Contemporary Spain. The Territorial Question
Presented by the Ambassador of Spain in Ireland, José María Rodríguez Coso.
Spain is a very different country from that of just a few years ago. The economic crisis and the recovery, the political changes and Spain’s relationships with Europe and the rest of the world are all transforming our country, with new challenges and opportunities opening up.
In order to analyse this exciting period of change, the Spanish Embassy and its Instituto Cervantes have called on two experts to discuss their personal views about the current situation and Spain’s future prospects.
The Instituto’s Café Literario will hold this debate in Dublin, with a session presented by the Ambassador of Spain in Ireland, José María Rodríguez Coso.
Josep Piqué Camps (Villanueva y Geltrú, 1955) has a PhD in Economics and a Law Degree from the University of Barcelona. Known for his period as head of several ministries (Industry, Foreign Affairs, Science and Technology) during the Aznar government, from 1996 to 2004, he is also an economist and a business man. He has written the book Cambio de era. Un mundo en movimiento: de Norte a Sur y de Oeste a Este (2013).
Jordi Casas i Bedós (Sabadell, 1954) has a Law Degree from the University of Barcelona and is a member of the Círculo de Economía. As well as a lawyer, he is a Spanish politician, moderated Catalan nationalist, member of the Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC as per its initials in Spanish), has been member of congress, senator and member of the Catalonian parliament. On the referendum project, he opposes the stances which encourage a confrontation among Catalonia and Spain.
Paddy Woodworth (Bray, Ireland, 1951) is a writer, journalist, editor, guide and Basque culture expert. Author of two books on Basque Country’s culture and politic history, Our Once and Future Planet. Restoring the World in the Climate Change Strategy is his most recent work. As a journalist, he has worked as a staff writer for The Irish Times and collaborated with numerous written publications, media and international TV networks. Woodworth combines his activity as an international researcher, editor and lecturer on matters of ecology and environmentalism with specialized guided tours of the Basque Country.