In a signing ceremony attended by the Minister of Interior of Spain, Mr. Fernando Grande-Marlaska, representing King Felipe VI, the Minister of Interior of Iraq, General Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, President of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service, Mr. Hameed Al Shatri, President of the Defense University, Staff Air Chief Marshal Dr. Aqeel Mustafa Mahdi, Spanish Ambassador to Iraq, Ms. Alicia del Pulgar, Director of Instituto Cervantes- Amman, Ms. Yolada Soler; and on part of the American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB), the Founder, Mr. Saadi Saihood, the university President, Dr. Michael Mulnix, and the CEO of the university’s Center of Excellence for Innovation and Development (CEID), Mr. Ziad Chaaban, AUIB inked an agreement on exclusive cooperation with Instituto Cervantes, the largest organization globally for the promotion of the study and teaching of Spanish language and culture, stipulating the establishment of an extension of Instituto Cervantes on AUIB campus, under the umbrella of CEID. Instituto Cervantes reports to Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was named after Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote and one of the most important figures in the history of Spanish literature.
President Mulnix welcomed the guests to campus, noting that the signing ceremony coincides with the Spanish Language Day, and highlighting the status of Spanish as one of the most widely spoken languages globally. AUIB’s cooperation agreement with Instituto Cervantes serves to strengthen educational and cultural ties between Iraq and Spain, and creates new opportunities for Iraqis seeking global careers or embarking on international enterprises, he said.
“Opening an extension of Instituto Cervantes here (at AUIB) is very important to us,” said Mr. Grande-Marlaska, citing the “legacy of the Arab civilization in (Spanish) language and culture,” and the influence of Spanish culture in the Arab world. He spoke of the role of Spanish in building bridges between cultures, highlighting the “close relationships” Spain maintains with Iraqi educational institutions and research programs, and affirming his country’s “interest in supporting the Iraqi educational system” and strengthening such aspects of it as Women’s studies and the theme of Inclusion.