Dear all,

I am delighted to address each and every one of you in my capacity as newly elected Mayor of Barcelona and President of the International Association of Educating Cities (IAEC).

Cities are both the stage and the main actors in key global challenges: inequality, climate change, peace, and the new digital society. The cornerstone for achieving success in all these fronts is education – an all-encompassing concept that spans every phase of life and all domains in which life unfolds.

It is an honour and great responsibility to lead the IAEC in the coming years, to empower cities as truly educating spaces, while working collaboratively with municipalities globally. For Barcelona, it is a source of pride to lead this Association from its inception and to drive a truly transformative development model. A leadership that I embrace with an open and shared mindset to learn from initiatives of other cities within the IAEC that share common challenges and our commitment to education.

To consolidate our cities as educating spaces, we must foster the connection of the education system with culture, scientific research, the business sector, and the job market. Simultaneously, we must propel innovative programs where, through urban planning and civic engagement, for instance, we can also educate the entire citizenry. Not forgetting the support for neighborhood, community, and family networks as closer domains where education and values flourish.

Although the challenges ahead are numerous, we will continue, as all of you, to advocate for education as a tool for social transformation, as a pilar for equal opportunities, for development, and social cohesion.

I commit to sharing ideas and solutions and to adding new perspectives to these challenges and to keep on learning and progressing.

Sincerely yours,

Jaume Collboni Cuadrado
Mayor of Barcelona and IAEC President