During her official visit to Santander, in Spain, Roberta METSOLA, EP President attends the Global Youth Leadership Forum, along with Felipe VI, King of Spain. He gives an opening statement to the event along, which theme is "Europe, a Future of Hope". This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Future of Europe / European integration (T2)

statement

EU - Spain (T)

future of the European Union (T)

Spain

Santander

FELIPE VI (ES)

Global Youth Leadership Forum - "Europa, a Future of Hope": statement by Felipe VI King of Spain

Introduction to the speech of FELIPE VI, King of Spain

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, Thank you, President, for those inspirational and welcome words. President of Cantabria. President of the Parliament of Cantabria. Government Delegate. Mayor of Santander, Secretary of State for Justice who also accompanies us and president of the UST Forum. Ladies and Gentlemen. Good morning to all of you. A few first words, if you allow me in English, to welcome them.

SOUNDBITE (English), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, I am so pleased to be here with all of you today in this lovely city of Santander and the region of Cantabria. I am specially glad to do so on the seventh edition of the Global Youth Leadership Forum now underway. Also I am not quite sure I fit in, judging by this white beard I have. It is indeed a real honour to welcome to you all.

SOUNDBITE (English), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, Welcome you to Spain for those who have travelled from far and indeed to greet President Metsola, who is actually, as you mentioned this morning, her first visit, official visit to this country since she took office earlier this year. I am asure it is the first of many to come. So we look forward to that.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, We are convening a meeting in Santander, undoubtedly very, very special, of great significance. For me it is because this is the first time I have had the opportunity to accompany you here in person at the forum, although I have had the opportunity to receive the Organizing Committee in Madrid in La Zarzuela. And if I am not mistaken, the third time I have the pleasure and honor of chairing the Honor Committee.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, And from what I see here, and I am certainly happy with the passage of time, it only consolidates and reinforces this project of great interest. And of course, at a time like this, as the President and the President of Parliament have well reflected, it is great news because there is no doubt that intergenerational dialogue. It is very valuable to draw lessons, experiences, to feel that we are all linked to a project and to a need to seek solutions.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, So congratulations on reaching the 7th edition. And without a doubt, also a few words of gratitude to all those who make it possible for this to be a reality that continues to be a reality. The title of this European session could not be more encouraging. A future of hope. You know my commitment and my firm conviction in the European project in which I truly believe all of us here believe. And hopefully not just Europeans.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, You have different professional profiles, very varied careers, you belong to different generations, you live in different countries, but above all it links you. In fact, all of us who are Europeans here are linked to the European Union, which shows that it has a great capacity for membership. The President recalled the number of candidates, new candidates who are lining up to be part of this union.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, Because without a doubt there is no common project that is so broad, so ambitious that is both so feasible and that already has a track record and that is more worthwhile. And I believe that its virtues, its potential, transcends the European Union itself, transcends Europe as a whole and is very relevant to everyone. That is why I would like to add to the optimism shown by the President Metsola.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, And she just remembered. And thank you for the intervention. She just recalled a few words I spoke in 2015 in the European Parliament, in which I recalled an opportunity to highlight the foundations that define us as Europeans. Seven years after that intervention and everything that has happened to us, the truth is that I remain convinced, as I believe everyone here, that we must continue to preserve those foundations, making them stronger and more effective every day.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, Because if, by defending them, as I said, then we defend Europe in this context of so many shared difficulties, of challenges as complex, of certain and very obvious risks as we see at our borders. Your defense must be a priority. Your defense and continuous improvement is a priority for all. All the more so when the war in Ukraine itself is presented as a factor not only of risk to the lives of many, but also a factor of destabilization that is very profound in our neighborhood.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, To deny that the current context is really difficult would not be realistic. The world is changing rapidly. Are many of the foundations on which my generation and previous generations had spent their vision of the world, of Europe, of their relations with others, mutating or are they being replaced.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, The Digital transformation, the immediacy of communications, geo-strategic impulses for various reasons, the emergence of global problems and challenges that effectively need global responses have a decisive influence on the path that the future of international society, not just European, will take. In the answer we give to all these questions. Today, more than ever, we must take into account the voice of the whole society.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, States, governments are no longer alone, and They can not board the great challenges of our time alone. Civil society, companies, social and multilateral organizations undoubtedly play an important role, but not a substitute. And the new generations must participate in this time when fears, doubts, uncertainties threaten security, trust and certainties.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, You must now assume a greater role and do so at a current, very demanding moment, which requires the unity that is so needed to board any challenge. Answer all those questions that arise continuously and move towards the same goals for all. Until not so many years ago, every country in Europe had its own currency. There were conventional European borders. There was no freedom of movement, of people or of products as we are experiencing today.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, Perhaps some of you who are here haven't even experienced it. Can you imagine going back on all those advances? I think most of us don't think about it. We cannot believe that this is possible, because all these advances have not been easy at all. They have taken years of debates, years of political fights, of very complex challenges. But it was possible. Why doubt that Europe will continue to move forward with a united project of freedom and progress?

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, Europe will continue to live because you, the young, will continue to renew and strengthen it. Despite what we experience and witness today almost daily, we have hope for the future of Europe, because it is based on the strength of the project itself in yourselves and on initiatives such as this one that we must thank and which we must congratulate and support.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, Spain will continue to participate in the construction of that future from its dual European and Ibero-American identity, which is, of course, with great sensitivity and responsibility to our southern neighborhood, which make our country a privileged actor to transmit the voice of Europe on the international stage. Allow me at this time to greet young Ibero-Americans.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, I think there are a few Ibero-Americans here, Latin Americans who accompany us in this division. We have, I assure you, that we are trying to bring the voice of that great region of the world, of which we feel part within the European Union. These days you will have the opportunity. Yesterday you started to address in depth the role of Europe in a world that is constantly and rapidly changing.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, You will do so from the perspective of sustainability, which is destined to be one of the requirements, not of the near future, but of right now, of the present, something that conditions everything in its environmental, social and economic aspects. I wish you all the best in this week of activities. I don't want to go much further. It was a pleasure to hear again the President of the European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), FELIPE VI, King of Spain, For send us that message of optimism from an institution that is key to our European future. The Parliament, where we are all represented and I logically want to devote a very valuable time to being able to share conversations with you or propose, greet you and also listen to you in your reflections, in the meeting that will follow. Thank you all very much. Congratulations again to everyone at the Forum. And a lot of success for the future. We will continue there, supporting. Thank you very much.