These days the European Union – Latin America Summit is taking place in Brussels, one of the most important events within the Spanish Presidency of the EU, to which as general director of ISE (the most important audiovisual fair in the world) I have had the privilege to attend invited by the council of the EU. The reason for this invitation is the decision that we at ISE have made to bet strongly so that Barcelona is, during the days of the ISE fair, the audiovisual capital, also, of Latin America. A bet that the Government of Spain and specifically the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and the European Union have fully supported.
In this way, Barcelona will host the first AV Latin American Summit on January 30 and February 1, 2024, an event of great importance to which the Barcelona City Council, first at the hands of Mayor Ada Colau and now her new Mayor Jaume Collboni have invited the presidents and ministers of the main Latin American countries to participate and for which the Generalitat de Catalunya through ACCIO is already working to make it a success with its network of offices on that continent.
An appointment in which governments and companies will have the opportunity to share challenges, good practices, study investments and work together on key aspects for the sector such as Artificial Intelligence, the green transition, or productivity and talent. A sector that this year represents 307 billion dollars with an annual growth of 5% and where Europe represents 82 billion, Spain 3.9 and Latin America 13.
Some topics and some magnitudes that will configure a first level agenda where, in addition, the European Union will also have its space to improve, even more, its relations with that great continent that goes from Mexico to Chile and Argentina, passing through Colombia, and Brazil among others.
In Barcelona, ministerial and business delegations will meet so that the city once again becomes a bridge between Europe and Latin America, resuming its key role as global capital and, in this case, as a benchmark for all of Latin America. A clear case where with the same language, similar culture, welcoming Barcelona and Catalonia bring out the best of themselves to promote exchanges and business, and become the context of the most important fair in the sector in a global space for business and relations global.
In the last edition, close to 10% of the exhibitors at ISE came from Latin America, with Brazil being the country with the greatest presence, closely followed by Mexico and later by Colombia, Argentina, Peru and Chile. New scoreboards for stadiums, screens for large shows, public address and signaling systems, audio for the home, party halls or shopping complexes, screens and sound systems for large clothing chains, systems for urban mapping will be protagonists, once again, in Barcelona, with the important novelty, that in addition, governments, institutions and companies will have a new platform for exchange, good practices, and business that will be the AV Latin American Summit.
For the institution that I direct, Barcelona is a determined and safe bet, to which adding the opportunity that this AV Latin American Summit represents for everyone, we also ensure a lasting relationship of affection, admiration and shared success.
