During the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL), the Catalan delegation presented a variety of strategic projects with the aim of creating new bases for future cooperation between Barcelona and Guadalajara. According to El Periodico, this context of cultural and institutional exchange facilitated the signing of a memorandum of understanding that represents the most important update in bilateral cooperation since the beginning of the relationship in 1998. The agreement strengthens cooperation in the areas of sustainable mobility, innovation in public services and urban management, consolidating itself as a suitable platform for the international outlook of both cities.
The central protocol event consisted of a symbolic handover of the keys of the city to the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Colboni, led by the Mayor of Guadalajara, Ferro Delgadillo. As reported by El Periódico, this gesture represents an acknowledgment of Barcelona’s involvement in developing international alliances and defending citizen rights through innovation. The aim of the ceremony, held within the framework of FIL, was to strengthen inter-departmental relations and establish the international urban agenda as the central axis of the relationship. The FIL Forum is considered one of the most influential cultural meetings in the Latin American field and served as a stage for the dissemination of a common agenda on sustainable mobility, digital development and new approaches to public policies.
As detailed in El Periódico, the renewal of the relationship, established more than twenty years ago and originally focused on urban rehabilitation and regional planning, adds new priorities to adapt to contemporary challenges. Key elements of the current agreement include supporting local entrepreneurs and digital innovation in municipal services, strengthening the public library network, as well as improving waste management. The media stressed that the two cities agree on the need to address global problems such as polarization, climate change, and urban mobility, and to design joint policies with a local and flexible perspective.
According to El Periódico, cooperation between the Barcelona and Guadalajara Film Commission also figures prominently in the agreement. The aim is to promote the development of the audiovisual sector through the exchange of resources, knowledge and experience, which can expand opportunities for both creators and the international promotion of both cities as creative scenarios and centres. This line of action joins concerted actions seeking to integrate more efficient recycling systems, create pioneering policies in urban mobility and explore digital technologies applied to public services, as identified by the same instrument.
During the ceremony, Mayor Colboni raised the importance of international cooperation between cities to confront common challenges. As reported by El Periodico, Colboni said: “The city is the people, and when two cities decide to strengthen relations, walk together and work for the future, they do so from the heart.” These words reflect the vision of both governments on local diplomacy and building flexible coalitions that respond to specific needs in terms of regional planning, environmental sustainability and access to high-quality urban services.
The presence of the Catalan delegation as guest of honor at FIL strengthened the institutional and cultural nature of the event, promoting knowledge exchange and expanding joint municipal projects, El Periodico reported. In this context, Colboni and Delgadillo agreed to adapt cooperation to the needs of the region and identify local solutions to global challenges. The memorandum establishes an open framework that allows projects and initiatives to be identified taking into account local priorities, but with a focus on promoting a stable relationship that is adaptable to future scenarios.
On the other hand, the two administrations’ strategy to strengthen cultural networks is reflected in the commitment to strengthen municipal libraries and expand measures aimed at developing the audiovisual sector. El Periodico stressed that this approach also seeks to improve the visibility and international position of both municipalities, while benefiting from the urban diplomacy and mutual learning that has characterized the relationship since its beginnings.
The renewed memorandum promotes the concept of smart and flexible cities by integrating digital technologies into public services and urban planning. Hence, the Guadalajara Infrastructure Forum has provided a space for the exchange of reforms and ideas on cutting-edge urban policies, in response to the growing international demand for successful experiences in the field of sustainability and resource management.
This new phase of cooperation aims to maintain the continuity of the alliance that, according to El Periodico, was strengthened more than two decades ago and which is now adapting to contexts transformed by innovation and intercultural cooperation. Barcelona and Guadalajara call for the modernization of the agreement to expand knowledge exchange and joint design of strategies that raise the quality of urban life and encourage creativity and citizen participation.