United Nations Recognizes Spain and Murcia's Leadership in Social Economy at Global Symposium
Spain and Murcia's leadership in social economy is spotlighted at the UN symposium, calling for prioritization in EU financial frameworks.
- • Murcia hosted the UN Task Force’s V Technical Symposium on Social Economy in December 2025.
- • Over 20 UN agencies, OECD, and international organizations participated in the event.
- • Speakers emphasized social economy’s strategic role in sustainable development and urged EU policy prioritization.
- • Key topics included digital transition, gender equality, social innovation, and maintaining EU funds to reduce inequalities.
Key details
Murcia recently hosted the V Technical Symposium of the United Nations Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE) from December 3 to 5, cementing Spain’s position as a global leader in the social economy sector. The event drew participation from over 20 UN agencies, the OECD, and major international organizations, alongside top experts and authorities worldwide.
Organised by UNTFSSE in partnership with the Spanish Ministry of Labor and Social Economy, CEPES, the Region of Murcia, and UCOMUR, the event was held at Caixa Bank’s headquarters in Murcia. Key speakers including Luis Alberto Marín, Regional Minister of Economy, highlighted the symposium’s role in enhancing Spain’s international visibility in social economy initiatives.
Simel Esim, president of the Task Force, stressed social economy’s critical role as a stable partner in sustainable development per recent UN resolutions. Jaime Iglesias pointed to the rising global recognition of social economy’s potential to tackle major societal challenges, while Juan Antonio Pedreño called for prioritizing social economy in EU financial frameworks.
Discussions encompassed integrating social economy within the UN system, institutional cooperation, social innovation, green and digital transitions, gender equality, and safeguarding EU funds to support employment and reduce inequalities.
This milestone event underlines Spain’s and Murcia’s leadership in advancing social and solidarity economy approaches that address global challenges through inclusive, innovative, and sustainable practices.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
