The Foro Iberoamericano y de la Iberofonía’s (Iberoamerican and Iberophony Forum) aims to promote integration, strengthen ties, and highlight the great potential of Ibero-America and all the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries in the world.
The presentation of the Iberoamerican and Iberophony Forum took place on September 27, promoted by the Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) and the Asociación Iberoamericana de la Comunicación (ASICOM, Ibero-American Association of Communication), at the Torre de Los Lujanes, in Madrid, headquarters of the Real Sociedad Económica Matritense de Amigos del País (RSEMAP, Royal Matritense Economic Society of Friends of the Country).
The event, opened by Pablo Aguilera, member of the board of directors of the host institution, featured participation in the order of F. Álvaro Durántez Prados, profesor at Universidad Europea del Atlántico (UNEATLANTICO, European University of the Atlantic) and director of the Chair of Ibero-American Studies and Iberophony; Carlos Fernández Collado, president of ASICOM; Santos Gracia Villar, president of the Iberoamerican University Foundation; Laura Galguera García, vice-president of ASICOM; Marlon Brevé Reyes, ambassador of Honduras; Antonio Cristovão, minister counselor of the Embassy of Angola; Liz Coronel, chargée d’affaires of the Embassy of Paraguay; and Victor Velho, first secretary of the Embassy of Mozambique.
The primary goal of this Forum is to foster integration, fortify bonds, and emphasize the immense potential of Ibero-America and other Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries worldwide in upholding shared values and principles.
Through regular gatherings, the Forum aims to become a landmark event in the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking international arena, underscoring the significant cultural and civilizational roles of these nations.
900 million people
The event discussed matters concerning the multinational realm of Spanish and Portuguese-speaking nations, encompassing about thirty countries worldwide and close to 900 million individuals. This geolinguistic space (which basically corresponds to the Comunidad Iberoamericana de Naciones y la Comunidad de Países de Lengua Portuguesa (Ibero-American Community of Nations and the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries) is based on the substantial affinity between Spanish and Portuguese, the only two major international languages that are, likewise, mutually intelligible.
“The Iberophony area,” as Dr. Durántez —a pioneer in the so-called “pan-iberophony-iberianism” trend— emphasized in his opening speech, “covers a tenth of the planet in demographic terms, a fifth in surface area, and is the first geolinguistic block of the world. This space in turn promotes horizontal and triangular cooperation between countries and societies in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.”
Likewise, the president of the Iberoamerican University Foundation, Dr. Gracia Villar, highlighted the role of FUNIBER and its network of universities, of which UNEATLANTICO is a part, in articulating the Iberophonic space through higher education and cultural and scientific-technical cooperation, promoting the mobility of teachers and students, the education of Spanish and Portuguese teachers, and the understanding of different cultures.
“We advocate for progress and cooperation that is tangible and practical, not just abstract. Culture and education are essential cornerstones of the world. The confluence of Portuguese and Spanish languages can help strike a balance in the globalization process,” stated Santos Gracia Villar.
The president of ASICOM emphasized that for the past decade, his organization has tirelessly worked to strengthen bonds between Ibero-American countries.
“We present the ASICOM awards every year in partnership with the University of Oviedo. Our goal is to honor institutions and professionals excelling in various disciplines. Their contributions help shape this historic region,” expressed Carlos Fernández Collado.
The event’s second segment, steered by top diplomatic figures from Portuguese and Spanish-speaking nations in Africa and America, was introduced by Professor Laura Galguero, ASICOM’s vice-president. This segment provided a unique platform discussing Iberophony from each country’s viewpoint. The event concluded with the signing of two partnership agreements: one between FUNIBER and the Embassy of the Republic of Honduras and another between the Iberoamerican University Foundation and ASICOM.