Álvaro Durántez Prados, lecturer at the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO), as well as director of Institutional Relations of the Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) and of the FUNIBER Chair of Iberoamerican Studies and Iberophony (Cátedra FUNIBER de Estudios Iberoamericanos y de la Iberofonía), has published in the ABC newspaper the article “Angola and Spain, Iberoáfrica (Angola y España, Iberoáfrica)”.
Professor Durántez Prados has paid tribute to the Angolan nation in a brilliant article that traces its independent history, geopolitical position, and relationship with Spain and the international community, as well as the importance of its membership in the world of Iberophony. As the title states, Angola and Spain have been building a relationship based on mutual respect and interest, in a framework of bilateral cooperation, taking advantage of the linguistic affinities that Durántez Prados sees translated into concrete facts and projects.
Dr. Durántez stated: “Angola is a central country in Africa, and not just in a geographical sense. Its strategic position, diplomatic action, territorial dimension, growing demographic and economic weight, cultural uniqueness, and, in short, its objective importance in the continental context is a reality that does not go unnoticed in the centers of international studies or in the ministries of the countries with interests in that part of the planet,” which constitutes a lucid observation about this African nation.
The article also highlighted the importance of the pan-Iberian space, a term proposed by Dr. Durántez to delimit the space occupied by Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, comprising more than thirty countries on all continents with nearly 900 million people, making up one-fifth of the Earth’s surface. Angola is the main country of the continental Iberophony as the largest Portuguese-speaking African nation, a condition that gives it a differentiating element, linking it to Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Among these concrete projects, the creation, inauguration, and success of the Universidade Internacional do Cuanza (International Univesity of Cuanza, UNIC), which is part of the Iberoamerian University Foundation Network, is worth mentioning. UNIC, promoted by UNEATLANTICO, has been nominated and awarded as University of the Year in the II Archiletras de la Lengua Awards in its category. It also marks the first state visit by the King and Queen of Spain to a sub-Saharan country, such as Angola. During this transfer, during the month of February, Their Majesties took the opportunity to visit UNIC’s facilities. F. Álvaro Durántez insists that “it is not by chance,” but because of the affinity and closeness that unite the Angolan people with the Spanish people in the Iberophonic environment, which is becoming more and more important at the international level.
If you are subscribed to the ABC newspaper, you can read the full article here.