The opening ceremony of MEI 2022, an event organized by Model of Economic Institutions, a non-profit association formed by university students, took place yesterday. The event, which will be held in Madrid between November 14 and 18, aims to foster knowledge of economics and international financial institutions among the university community, promoting the creation of an informed, multidisciplinary, and future-oriented society.
MEI constitutes a debate conference through the simulation of six of the most important committees, forums, and development banks in the international economy, following the MUN (Model United Nations) procedure. University students address various economic, financial, and business matters through four pillars: humanitarian development, international finance, multilateral economic organizations, trade, and business.
More than 150 participants—Spanish, European, and international university students—join the conference to defend their respective delegations’ positions on current issues such as cryptocurrencies, tax havens, or measures to address inflation in major international export products.
The inauguration of the event, which began yesterday with accreditation collection and the opening ceremony, took place at the CECA headquarters. Attendees included Álvaro López Barceló, Director of the Treasury and Financial Policy; Fernando Conlledo, Secretary General of CECA; Jaime Herrero, Deputy Secretary General of the Bank of Spain; María Abascal, Director General of AEB (Spanish Banking Association); and Pilar Barrios, Partner at AFI Escuela; representing the organizations collaborating with MEI.
The opening ceremony, moderated by Carolina Tani, MEI 2022 Press Director, was opened by Álvaro López Barceló. The Director of the Treasury and Financial Policy introduced the event, highlighting the importance of “remaining vigilant in the face of the main challenges arising from the complicated geopolitical situation, as well as inflation in the Eurozone.” He was followed by Manuel Moreno, MEI General Director, and then Fernando Conlledo, Secretary General of CECA, who stated: “Initiatives like MEI allow financial knowledge to be brought closer to young people. Education is key to the future of any society; it is important for young people to acquire regulated knowledge that enables them to make appropriate decisions. For the CECA sector, financial education is a priority, a tool that improves people’s lives and achieves equal opportunities.”
For her part, María Abascal, Director General of AEB (Spanish Banking Association), commented that “AEB has been committed to financial and digital education for years. Our Association and the banks offer various training programs to all citizens, such as ‘Your Finances, Your Future’ and Expertclick.”
Immediately after, Pilar Barrios spoke on behalf of Afi Escuela and added that “Afi Escuela has more than 28 years of history providing training beyond economic-financial topics, also offering training in technology and sustainability as key areas. Therefore, both due to Afi Escuela’s vocation and the relevance and importance of the subject matter, it is of utmost interest.”
Finally, Javier Flores, MEI Secretary General, and Irene Barreiro, Academic Director, expressed their enthusiasm for the project.
After the opening, two MEI Forums were held—one in English and one in Spanish—organized into two roundtables where experts and professionals from the institutional financial world shared their knowledge with the young participants of MEI 2022. This year’s topics were: Is Infinite Economic Growth on a Finite Planet Possible? and Challenges of an uncertain future: inflation, public debt, and pensions. Impact on future generations.
The debate sessions will take place on the 15th, 16th, and 17th at AFI Escuela, and the closing ceremony will be held on the 18th at the Bank of Spain.
This is the second edition of the MEI event, which has grown to host more students interested in exploring the various social, demographic, political, and cultural challenges of our time. Additionally, this year they have added French as an official language alongside Spanish and English.
