Club Siglo XXI

Club Siglo XXI is a Spanish non-profit political and cultural association founded in Madrid in 1969. It is widely described as one of the best barometers of Spanish cultural, political and social activity, and its stated purpose is to contribute to public debate by giving voice to a plurality of ideas in a spirit of respect for democracy. It pursues this through a regular programme of conferences, luncheons, round tables and colloquia featuring leading figures from Spanish public life. The Club's forum has hosted an unusually broad range of speakers. Among them are Nobel laureates in Literature such as Camilo José Cela, Octavio Paz and Mario Vargas Llosa, Nobel laureate in Medicine Severo Ochoa, and the Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Heads of state and government who have spoken at its headquarters include Mexican President Vicente Fox, Colombian President Andrés Pastrana and Prince Henri of Luxembourg, as well as Spanish prime ministers Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo, Felipe González, José María Aznar, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Mariano Rajoy. Regional presidents and international figures such as Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Michel Rocard, Jacques Delors and Mário Soares have also taken its podium. The Club played a notable role during Spain's democratic transition. In 1977, Manuel Fraga, a minister under the Franco dictatorship, presented a lecture by Santiago Carrillo, secretary general of the Communist Party, at the Club — an event emblematic of the opening of Spanish political life. According to its own account and Wikipedia, seven Nobel laureates, four Spanish prime ministers and six presidents of other countries have spoken from its tribune. It is governed by a president and has had a succession of prominent officeholders, including founding president Antonio Guerrero Burgos, Paloma Segrelles as honorary president, Adrián Piera, Luis Gámir (1987–1991), Luis González Seara (1992–1994), Juan Antonio Ortega y Díaz Ambrona, Miguel Rodríguez-Piñero, Eduardo Zaplana, Gerardo Seeliger, Inocencio Arias, Nicolás Redondo Terreros and José María Barreda Fontes. The Club remains active and in 2025 marks its fifty-sixth year since foundation, continuing to host events at its Madrid headquarters.

Club Siglo XXI was constituted in Madrid in 1969 as a civil association dedicated to organising debates, conferences, forums and luncheons or dinner-colloquia on Spanish cultural, political and social life. Its founding president was Antonio Guerrero Burgos. From its earliest years it sought to provide a meeting place for the diverse currents of thought of the moment, a mission reflected in its own description: 'Desde su fundación ha sido lugar de encuentro de las diversas ideas del pensamiento cultural, político y social de cada momento.' During the 1970s the Club acquired considerable importance in Spain's democratic transition. A landmark moment came in 1977, when Manuel Fraga — a minister under the Franco dictatorship — presented a lecture by Santiago Carrillo, secretary general of the Communist Party, at the Club. This event became emblematic of the opening of Spanish political life and of the Club's role as a neutral forum where opposing political actors could meet. Over the following decades the Club consolidated its reputation as one of the best barometers of Spanish cultural, political and social activity. Its tribune hosted seven Nobel laureates, four Spanish prime ministers and six presidents of other countries, according to Wikipedia. Among the Nobel laureates who spoke were Camilo José Cela, Octavio Paz and Mario Vargas Llosa (Literature), Severo Ochoa (Medicine) and the Dalai Lama (Peace). Heads of state and government included Mexican President Vicente Fox, Colombian President Andrés Pastrana and Prince Henri of Luxembourg, as well as Spanish prime ministers Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo, Felipe González, José María Aznar, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Mariano Rajoy. Regional presidents such as Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, Juan José Ibarretxe, Manuel Chaves, Jordi Pujol, José Bono, Artur Mas, Emiliano García Page and Isabel Díaz Ayuso also took part, as did international figures like Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Michel Rocard, Jacques Delors and Mário Soares. The Club has been led by a succession of presidents: after founder Antonio Guerrero Burgos came Paloma Segrelles as honorary president, then Adrián Piera, Luis Gámir (1987–1991), Luis González Seara (1992–1994), Juan Antonio Ortega y Díaz Ambrona, Miguel Rodríguez-Piñero, Eduardo Zaplana, Gerardo Seeliger, Inocencio Arias, Nicolás Redondo Terreros and José María Barreda Fontes. The organisation remains active in the 2020s, and in 2025 it celebrates its fifty-sixth anniversary since foundation, continuing to host conferences, luncheons, round tables and colloquia at its Madrid headquarters.

• 2025

  Club celebrates its fifty-sixth anniversary since foundation.

• 1992

  Luis González Seara begins term as president (1992–1994).

• 1987

  Luis Gámir begins term as president (1987–1991).

• 1977

  Manuel Fraga presents a lecture by Santiago Carrillo, secretary general of the Communist Party, at the Club — a landmark of the democratic transition.

• 1969

  Club Siglo XXI constituted in Madrid as a civil association.

Non-profit political and cultural association; a prestigious forum and barometer of Spanish public debate.

Product categories. Conferences · Luncheons · Round tables · Colloquia

1. 1Club Siglo XXI – Official Websiteclub-sigloxxi.com
2. 2Club Siglo XXI – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Club Siglo XXI – Wikipedia (Spanish)es.wikipedia.org