World in Progress: A forum to understand and improve a rapidly changing world

The world is currently experiencing a time of dizzying and turbulent change. Wars of extraordinary scale, like the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, are causing immense human suffering and significant geopolitical upheaval. Technological advancements offer both remarkable opportunities and serious risks, while the effects of global warming continue to unfold with harmful consequences. These and other critical issues will be addressed at the World in Progress forum — organized by Grupo Prisa, EL PAÍS, and Cadena SER — which will be held this Monday and Tuesday in Barcelona, bringing together prominent politicians, intellectuals, and business leaders.

In a world facing both immense risks and significant opportunities — challenges that are global in scope, crossing geographical borders and traditional sectoral boundaries, and unfolding amid growing geopolitical and social polarization — it is more crucial than ever to create spaces for thoughtful, high-quality reflection. Such spaces encourage the exchange of knowledge across diverse disciplines and between public and private sectors. With this in mind, and with a commitment to offering insights that help the public better understand our complex reality, the World in Progress forum — a platform intended to endure — will convene a distinguished group of internationally renowned speakers at CaixaForum in Barcelona. The event will be streamed live by EL PAÍS and Cadena SER.

The conference — which will feature a speech by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and opening remarks from Prisa Group President Joseph Oughourlian — is structured into three thematic blocks.

The first block will focus on geopolitical governance and the erosion of democracy. Notable sessions will include speeches by former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi, former presidents Ernesto Zedillo (Mexico) and Juan Manuel Santos (Colombia), as well as Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia. There will also be a panel discussing the global role of the United States, another examining the crisis in the Middle East, and a session on the worldwide decline in democratic quality. Participating in the latter will be Daniel Ziblatt, a professor at Harvard University and co-author of How Democracies Die, and Anne Applebaum, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and journalist.

The second block will center on the future of industry. A keynote speech will be given from Enrico Letta, former Italian prime minister and author of a report on the EU common market, commissioned by the European Commission and Council. Alongside Mario Draghi’s report, Letta’s vision is considered a key reference for shaping the new European direction. This block will include panels on artificial intelligence and Big Tech, featuring contributions from several prominent business leaders, such as Marc Murtra, President of Indra; Marco Sansavini, CEO and Chairman of Iberia; Miguel Ángel Panduro, CEO of Hispasat; and Josep Sánchez Llibre, President of Foment del Treball. María Jesús Montero, Spain’s first vice prime minister and minister of finance, will open the session, and Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s second vice prime minister and minister of labor and social economy, will deliver the closing remarks.

The third block, titled “The Challenge of Cooling the Planet,” will address the pressing issue of climate change. Speakers include Mariana Mazzucato, professor at University College London and author of Mission Economy; Francisco Reynés, Executive Chairman of Naturgy; and Sergey Paltsev, Deputy Director of MIT’s Program on Science and Policy of Global Change. The session will open with remarks from Juan José López Burniol, Vice Chairman of the la Caixa Foundation.

The conference will conclude with a presentation by Pablo de Carvajal, Secretary General of Telefónica, followed by a speech from Steven Pinker, Harvard professor, experimental psychologist, and cognitive scientist, titled “6 Reasons for Optimism.” While there are numerous serious concerns facing the world, it is essential not to overlook the significant progress humanity is making, as evidenced by the rise in global life expectancy. For a balanced and constructive analysis, successes and hopes must be weighed alongside failures and risks, fostering a deeper understanding that ultimately supports progress.