On 17 May, the Director-General of ICCROM, Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral, and ICCROM staff had the pleasure of meeting with Guillermo Escribano Manzano, Director General of Spanish in the World, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation; Pablo Rupérez Pascualena, Advisor to the Directorate General for Spanish in the World; and  Moisés Morera Martín, Alternate Permanent Representative of Spain to the UN Agencies in Rome.  

The purpose of the meeting was for the representatives of the Government of Spain to gain a deeper understanding of the tangible impact resulting from their generous voluntary contribution in 2023. This support enabled ICCROM to enhance the work to the seventeen Spanish-speaking Member States by: 

• Providing simultaneous translation for essential meetings and activities, such as ICCROM's General Assembly 
• Translating of key governance and accountability documents 
• Continuing the update of the ICCROM website in Spanish 
• Increasing the number of publications in Spanish 
• Supporting ICCROM's programme activities 

The Director-General of ICCROM stated that the initiative supports the increasing global use of Spanish and addresses the need for more resources for greater opportunities for communities dedicated to preserving cultural heritage, as highlighted by representatives from our Member States in the Ibero-American region.  

They also discussed ways for ICCROM and the Government of Spain to continue supporting heritage communities in Spanish-speaking countries and amplify the reach of their joint efforts in the Ibero-American region through a more programmatic approach with dedicated capacity-building initiatives and concrete projects on the ground involving local communities. 

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Spain for the generous contribution in 2023. ICCROM looks forward to strengthening its collaboration with the Government of Spain and furthering our shared commitment to a more sustainable impact.