The Basilio Paraíso Foundation presents itself in Madrid as a reference for Aragonese economic and social thought
The Basilio Paraíso Foundation held its official presentation in the Spanish capital on November 6 at the Palacio de Santoña, gathering about fifty influential Aragonese in Madrid. The event served to consolidate the institution’s role as a center for analyzing trends that globally affect Aragon. Additionally, the initiative of the Círculo Paraíso was launched, a collaboration network among businesses and institutions committed to the region.
The event took place in the format of a lunch panel with representation from the Foundation’s board. The day allowed for the presentation of the institutional work of recent years and its positioning as a center for thought and analysis on global trends with territorial impact.
Jorge Villarroya, president of the Foundation, highlighted the figure of Basilio Paraíso as a pioneer in the creation of Chambers of Commerce in Spain and a reference for Aragonese economic and cultural development. He noted that the institution, founded in 2008, underwent a strategic shift in 2024 to redefine its mission towards a more prospective and global vision. The values that guide the Foundation are objectivity, rigor, and foresight, under the slogan «Revoluzion» with «z».
Francisco Serrano, president of Ibercaja Banco, emphasized the need to create think tanks to address current challenges. Pilar de la Vega, former president of UNICEF Aragon, highlighted the Foundation’s role in developing proposals for society and administrations. Vicente Salas, Emeritus Professor at the University of Zaragoza, stressed its analytical character as a source of knowledge for Aragon. Rafael Fernández de Alarcón from Telefónica pointed out the challenge of making Aragon a technological and innovative hub. Juan Manuel Cendoya from Santander Spain emphasized the need for Aragon to have a presence and a voice of its own beyond its territory.
Círculo Paraíso: New collaboration initiative
The Círculo Paraíso was launched as a meeting and collaboration space between businesses and institutions committed to Aragon at the national level. President Villarroya invited attendees to participate by collaborating on reports and publications, providing critical perspectives from the outside, and being part of the network to expand it.
The Foundation, dependent on the Zaragoza Chamber of Commerce but with a scope across all of Aragon, promotes economic and social development through study, research, and foresight. It acts as an observatory for external structural economic and social trends and their implications in Aragon, positioning the region in the face of new challenges based on objectivity, rigor, and perspective.
