Catalan President Salvador Illa has presided over the highest governing body of the Consortium, which has approved the budget and the Work Plan for the coming year

The Governing Council of Catalonia International met this afternoon at the headquarters of the Catalan Government, with the presence of representatives from 34 of the 38 member entities of the Consortium. After the approval of the new Statutes and the change of name from DIPLOCAT to Catalonia International last June, this is the first meeting of the highest governing body of the Consortium. The president of the Catalan Government, Salvador Illa, who is also the president of the Governing Council, addressed the attendees to thank them for their involvement and collaboration.

Among the main items on the meeting's agenda was the formal constitution of both the Governing Council itself and the new Executive Council, as well as the election criteria for the latter's members. The Governing Council has also approved the 2025 Work Plan and the budget for next year, which remains shortly above 2M euros. The Catalan Minister of European Union and Foreign Action and vice-president of Catalonia International, Jaume Duch, also attended the meeting.

The Director-General of Catalonia International, Laura Foraster i Lloret, has presented the main guidelines of the 2025 Work Plan. One of the activities will be the 42nd call for the Scholarship Program for master's studies in international relations abroad, from which more than 330 Catalan students have already benefited. Catalonia International will also continue to monitor the presence of Catalonia and the Consortium's member entities in international media and social networks, to find out who is talking about them and in what terms. In line with the work carried out so far, international exchanges of good practices will be organised, such as two visits to Brussels aimed at representatives of the local world, and collaboration will continue in the international projection of member entities.