La entrada Press conference for the presentation of the Tel Aviv University’s lecture on the new immigration in Europe se publicó primero en MN Comunicación.

Torremolinos, 10^th June 2016: Beyond the phenomenon of immigration which Europe is facing, the ancient continent also faces a challenge regarding its communal identity and values due to current migratory movements. ‘We remove borders between countries, but we put barriers between people’, a contradiction from which the European Union suffers when nation-states request to impose their own immigration policies.

In this context, the continent blames the resurgence of xenophobic parties, which before were waning, who make use the myths of job losses, risks to social welfare or the cultural identity of a country associated with immigration. ‘The current Islamic immigration provokes a psychological blow, but it is a matter of easy coordination if it is approached with a transnational policy and from a shared position’. ‘Immigration is economically good. Its benefit is greater than its cost’ in a Europe which is demographically aging at an accelerated rate. 

This is how Professor Alberto Spektorowski, from the University of Tel Aviv, defended it at the Lecture ‘Socio-Political and Cultural Impact of the new immigration in Europe’ which took place yesterday at Torremolinos’ Palace of Congress and Exhibitions. It was organized by the Association of Friends of the University of Tel Aviv in collaboration with the Torremolinos Town Hall. The Mayor of the locality, José Ortiz, hosted this forum in which the professors José María Gay de Liébana (University of Barcelona) and Teodoro León Gross (University of Málaga) also participated as speakers. Ortiz gave thanks for choosing Torremolinos as the setting for the event, describing it as an example of an ‘open, tolerant, multicultural and multi-ethnic city which wants to take a stance not only on tourism but also on culture’. In this context, he defended Torremolinos’ evolution towards a new model,‘ we want to be an open museum which displays Avant-Garde art and culture’ and a city of  coexistence in which 21% of the population is foreign, belonging to 170 nationalities of which 45% are from outside the EU.

Patricia Nahmad, president of the association, wanted to explain the function of the institution, which is involved in strengthening links between the University of Tel Aviv and Spain. The University of Tel Aviv, the biggest and most complete of Israel, is currently one of the highest ranked universities in the world and is the only one worldwide which is responsible for studying some rare diseases which plague the population nowadays. They have more than 2400 patents, and treatments for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, tissue engineering for implants and organ repair, non-invasive methods for cancer detection and nano-submarines for drug delivery stand out amongst their most recent innovations.  

‘Europe is on its way to a radical liberalism and towards a protectionist democracy’, a situation which risks the ‘demonization’ of all immigration, warned Spektorowski. 

According to forecasts, migratory movement will mean the incorporation of three million people into Europe over the period of 2015-2017, noted Professor Gay de Liébana, a statistic which includes refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers.

Europe is “El Dorado” for many desperate economic immigrants, “they find a Europe that stands at a crossroads: it doesn’t know where it is, it doesn’t have a clear identity, it doesn’t know where we are going and it doesn’t have sustainable economic growth”. Gay de Liébana made reference to the concentration of attention from European organisations on the problems of Greece, the stability of the euro or the possibility of Brexit to explain the lack of European response to the immigration phenomenon. 

The European citizen feels a sense of ‘helplessness´ in the defence of the values of social and cultural integration of immigrants, expressed the Professor León Gross. “We are playing with new dimensions which are costing us the exit from the nation-state. We want to make immigration policies from the states. However, as is its nature, migration transcends domestic policies and requires transnational policies. We facilitate multinational businesses but we limit movement of people. We move with great contradictions”, he said.

MN Comunicación organised the event as well as being in control of the  guest list and communication.

La entrada Experts in Torremolinos warn against the identity crisis spreading through Europe due to immigration se publicó primero en MN Comunicación.

Torremolinos, 1st June 2016: this morning saw the official presentation of the Lecture ‘Socio-Political Impact of the new immigration in Europe’ in the Torremolinos Town Hall. It is a lecture, organized by the Association of Friends of the University of Tel-Aviv in Spain, which will be given by the professors Alberto Spektorowski, José María Gay de Liébana and Teodoro León Gross next Thursday 9^th June at 6pm in the Nerja room of the Torremolinos Palace of Congress.

The press conference was supported by the president of the association, Patricia Nahmad, the moderator of the lecture, Teodoro León Gross, and the Mayor of Torremolinos José Ortiz. 

Opening proceedings, the president of the association wanted to give thanks to the Torremolinos Town Hall for their collaboration and explain the workings of their institution, which is occupied with fortifying links between the University of Tel-Aviv and Spain. Nahmad underlined the interest that the city’s Mayor has always shown in culture, something which – according to her – “contributes to its development”. For the president there are many reasons to attend this talk which will deal with topics to do with the new immigration which is currently impacting the continent from three perspectives, that of politics, economics and the social aspect. Additionally, she wanted to underline the important of the University of Tel-Aviv, which is currently one of the highest ranked universities worldwide.

Teodoro León Gross reaffirmed the words of Nahmad, noting that “a society without culture is a society without future, which is why Torremolinos is investing in it”. For León Gross, what is important about this lecture is the rational perspective which will be offered by attendees  because, up until now, only an emotional perspective has been offered on this displacement of millions of people. The philologist and journalist also set the scene of the importance of the speakers, exceptional professionals in the area of politics and economics.

The Mayor of Torremolinos, José Ortiz, gave thanks for “all the work that the Association of Friends of the University of Tel Aviv is doing for this important forum which will become the centre of debate of such a current, relevant topic, beyond the Costa del Sol and Andalucia, on an international level”. The Mayor assured that “Torremolinos is the best place to hold this type of conference, a city of meetings and open doors, where close to 170 different nationalities live together and more than 20% of the population is originally from abroad,  and as such we aspire to be the model for coexistence and tolerance”. This event “is going to allow us to learn and walk new paths for diversity and integration”.

NOTAS:

–              José María Gay de Liébana: Doctor of Economic Science and Doctor of Law. Academic member of the ‘Real Academia de Doctores’ and Professor of Financial Economics and Business at the University of Barcelona, assigned to the Department of Accounting. He is an honoured member of the ‘Consejo Superior Europeo de Doctores y Doctores Honoris Causa’. He forms part of the jury for the ‘Premios Rey Jaime I al Emprendedor 2014’ which is held annually in Valencia. Honoured member of Merit of the ‘Asociación Profesional de Técnicos Tributarios de Cataluña y Baleares’. Member of the ‘Asociación Española de Profesores Universitarios de Contabilidad (ASEPUC)’. Member of the ‘Comisión de Deporte y Olimpismo de la Sociedad Económica Barcelonesa de Amigos del País (SEBAP)’. Guest professor and speaker in Spanish and European universities. He collaborates with many media outlets – press, radio and television – in relation to topics about the economy and also sport. Author and co-author of various books, works and articles published in well-known economic, finance, accounting and tax magazines. 

–              Alberto Spektorowski: Doctor of Political Science and International Relation, PHD in Political Science, current professor at the University of Tel Aviv. Post doctorate studies at Yale University in the United States.  He has lectured at universities of Columbia, New York, Madison Wisconsin and the University of the Basque Country in Spain. His academic topics are ideology and politics of Radical Law in Europe and theories of social and political integration in Europe. He has published many academic articles about these topics. He recently finished an as of yet unpublished book about the impact of Islam on national identities in Europe. Outside of academics, he was political advisor to Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami during the process of peace in Camp David in the year 2000. Currently, he is a member of the ‘Grupo Internacional de Contacto’ which facilitates the peace process in the Basque Country. Active participation in many presentations around the world: Jerusalem, Argentina, Spain, Mexico, France, Miami, the US, etc. He has been awarded with many academic and professional prizes, such as the Prize for the best PhD proposal and Doctoral Grant. 

–              Teodoro León Gross: Professor  of Journalism, Columnist for El Mundo. Spanish Philology Graduate and Doctor of Journalism. He runs the ‘Fundación y la Cátedra Manuel Alcantara’. Academic secretary of the ‘Cátedra Unesco de Comunicación (UMA)’. Long trajectory as an analyst, for Vocento over two decades, and previously for Diario 16. He has also been a regular commentator on radio shows (SER, Radio Nacional, Onda Cero, etcétera) and television shows. Author of many academic essays (El artículo de opinión, El periodismo débil, La prensa en la UE, etcétera).

Bryony Blades

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La entrada The University of Tel Aviv chooses Torremolinos as the destination for their lecture ‘Socio-Political and Cultural Impact of the new immigration in Europe’ se publicó primero en MN Comunicación.