The Instituto Franklin-UAH organizes a round table centre on the figure of Don Diego de Gardoqui
On Tuesday, March 19th, 2024, the Instituto Franklin-UAH, Casa de América and DAR España Chapter (The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution) organized a round table discussion entitled “Revisiting the Figure of Don Diego de Gardoqui: A Decisive Figure in the American War of Independence and in the Diplomatic Game of Power in the New Nation (1776-1789),” which took place in the Bolivar Room of Casa de América.
The event began with welcoming remarks by Luis Prados, Director of Programming at Casa de América, Elane Granger, President of the DAR España Chapter, and Esperanza Cerdá, Academic Secretary of the Instituto Franklin-UAH. This was followed by a panel discussion between José Manuel Guerrero Acosta, military historian at the Academy of Military Arts and Sciences and participant in Iberdrola's “Unveiling Memories” Project; Sylvia L. Hilton, historian and Professor at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid; and Fernando Prieto Ríos, General Secretary of the Fundación Consejo España-EE.UU.; and moderated by Carlos Hernández-Echeverría, Deputy Director of Maldita.es and teacher of the Master's in North American Studies at the Instituto Franklin-UAH.
The table focused on giving visibility to Spain's efforts in the struggle for American independence, the sacrifices of its people and its king, as well as its efforts to protect its empire after the American victory against England through the study of Don Diego de Gardoqui, highlighting the importance of the machinations of politics in international relations and seeking to understand more deeply the work Gardoqui did in his years as Spanish ambassador to the United States.
The event was attended by more than 60 people, including direct descendants of Gardoqui himself, demonstrating that the historical review of the Spanish presence in North America is not only a growing topic of great interest, but can facilitate and promote the understanding and recognition of a common history on both sides of the Atlantic.