ICIP President appears before Parliament

The current president of the International Catalan Institute for Peace (ICIP), Xavier Masllorens, and the ex-president of the institution, Rafael Grasa, appeared this afternoon before the Commission on Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Institutional Relations and Transparency of the Parliament of Catalonia to present the future challenges facing the Institute and the 2015 Activity Report, respectively.
The current president, Xavier Masllorens, defined the present stage of ICIP as “a time for reflection and consolidation” and listed the five main challenges set by the new Governing Board, which was renewed in May in compliance with the law by which the institution was created: “to focus on priorities and actions; to promote our international dimension in order to preserve our earned prestige; to strengthen our territorial dimension; to become a benchmark in specific areas; and to streamline internal procedures.” Masllorens also pointed out the need for ICIP “to serve the country, parliamentary groups, and similar organizations and institutions working in the field of peace,” and added that “we must have a voice, create our own opinions, and educate.”
The ex-president of ICIP, Rafael Grasa, then presented the achievements of his last year in office, contained in the 2015 Activity Report, and specifically highlighted the research programs, increased territorial presence, the adoption of the new Multi-Year Plan 2015-2018, the consolidation of the ICIP Peace in Progress Award, and the activity carried out in Colombia as part of the peacebuilding process. As for pending issues, Grasa demanded more autonomy for the institution, the restoration of doctoral scholarships and the need for a new space for the ICIP Library, a reference center in the field of peace, conflicts and human rights, with more than 7,000 volumes. In closing, Grasa acknowledged the support received during the eight years of his presidency and described the creation of ICIP as prestigious.
All of the parliamentary groups acknowledged the work done by the previous president and expressed their willingness to cooperate with the new ICIP Governing Board.