Catalunya Europa Foundation

Foundational Manifesto

Barcelona, 2 January 2008

Catalonia’s national personality is endowed with an undeniable European vocation. Catalonia is part of the history of Europe. Catalonia is and wants to continue being, a powerful region of Europe and one of its engines. Catalonia can contribute to the common European heritage its economic prosperity, its capacity for innovation, its social cohesion and its cultural and linguistic identity. And at the same time, Catalonia wants to learn and exchange ideas, models, proposals and projects with the rest of European regions and nationalities.

In the eyes of the rest of the world, Europe has become a benchmark of quality for its peaceful coexistence, despite having suffered two devastating wars, for its democratic political system, for its economic prosperity and for its social and multicultural model. Europe still needs to create an institutional system and a business and social framework that live up to its capabilities and ambitions.

Europe, however, is not an abstract entity in which we would have to reflect. Europe is a concrete living reality, forged by thousands and thousands of private, public and social initiatives that concur with its progress. Catalonia is part of this reality and, at the same time, contributes to forge it. This involves certain requirements: to achieve the standards of democratic quality, quality of life and excellence in work and in the creation of wealth that are characteristic of Europe.

The Fundació Catalunya Europa was born with the purpose of intervening in the search for the knowledge and good practices that make up this European ideal of democratic, civic, economic and social excellence. With the certainty that Catalonia can contribute a lot, but learn even more. The activity of the Foundation is guided by the conviction that the free circulation of ideas, projects and experiences is necessary to stimulate creativity and emulation.

Pasqual Maragall