MADRID IS INTERNATIONAL

City diplomacy is the set of processes and the institutions created to execute them by which local governments, on behalf of their cities, relate to each other and to actors on the international stage.

History of city diplomacy

It is not unreasonable to say that there was diplomacy between cities before diplomacy between nations since the first places with professional political authorities were cities and small territories like Athens, Sparta, and Carthage. For many centuries, political power was concentrated in small regions (such as duchies, counties, and lordships), which needed to relate to each other. Even today, Europe has city-states. However, modern diplomacy, based on permanent representation missions, was born directly from the emergence of nation-states. All the world’s constitutions reserve the exercise of foreign relations exclusively to national governments.

But the state is no longer the only actor, as supranational public and private organisations and companies exert increasing pressure and power. And, of course, in a world where a hundred thousand people migrate from rural to urban areas every day, cities (alone or grouped together) are relevant international actors according to their social and political reality, a growing power in the era of globalisation.

Diplomacy by the City of Madrid

Madrid is Spain’s capital and the European Union’s second-largest city by population. For this reason, it has a growing influence and importance in relations between cities. It is called on to become involved in all areas of city diplomacy. Since it became involved in these tasks, Madrid has understood its role and skill in this field while respecting Spain’s External Action Service, collaborating with it to enhance the country’s status and seeking to increase the renown that Madrid’s multiple capacities and facets offer.

Among its outstanding milestones was the promotion, sponsorship and funding of the international organisation, the Union of Ibero-American Capital Cities, in 1982. Human, historical, social, cultural, political, economic and linguistic ties have made Ibero-America an essential priority for Spanish foreign policy, which is reflected in the field of cities.

Likewise, Madrid repeatedly demonstrated its capacity to organise European summits such as the 1991 Peace Conference, UN sessions such as the recent COP25 and many other occasions when Madrid has shone in the international arena.

Madrid has a European vocation as a European city. When Spain joined the EEC in 1986, it was seen not as a culmination but as starting out on a new path, and relations today are fully developed at all levels. So, EU institutions ask Madrid to organise different kinds of projects which can then be expanded to include other EU cities. This is why Madrid is involved in so many European city organisations.

Likewise, Madrid has been able to attract the headquarters of several international partner organisations, which it treats with special care, as part of its diplomatic action. The same is true for the 120 embassies in the city. It also provides municipal spaces for the headquarters of public diplomacy institutions of the Government of Spain, of which it is a patron.

Madrid today

We could quote endless figures to describe Madrid: 3.3 million people; second most populated municipality in the EU; GDP €152 billion; 181 nationalities; 220 cities directly connected by air, and so on. But Madrid’s most important feature is its heart, which welcomes everyone and continuously inspires new projects, ideas, opportunities, entrepreneurship, and much more.

It is at the top of life expectancy and quality of life rankings. A city that’s always awake, where there is always something to do, learn and share. A city where the day -and the night- go a long way thanks to its excellent communications, because everything is close by and in the right place, because it has more than 3,200 hours of sunshine a year, and because there’s always an inspiring idea you want to follow up.

Opening up this reality to the world while learning from everyone, collaborating in global development and showcasing Madrid’s capabilities is the task of the City Council’s Internationalisation and Cooperation Department and the basis for all our activities.

To know Madrid is to love Madrid. We are proud to help more and more people keep our city in mind.