The official presentation and inauguration of the Sevilla City One Communications Commission took place today at the José Luis García Palacios Cultural Centre of the Caja Rural del Sur Foundation, in an event organised by the Sevilla City One, Metropolis of Southern Europe Association and the Sevilla Press Association, and attended by around 40 journalists, communications managers from public and private organisations and representatives of the public administration. The presentation was made by Pedro Salvador Albiñana, founding partner and President of Sevilla City One, Pilar Mena, founding partner and Director of Communications and IR of this initiative, and Rafael Rodríguez, President of the Press Association of Seville.
Pedro Salvador Albiñana, President of Sevilla City One, stressed that “since the birth of Sevilla City One, we have been aware that communication is crucial in order to inform and tell what is happening in Sevilla and its metropolis. Both so that everything we have is known outside, and inside, so that citizens can feel proud and participate in creating the Seville of the future”. He also recalled that “without the work of journalists, things of particular importance could be hidden from the rest of the world, giving the impression that we do not have the necessary information.
For her part, Pilar Mena, Communications Director of Sevilla City One, explained to the participants the mission of this Communications Commission and wished to highlight “the importance of the association as a link between the different administrations and social and economic actors involved in Sevilla and its metropolitan area”. He also pointed out that among the main objectives of the Commission are: to encourage cooperation between political, social and economic actors in order to strengthen the metropolitan identity; to promote open and collaborative innovation projects aimed at economic development and metropolitan structuring; and to promote a catalytic framework for national and international investment.
The President of the Press Association of Seville, Rafael Rodriguez, gave a speech on the positioning of Seville and its metropolis 2035, offering a vision of the future in which he explained that “in a time of absolute hegemony of digital power, based on disinformation and lies, journalists must know how to convey to the public the importance of the city and its metropolitan identity, Journalists must know how to communicate to society that, alongside the popular Seville, rich in traditions and historical, artistic and cultural heritage, there is another Seville, equally attractive, avant-garde and a reference in scientific, technological and economic progress and development, which makes it an ideal place to invest and live”. Rodriguez stressed “the value, importance and necessity of good communication between Seville and the rest of the world”.
Among the entities and participants that were able to participate in the Communication Commission were Representatives from Seville City Council, the Regional Government of Andalusia, the Ministry of the Presidency and the Ministry of the Environment, representatives from Seville Provincial Council and Prodetur, the Seville Port Authority, Aerópolis, Cartuja PCT, Caja Rural del Sur, Telefónica, Seville University, Pablo de Olavide University, Loyola University, CEU San Pablo University, San Isidoro University Centre, GAESCO, Seville Chamber of Commerce, AL-ANDALUS INNOVATION VENTURE, CES, Círculo de Empresarios de Cartuja, Colegio de Economistas, Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Superiores de Andalucía Occidental, Colegio Oficial de Aparejadores, Ecosistema Sevilla SVQ Emprende desde Sevilla Emprendedora, FEDEME, Smart Meeting, ABC de Sevilla, La Tribuna, Mercados 21, Andalucía Inmobiliaria, Canal Sur Televisión EFE, Asociación del Progreso de la Comunicación (APC), Despacho de Abogados García Borbolla, journalists and communication experts, members of the Seville Press Association and Seville City One.
Origins of the Communication Commission
The seeds of this Communication Commission were sown last year at the conference “Communication, the great ally in positioning Seville in the international arena”, organised by the Seville Press Association in collaboration with Seville City One, Metropolis of Southern Europe, at the Seville City Hall. A day that focused on the important role of communication, highlighting the work of communication professionals and the media in transmitting the image of Seville, both locally and internationally.
After the first phase of Sevilla City One – from 2022 to 2025 – this independent, collaborative and inclusive initiative for the promotion of Seville and its metropolis, of public-private cooperation, intends to continue its journey by following the model of the Metropolitan Urban Agenda, which brings together the collective commitment of all the social actors of Seville and identifies economic activity as the centre of the model. The recently created Communication Commission will create a working dynamic that will include regular meetings and the creation of working groups.
