The Parliament of Catalonia and the Senate of California have decided this Tuesday to intensify the twinning agreement that both institutions signed four decades ago to "update it and meet new global challenges".
The announcement was made during the institutional visit of a delegation from the upper house of California to the Parliament, led by its president, Monique Limón, and received by the president of the Catalan Chamber, Josep Rull, together with members of the Bureau, as the Parliament itself has reported in a statement.
Rull stressed the historical ties between Catalonia and California and the need to deepen these relations "at a time when transatlantic relations are cooling and there are profound transformations on the international stage".
The president noted that this renewed framework will make it possible to address concerns shared by the citizens of both territories and that "involve all of humanity", such as gender equality, artificial intelligence, climate action, and strengthening democratic commitment.
Rull also highlighted California's role "in defending civil rights, freedoms and diversity" and argued that both territories should consolidate themselves as international benchmarks.
To know the "Catalan perspective"
Monique Limón highlighted the results of these forty years of twinning and reiterated the willingness to continue cooperating in key areas, including mitigating climate change, renewable energy, gender equality, and regulating artificial intelligence.
"We want to learn more about the Catalan perspective—where our approaches can align and where we can continue learning from each other," Limón said, according to the statement released by the Parliament.
She also defended the fact that renewing "the commitment to this relationship is vital for the type of global collaboration" required today.
Before starting the working sessions, Limón signed the Parliament's guest book and presented a replica of the California Senate resolution approved on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the twinning, while Rull presented her with a 'senyera' from a limited special edition, number 340.
Working sessions and next steps
The two delegations have held two working sessions in which they have agreed to set in motion preparations to strengthen the interparliamentary cooperation agreement.
During these meetings they have analyzed the political and institutional context of Catalunya and California, shared experiences, and discussed institutional and legislative initiatives related to gender equality, as well as the legal challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
The Californian delegation, accompanied by members of the Mesa del Parlament, is scheduled to meet this Wednesday with the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa.