Seminar on Civil Society and Global Change at the Autonomous University of Madrid.

It’s not just the game that’s changing – but also the rules. The Seminar on Civil Society and Global Change at the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), from October 18 to 20, explored how social movements, religious communities, employers, unions and NGOs are affected by the current situation of crisis and change, over the course of wide ranging, frank and open discussions about our present and future.

The seminar opened with a panel discussion that included: the Rector of the UAM, José María Sanz; the editor-in-chief of EL PAÍS, Antonio Cano; the director of the Master in Governance and Human Rights, Antonio Rovira„ and the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Yolanda Valdeolivas. Antonio Cano maintained that the changes are, in fact, stimulants, even if such change provokes mistrust and leaves many feeling left behind.

Meanwhile, speaking with the journalist Iñaki Gabilondo, Jordi Gual, president of CaixaBank, championed a culture of effort against the temptation of quick and easy profit that defined the era of the Spanish property boom. He also admitted that technological changes involve the risk of rendering certain occupations obsolete, an issue that means that continuous training is vital to meet the demands the labor market.

The mayor of Madrid, Manuela Carmena, said we need to meet the challenges of large cities with a policy whereby "managing means looking after people" and where citizens are consulted. Speaking with the journalist Pepa Bueno, she referred to her plan to pedestrianize Madrid’s busy thoroughfare Gran Vía before her term ends in 2019.

Unfortunately, not all of the events scheduled for October 19 were held, after a group of 200 radical protesters prevented the discussion between Juan Luis Cebrián, PRISA’s Executive Chair, and Felipe González, former President of the Government.

For further information:

-Jornadas Sociedad Civil y Cambio Global, en imágenes

-Los agentes sociales defienden su papel vertebrador de la sociedad

-Un grupo de violentos impide una conferencia en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

- Condena generalizada al boicot a Felipe González en la Universidad Autónoma