This Monday, King Felipe VI brought together important figures from the world of politics, business and sports with the audience during his visit to Barcelona. At the symbolic Albéniz Palace in the Catalan capital, he met with Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni in an event that marked the Barcelona City Council regaining institutional normality with the Crown since 2006, when King Emeritus Juan Carlos I was in office. I met with the then mayor, Jordi Hereu.
The SEAT Executive Committee, chaired by SEAT and CUPRA CEO Wayne Griffiths, was also received at the Albéniz Palace. The company’s executives conveyed to the king the progress of the ‘Future: Fast Forward’ project, which aims to make Spain a European hub for electric mobility.
The King, a famous sailing enthusiast, also met Grant Dalton, CEO of America’s Cup Events and Emirates Team New Zealand, who competed in the first preliminary races of the 37th America’s Cup held in Vilanova y la Geltrú last weekend. In the summer of 2024, Barcelona will host the Copa América sailing event, one of the most attended events worldwide after the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup.
At the reception, Dalton was accompanied by Aurora Catà, vice president of ACE Barcelona, and the audience emphasized the importance of determining Barcelona as the venue for the next edition of the America’s Cup in 2024, once again drawing attention to: Ryder Cup, Tour de France or the institutional unity around the America’s Cup celebrations in the Catalan capital, which aims to become a reference venue for the organization of major international events such as the Final Four of Euroleague basketball.
The America’s Cup is known for combining sporting excellence with technological innovation, and Barcelona, a cutting-edge city, is set to make the most of this opportunity to promote its image on a global level.
Felipe VI also introduced the Spanish teams participating in the Fukuoka 2023 World Swimming Championships (including the Spanish artistic swimming team and men’s and women’s water polo teams), thus reinforcing the Crown’s commitment to the national sports arena.