Aspen Institute España Alumni Reunion in Barcelona
Aspen Institute España will host a reunion for alumni of the Aspen Seminars for Young Leaders at the Museu Olímpic i de l’Esport (Av. de l’Estadi, 60, Sants-Montjuïc, 08038 Barcelona) on Wednesday, 26 November at 18:00h.
The session will feature Pol Morillas, Director of CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs), who will present his latest book “In the Big Leagues: Europe in a Hostile World” (Penguin Random House, 2025). The conversation will be moderated by Antonio Delgado, professor at Esade and Aspen España Fellow. The discussion will be followed by a Spanish wine reception.
Session Description
The return of Donald Trump to the White House, the war in Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, and the growing rivalry between China and the United States are just some of the developments shaping a new world order—one that is increasingly at odds with Europe’s understanding of international relations but has a direct impact on the daily lives of its citizens.
In this hostile environment—where global actors compete for power and undermine international cooperation—the European Union is being forced to grow up fast. Yet it must do so at a time when “patriots” and nationalists threaten to reduce the Union to its bare minimum. Pol Morillas will explore the urgent challenge facing Europe: how to achieve geopolitical maturity and emerge as a leading global actor.
Speaker Biography
Pol Morillas is Director of CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs). A political scientist by training, he holds a PhD in Political Science, Public Policy, and International Relations from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona(UAB), and a Master’s degree (with distinction) in International Relations from the London School of Economics. His doctoral thesis was awarded the Cum Laude distinction and the UAB’s Extraordinary Doctorate Prize. He has taught at various institutions, including UAB, IBEI, ESADE, and Blanquerna. He serves on the Board of the Cercle d’Economia and the European Foreign Policy Observatory at IBEI. Previously, he was Political and Security Committee Coordinator at the Council of the European Union, an advisor on foreign affairs in the European Parliament, and Head of Euro-Mediterranean Policies at the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed). He is a prolific author of academic research and opinion pieces on global geopolitics, EU foreign policy, and European integration. His recent books include En el Patio de los Mayores. Europa ante un mundo hostil (Debate, 2025) and Strategy-Making in the EU: From Foreign and Security Policy to External Action (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019). He co-directed the 2021 documentary Bouncing Back: World Politics After the Pandemic, reflecting on the tensions and opportunities for international cooperation in the post-Covid world. Pol Morillas regularly contributes as an expert commentator to national and international media on European and international affairs.