In memory of Josep Piqué: European sentiment, international vocation

It is very difficult for us to say goodbye to our teammate Josep Piqué. There are times when words fail to convey the deep feeling of loss and sadness that overwhelms us all, but we did want to dedicate a special memory to him in this space so dear to him. A space for dialogue, debate, meeting and intellectual rigor. Actually, all of them adjectives that define Josep very well and that have always accompanied him in his approach to the world, to politics, to society and to all of us.

Foreign policy It has been one of his latest and most beloved projects. He was her CEO and publisher, but he really was. He was deeply involved in the magazine from the very beginning, both to direct the meetings and discussions that would mark the editorial line, and to defend the viability and continuity of an instrument that he considered as necessary as it was attractive. He went to visit all those who, in some way, could help this space for international reflection to move forward with freedom and critical solvency. He was not discouraged by the words of encouragement, without concrete help, which he had to hear so many times, but what perhaps most impressed us about him was how he continued to lead each and every one of the meetings he called. Barely voiceless and already without strength, he participated, gave his opinion and directed the last meeting of the board of directors on March 31 and the day before he left us he sent his comments by email on the index of the next issue. That was Josep Piqué.

In recent days we have had the opportunity to read some reflections on his career and personality, all of them accurate and full of nuances, which have allowed us to get closer to his legacy. Perhaps the first approximation, the one that is most linked to his origins, to his land, is that of having been a universal Catalan. Not only because of his international vocation, but also because he has always understood that identity does not limit or diminish, that identity is a trait that enriches and distinguishes us in a world that is not, nor does it pretend to be, homogeneous. This special position led him to not be, often, well understood but, for this very reason, he developed a trait of his character that he maintained until the last day: his autonomy and freedom. That autonomy and freedom that made him especially attractive in the forums in which he participated, just as it was a guarantee of the interest that his interventions aroused.

It was precisely from there that he derived his affable, measured and respectful manner. He was capable –something not always frequent– of paying attention to you and disagreeing with you, refuting your arguments with a smile and respect. He was able to accept that he could have been wrong. With humility and without fuss, being aware that the circumstances of the moment can lead you to make decisions that, with the perspective of time, would have led you to different ones. Like all of us. We were united by having acted always putting the general interest of Spain first, in circumstances that were sometimes favorable but, almost always, very difficult. A vocation for public service, a sense of State, would be other definitions that would describe his career very well, as well as his ability to reach agreements.

At this point, we would like to recall that he was the promoter of the most ambitious project that has been launched with the agreement of the two great political forces of the time, the Elcano Royal Institute. Spain needed a center of thought, a think tank, that would last over time, beyond political conjunctures, that would involve the Head of State and that would ensure the plurality that our country reflects. After many years of collective effort, we have achieved it.

Josep Piqué was an excellent Minister of Foreign Affairs. A convinced Europeanist who successfully managed Spain’s second presidency of the Council of the European Union between January and July 2002. He was a personality with great vision and we all owe him his commitment to strengthening our relationship with Asia-Pacific.

There were many activities and, along with this, many achievements in front of his political responsibilities, but -we are convinced- that what he would like to be remembered for is his defense of the values ​​and principles in which he believed, as well as for his passion in achieving a consensus around them.

Perhaps because of all this he had that strong international vocation, that deep-rooted European feeling, that permanent intellectual curiosity to investigate what was happening, what was going to happen. He read and studied all the topics that caught his attention and he wanted, at the same time, to write about them, to delve into them, to understand what was happening. He was particularly attentive to the geopolitical challenges of this changing world, in which the vertigo of the profound transformations we are experiencing still coexist with the pillars of a past that is beginning to blur with force. The perspective of our age allows us to be benevolent with the future that is yet to come, without renouncing what has been achieved. We believe that Josep knew how to deal with all this with brilliance and generosity.

Many of us knew that he fought every day against the disease and we were struck by the fact that, even so, he continued to work tirelessly. Some will think that he did it precisely to fight the disease, but perhaps it was also to be able to leave his legacy until his last breath. Because Josep was like that, alert, hard-working and with great intellectual curiosity. Those of us who loved him wondered why he always said yes to participating in a round table, in any initiative or project, when he barely had any strength left. And the answer was his strong commitment to politics, to the world in which he grew up and to the emerging society in which he wanted to intervene.

It’s hard to say goodbye to Josep, but it’s easy to remember him. For all the good that he has left us.