Ashoka
King and Queen of Spain meet with social entrepreneurs from Changemakers United
Three Ashoka Social Entrepreneurs and three young changemakers were received by Don Felipe VI and Doña Letizia on Thursday, 28 May to discuss social innovation and their response to the challenges caused by the health crisis. Maite Arango, President of Ashoka Spain, and Alexandra Mitjans, Director of the foundation, underlined the potential of young people and social entrepreneurs to promote systemic changes. The Queen thanked social entrepreneurs for their invaluable contribution to the recovery: "We are very grateful that you are here because of what you represent. Not only because of your trajectories, that are an example, but because of the values you embody. Values such as cohesion, equality and solidarity that you use to improve the life of others from a platform like Ashoka that aims at achieving social innovations."
Ashoka insight
Three Ashoka Social Entrepreneurs participating in the program Changemakers United dialogued with Their Majesties about social innovation:
- Gonzalo Fanjul, founder of porCausa, a communication model focused on bringing truthful information to the public about the most vulnerable people.
- Clara Jiménez Cruz, journalist and co-founder of Maldita.es, a non-profit media outlet dedicated to fighting disinformation.
- Pablo Santaeufemia, founder of Bridge for Billions, a network of online and accessible entrepreneurship programs to accompany new entrepreneurs in their first steps.
Also, three young changemakers participated in the conversation:
- Guzmán Fernández, 20 years old and creator of Opinion20, who has worked since leaving school so that the voice of young people is heard by those who make the decisions that will affect their future
- Alejandra Acosta, 23, founder of Break the Silence, an NGO raising awareness of human trafficking
- Eduardo Fierro, 27, a member of the LEINN Mondragon Team Academy network and co-founder of Kuvu, a new model of coexistence based on relationships between generations that reduces loneliness and isolation for older people.
The three young people are part of the Ashoka advisory group, which this year will launch an initiative for the selection, accompaniment and visibility of young change agents under the age of 21.