The Director General for External Action and Director of the European Academy of Yuste Foundation, Enrique Barrasa, has opened the 6th Yuste International Conference on the Transition to Democracy in Spain, directed by Mario P. Diaz Barrado, Professor of History at the University of Extremadura. The inauguration was also attended by the secretary of studies for the conference, the Tenured Lecturer Juan Manuel Rodríguez Barrigón.

This conference aims to discuss issues such as the economy and society in the period from the late Francoism to the integration of Spain in Europe. This conference is characterized by featuring some of the main protagonists of that particular time in the recent history of Spain. On this occasion the conference will include speakers such as Ramón Tamames, Professor of Economics, or Alejandro Cercas, former MEP, among others.

The complexity of this period in our recent past is such that after several decades it is still subject of study and discussion in meetings and conferences like to one opened in Yuste today.

During his speech the Director General for External Action said that the real modernization of Spain did not occur until its accession as a full member to what was then the European Economic Community. Barrasa also stressed that “a forum like the this is the best place to recognize the work of such important figures in the transition process as the King Juan Carlos I and Adolfo Suarez, who acted as guarantors of the Social and Democratic State under the Rule of Law and allowed a constitution for all the people to be approved”. “Their figures should be taken as a source of inspiration for the Spanish people in the current difficult times, to allow us not only feeling proud of our status as citizens, but also having a great self-esteem as part of a European project comprising a Value-based Europe, a Citizens’ Europe, a Europe of Human Rights and Welfare State…” he added.

This is how Yuste Campus is back in action. The programme aims to promote discussion, training and plural and democratic reflection among university students and professionals on current affairs topics from a multidisciplinary point of view and a relaxed atmosphere which facilitates contact between students, speakers and round table participants. Within the Yuste Campus programme more than 80 conferences and panel discussions have been organized, with the participation of 115 speakers and 350 students.