of the evangelisation of America is the main topic of the International Congress that was inaugurated this morning at the Monastery of Guadalupe. The congress is dedicated to commemorating the fifth centenary of the arrival of the “Twelve Apostles of Mexico” at the port of Veracruz in 1524. These twelve Franciscans departed from the convent of Belvís de Monroy in Cáceres, sent by Charles V, and were welcomed by Hernán Cortés in New Spain. They soon became defenders of native rights, protecting indigenous peoples and promoting equality among native communities.

The inauguration of the Congress was well-attended, with participants coming from various parts of the peninsula. Representing the president of the Regional Government of Extremadura, the event was attended by Victoria Bazaga, the regional minister of Culture, as well as representatives from the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation and the Royal Academy of Extremadura of Letters and Arts, as the organising entities. The academic sessions are being held at the Royal Monastery of Guadalupe and the former convent of San Francisco in Cáceres, with the event concluding on Saturday 26^th in Belvís de Monroy.

The programme includes speeches given by experts from universities in Mexico, the United States, Italy, and Spain. They will address topics that are not only related to evangelisation but also the cultural, anthropological, social, and political impacts of the Franciscan missionary activity.

During the opening session, Juan Carlos Moreno, director of Yuste Foundation, spoke, stating that organising this Congress was “an ethical and just imperative” because it recognises the “merit, courage, and evangelical commitment” of the twelve Franciscans who arrived in Mexico to “share the only wealth they had: peace and goodwill”. Also speaking were Joaquín Zurera Ribó, provincial minister of the Order of Friars Minor; María del Mar Lozano Bartolozzi, director of the Royal Academy of Extremadura of Letters and Arts (RAEX); José Miguel Martín Ramiro, mayor of Guadalupe; and María Victoria Bazaga, the regional minister of Culture, Tourism, Youth, and Sports. Bazaga emphasised that the government of Extremadura “looks towards America without reservations, as our strategy with Hispanic America is to work hand in hand because we share a common history”.

All the speakers highlighted the importance of the legacy of the Twelve Apostles of Mexico, pioneers in the spread of Christianity and staunch defenders of respect for the rights of native Americans. In the opening session, the participants praised the humanising mission of the Franciscans, which continues to serve as a guiding principle for policies on human rights in Ibero-America.

During one of the presentations on the first day, John F. Chuchiak, a professor at Missouri State University (USA), analysed one of the most remarkable aspects of Franciscan activity in New Spain. He pointed out how Franciscan missions became meeting points between European colonisers and local communities. The missions, he explained, were not only centres of evangelisation but also spaces where beliefs, practices, and knowledge systems were exchanged and negotiated. The Franciscan friars played a crucial role as cultural mediators, adapting Christian teachings to local worldviews and traditions, while also introducing new social structures and practices.

Additionally, Pilar Panero García, a professor at the University of Valladolid, discussed the linguistic and cultural challenges faced by the early Franciscans and how they found creative and practical solutions to fulfil their mission. They learned native languages, thus contributing to their preservation and dissemination.

The Congress programme includes a special concert on Friday, 25th October, at the Co-Cathedral of Cáceres entitled “Music and Evangelisation in the Spanish Viceroyalties”. This concert will, for the first time, present a repertoire of music used by the missionaries in their evangelising efforts in America.

From 21 to 26 October in Guadalupe, Cáceres, and Belvís de Monroy. (16/10/2024).

The Autonomous Community of Extremadura is celebrating the 500^th anniversary of the journey of twelve Franciscan monks who departed from Belvís de Monroy for America by hosting the international congress “The Franciscans in Hispanic America: Review and Interpretation of the Legacy of the Twelve Apostles of Mexico”. This congress will run from 21 to 26 October in Guadalupe, Cáceres, and Belvís de Monroy.

“This will be an opportunity to strengthen and update the historical and cultural ties that unite us with Hispanic America, a unique occasion to reflect on our shared past, embrace our cultural roots, and tighten our bonds of friendship with Spanish-speaking countries across the Atlantic”.

These were the words of Victoria Bazaga, the regional minister of Culture, Tourism, Youth, and Sports, during the congress presentation on Wednesday in Mérida. Also speaking at the event were María del Mar Lozano Bartolozzi, director of the Royal Academy of Arts and Letters of Extremadura, and Juan Carlos Moreno, director of the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation.

The congress commemorates the departure of twelve Franciscan friars from the Berrocal convent in Belvís de Monroy, Cáceres, in 1524. Their mission was to evangelise what was then known as New Spain, now Mexico. These missionaries brought Christianity to America, but “it was not just a religious mission, it was also a cultural and humanitarian one. They promoted the preservation of pre-Columbian languages and advanced the education of indigenous peoples. Undoubtedly, Extremadura played a crucial and central role in the evangelisation and defence of the rights of indigenous peoples in the New World”, stated the regional minister. She emphasised that “these twelve Franciscan friars carried their faith with them as well as their commitment to social justice. They defended the natives and promoted equality, and today, 500 years later, their values continue to inspire us to build a fairer and more equitable future”.

The director of the Royal Academy of Extremadura of Arts and Letters (RAEX), María del Mar Lozano Bartolozzi, stated during her speech that the arrival of the twelve Franciscans from the San Francisco de Belvís de Monroy convent in New Spain “highlights one of the most positive aspects of the discovery and Spain’s presence in America”.

She also recalled parts of the lecture by the Archbishop of the Mérida-Badajoz diocese, Fray José Rodríguez Carballo, held on 13 June as part of the commemoration of Academy Day. In his speech, he spoke about the important role played by the twelve apostles in defending the indigenous people, promoting equality for native populations, and advocating for the establishment and promulgation of human rights. Rodríguez Carballo added that they were advocates for the inculturation of the indigenous people, learning their native languages, preserving them, establishing training schools, and fostering a rich cultural and architectural heritage.

For the director of RAEX, the timing of this congress is opportune, “as the reflection on and study of the history of Spain’s relationship with Latin America is once again being approached through academic and historically objective channels”. In this regard, she mentioned that more than 300 people have registered to participate in the three venues, in addition to the online attendees.

The main aim of this scientific congress is to update knowledge and historiography on one of the most significant events of Spain’s presence in America. According to the director of RAEX, the Franciscans who departed from the Belvís de Monroy convent projected, from a place of poverty and austerity, “the Franciscan utopia in the Indian territories, leaving behind a legacy of their humanising mission, which still remains fully relevant as an inspiring principle for human rights policies in Latin America”, she explained.

Yuste Foundation is part of the public foundation sector of the Regional Government of Extremadura, which is why its director, Juan Carlos Moreno, took the opportunity to recall the founding principles of the institution, which include fostering and maintaining relations between Europe and Ibero-America, in order to study, reflect on, and defend both the historical legacy and the current reality. “This is why,” the director affirmed, “we are working on organising this congress, which looks back 500 years to bring to light this lesser-known episode of history, in which doctrine was taken to America and once there, the Franciscans became defenders of the native peoples”.

To conclude, Moreno Piñero emphasised that the congress is being held “at a propitious and timely moment,” as Extremadura seeks to regain leadership in relations between Spain and Ibero-America. “A leadership that allows us to look back at the past with clear and unclouded eyes, not with nostalgia for what once was, but as a platform to achieve new things in the future”.

Historians estimate that the number of clergy involved in the evangelisation of America in the 16^th century reached 6,000, of whom over 2,600 were Franciscans. Among them, more than a thousand were Franciscans from Extremadura who carried out missionary work in America between 1500 and 1880.

The congress will be held in three locations in Extremadura associated with Franciscan history: Guadalupe, Cáceres, and Belvís de Monroy. Additionally, parallel activities will be organised, such as guided tours of the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe and the Belvís convent, as well as a concert at the Co-Cathedral of Santa María in Cáceres.

The speakers and contributors invited to the congress come from the Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome, the University of Missouri in the United States, as well as other Spanish universities and research centres. They will provide a multidisciplinary perspective, covering fields such as medicine, architecture, art, music, philology, law, Franciscanism, evangelisation, and Guadalupe devotion, among others.

The congress is being organised with the collaboration of the Regional Government of Extremadura through the regional ministry of Culture, Tourism, Youth, and Sports, the Extremaduran Culture Foundation, the Provincial Council of Cáceres, the City Councils of Cáceres and Belvís de Monroy, the Caja Almendralejo Foundation, the Coria-Cáceres Cathedral Chapter, the University of Extremadura, and the University for Seniors.