Emirates is interested in the projection of Santander
The Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Spain, Majid al-Suwaidi, visits Santander to demonstrate the Arab country's interest in Santander and the Community of Cantabria. This Friday, al-Suwaidi took part in the seminar 'Public Diplomacy and Cultural Cities: Shared Experiences', in the Magdalena Palace in Santander, organised by the magazine Atalayar and Santander City Council.
On the previous day, Thursday, the Emirati diplomat visited the Institute of Environmental Hydraulics of the University of Cantabria in the morning, an entity whose mission is to provide knowledge, experience, methodologies, tools and technologies to facilitate the achievement of Sustainable Development Objectives (SDIs), especially those related to the water cycle, following an integrated, multidisciplinary approach and working in close collaboration with managers and end users.
Al-Suwaidi visited the facilities where all kinds of circumstances at sea are simulated in order to analyse and solve the problems that may arise in the different devices created to generate energy with the force of waves and wind. Francisco Royano, Director of Technology Transfer at the Institute, explained in detail how the Institute researches and works and its objectives within the framework of a top level initiative to research resources and solutions to the options posed by water as a fundamental means of human life.
IHCantabria's vision is to become a world reference centre for providing innovative solutions based on scientific excellence and a reference in education, contributing to a more sustainable planet with special emphasis on the water cycle.
Subsequently, Majid al-Suwaidi met with Paula Fernández Viaña, Minister of the Presidency and External Action of the Government of Cantabria, accompanied by Rosa Valdés, Director General of External Action of the Cantabrian Executive. On the Emirati side, the ambassador was accompanied by the Minister of Economy of the diplomatic representation in Spain, Juan Lomba from Santander. On the table at the meeting were several interesting options for collaboration in different areas such as industry and tourism.
Afterwards, the ambassador held meetings with Enrique Conde, President of the employers' association CEOE Cantabria, and Modesto Piñeiro, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Cantabria.
The visit and lunch at the Pedreña Royal Golf Club was particularly interesting, accompanied by Juan Fernández Oruña, vice-president of the Pedreña Royal Golf Club, Carmen Botín, member of the Board of Directors of the Golf Club and member of the Board of Trustees of the Botín Foundation, and José María Peredo Pombo, co-director of the seminar 'Public diplomacy and cultural cities: shared experiences'.
The ambassador toured some holes of the Pedreña course, world famous for Severiano Ballesteros, and commented during lunch on the successes achieved by Severiano Ballesteros in Dubia and the relevance of golf in promoting quality tourism and enabling the economic and social development of the region.
José María Peredo explained that in the project to promote Santander as a world cultural reference, golf, water sports and gastronomy also play a fundamental role in completing the attraction of the Cantabrian capital.
The afternoon tour of the Botín Centre, in the middle of the afternoon and with a special light in the bay of Santander at that time, made a special impression on Al-Suwaidi with the detailed explanations of its director, Fátima Sánchez, and its artistic director, Benjamín Weil.
The Botín Centre is an art centre that aims to generate social development and wealth by taking advantage of the potential that the arts have to awaken creative capacity and aspires to be a reference point for art in Spain, part of the European circuit of top level art centres, a living and close place, a regular meeting place for citizens, in which to enjoy, learn and be inspired thanks to the diversity of artistic experiences offered to all audiences.