Dr. Fernández Heads Signing of Agreement between EU-LAC Foundation and CEISAL

GFFD/Funglode president, Dr. Leonel Fernández, led today the signing of a basic partnership agreement between the European Union–Latin American and Caribbean (EU-LAC) Foundation and the European Council for Social Research on Latin America (CEISAL).

The fundamental aim of the agreement is to confirm both institutions’ interest in maintaining a relationship of mutual support to develop and advance a technical partnership. One of the
agreement’s clauses indicates that this space for joint CEISAL–EU-LAC Foundation collaboration will focus on subject areas relevant to the biregional association.

In line with the accord, the partnership between the two bodies may take the form of exchanging documents and information of relevance to the biregional association, as well as providing visibility and publicizing the activities of its counterpart.

The record of the
interinstitutional agreement was signed by Carlos Quenan, outgoing president of CEISAL, and Paola Amadei, executive director of the EU-LAC Foundation, with former president of the Dominican Republic, Dr. Fernández, acting as witness. The carrying out of the agreement on behalf of the Foundation is to be coordinated by Ms. Amadei, and on behalf of CEISAL by Jussi Pakkasvirta, current president of the European body.

In a short address delivered at the signing ceremony, Fernández noted how remarkable he finds the fact that a European institution exists to bring together all those in the region who have
a special affinity for issues related to Latin America.

“Now, with the signing of this agreement, we can establish a biregional relationship such that, alongside the diligent Europeans, we may bring together Latin American researchers on issues related to our region to allow a sort of permanent convergence over all subjects of mutual interest,” he stated.

He stressed that the signing of the agreement marked a great step forward,
since the role of the EU-LAC Foundation is to promote biregional relationships and precisely one aspect of that mission involves higher education, as well as scientific research in different disciplines.

“Today we are all enriched by the possibility of seeing our space for collaboration and participation expanded,” noted Fernández, invited to Salamanca as president of the EU-LAC Foundation to participate in the 8th CEISAL Conference. This European
network brings together the main institutes, specialist centers, and national social research associations on Latin America.