We live in a much more violent and transactional world in which wars multiply and conflicts become entrenched. In this context, the economy of security emerges as a new key concept in geopolitical and geoeconomic analysis. An abrupt change that validates the famous phrase of the Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci "The old world is dying. The new one is slow to appear. And in that chiaroscuro, the monsters of history emerge." And it is that the era of post-globalization, which manifested dramatically with Russia's aggression against Ukraine followed by the genocide of the war in Gaza, has accelerated with the return to power of Donald Trump and the shift in the foreign policy of the new US administration. An era in which multilateralism and diplomacy seem to lose political and cultural hegemony in the face of new fascisms, authoritarian populisms, or technofeudalisms.
The establishment of coercion, the use of force, and war as instruments of foreign policy unstoppably drives the economy of security and war as a strategic field of public and private action. One of the first to use the expression of the return of the economy of security was Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty of France from 2017 to 2024 and a strong defender of the economic security and industrial sovereignty of France and the European Union. Let's be clear, the economy of security is, above all, a big business for some.
We cannot be naive in thinking that our democracies can detach themselves from defense policy while satraps and dictators exist, but it is another thing to dope the war industry with stimuli and millionaire injections of public funds to benefit a few, diverting indispensable resources for other economic and social policies that also impact human security.
Should the economy be reoriented towards security and defense policies, or is it possible to generate new security conditions with an economy that prioritizes peace, cooperation, stability, and shared well-being? Barcelona has been these days a meeting point for the Global Progressive Mobilisation, a large gathering of heads of state and government, political leaders, and progressive activists from all parts of the world who do not resign themselves to an illiberal and violent world. In addition to having the duty and the ethical and moral commitment to reclaim multilateralism, trade, cooperation, and solidarity, we have the responsibility—and the opportunity—to demonstrate the benefits of the economy of peace as a great lever for the progress of our societies.
Barcelona is perhaps one of the new global cities that best represents and materializes the benefits of the economy of peace. It is an open, diverse, plural, and inclusive city, capital of a country—Catalonia—that enjoys a notable economic, industrial, and urban reputation without depending on the military and defense industry. Barcelona and its respective mayors have played a leading role in alternative narratives to conflict, defending city diplomacy as a policy of human security based on dialogue and cooperation. An example of this is Mayor Jaume Collboni's initiative to create the Barcelona International Peace Prize, to reinforce the city's role as an international actor in the culture of peace.
Our city, known and recognized for its modernist architecture, has developed urban planning at the service of coexistence and peace, as a strategy for economic and social development. This economy of peace is manifested in areas such as education, culture, sport, sustainability, and citizen participation, and also in an innovative urban model with projects like 22@, the promotion of Industry 4.0 in DFactory or the commitment to the blue economy in alliance with the Port of Barcelona.
The city has also made education, sport, and culture strategic tools for economic competitiveness, creativity, and social cohesion. Its network of business schools, cultural centers, museums, festivals, and sporting events not only attracts tourism but also investments in cultural and sports industries that generate economic activity, employment, and opportunities. This combination of innovation, technology, sustainability, and civic values acts as a magnet that attracts major global events such as the Mobile World Congress, ISE, Seafood Expo, or Smart City World Congress, as well as the presence of more than two hundred technological hubs of multinational companies.
The economy of peace is not just a narrative. It is an economic and city model articulated through strategic sectors such as technological innovation, advanced industry, biotechnology, culture, sport, health, and sustainability. Sectors that generate synergies and demonstrate that betting on peace produces tangible economic, social, and cultural returns.
In short, Barcelona has the opportunity to consolidate itself as an urban laboratory for the economy of peace. Investing in an open, supportive, and inclusive world generates competitiveness, social cohesion, economic resilience, and international projection. We have the responsibility to demonstrate that peace is the great lever of a transformative economy. And, as the global progressive meeting held these days in the city has shown, an important part of the world looks to Barcelona. Let's not disappoint them.