The Diplomatic Hub honoured to host the Spanish Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, José Pascual Marco Martínez at the university

The central element of the day was the Ambassador’s lecture, delivered to an audience of 70 students and academics. This fascinating and interactive insight into the life of an ambassador was a fantastic example of the value of these events, with Ambassador Marco detailing his experiences of working in diplomatic missions around the world and illuminating us on Spain’s relationship with Britain post-Brexit. The Diplomatic Hub is honoured for the support it received from the university throughout the process and in particular from colleagues in Hispanic Studies (Department of Languages, Cultures and Visual Studies).

Student comments

“I thought the talk was an insightful opportunity to hear about the Ambassador's role and his first hand experiences of the way he navigates current events as a diplomat to maintain relations between Spain and the UK. It was interesting to hear about his time he spent living abroad and the different cultures he encountered. I also found it beneficial to understand more about the increasing importance of diplomacy in today's world and how learning a language is an essential tool for it.”

Emily, 1st year (BA in Modern Languages French and Spanish)

“José Marco, the Spanish Ambassador to the UK and Ireland, gave a talk to students at the University of Exeter. As a student of International Relations and Spanish, the content of his presentation was extremely relevant and interesting in discovering more closely the overlap between the two subjects I study. The Ambassador talked about his career in diplomacy in multiple countries, and his experiences of work and living ranging from Pakistan to Congo. What was particularly interesting was his discussion of the lessons his career has taught him, for example the opportunity he was given to recognise the variety of realities in the world - the idea of validating the different ways of living that exists in both less and more developed countries. Following his talk with a detailed question and answer session, the Ambassador had very interesting responses based on his personal experiences too on many questions the audience had namely on politics and diplomacy.”

Anoushka, 1st year (BA in International Relations and Spanish)

“I found the Ambassador’s visit an incredibly insightful experience, and I especially enjoyed hearing about the cultural differences he had experienced during his postings over the world and how the lessons they had taught him had subsequently changed his outlook on life. Furthermore, it was a privilege to talk to him about the CartasVivas project, which aims to recuperate the works and memory of women who influenced the social and literary spheres of Spain and Latin America during the twentieth century. He was very interested in the project and even recommended us an author to read!”

Hannah, 4th year (BA in Modern Languages Italian and Spanish)

“The ambassador's talk was an eye-opening window into the world of international diplomacy. Hearing about his experiences around the globe was fascinating, and the thoughtful and philosophical way in which he approached our questions left me with a sense of hope for the future. He assured us that he had full confidence in the younger generation to take the helm, which was very comforting to hear coming from someone with vast experience in such an important field.”

George, 4th year (BA in Modern Languages French and Spanish)

The Diplomatic Hub

The Diplomatic Hub is a student-led project that aims to create an interdisciplinary forum for students interested in international affairs and diplomacy. Throughout the academic year, the Diplomatic Hub organizes events including talks given by esteemed university researchers, various practitioners working within the area of international affairs, crisis management workshops and trips. Through these events, the Diplomatic Hub aspires to equip students with the necessary tools to understand the dynamics of international affairs and go beyond the syllabus to truly explore the field.