As Gramsci said, when the old world refuses to die and the new one fails to be born, monsters emerge that must be confronted through dialogue and a radical defense of one’s own ideas.

Last Monday, September 21, our chairman and former director general of the Cercle d’Economia (1996-2018) was the guest of a new edition of “La gente del Cercle,” an initiative of the Open Circle, a space for reflection and debate created more than 20 years ago and driven by the new generations of Cercle d’Economia members from the economic, academic, scientific and cultural fields. Its goal is to connect young talents in order to generate new leaders for the city and the country, ensuring cross-cutting collaboration by including diverse professional profiles and varied sensibilities.

Industry is much more than production: it is a way of life in society. It provides stability and long-term projects, and offers a sense of belonging. That is why, when industry is lost, much more than jobs is lost.

The discussion, moderated by Joan Torras, a member of the Círculo, reviewed Jordi Alberich’s life and professional career throughout the evolution of the Círculo.

For more than twenty-five years, Jordi Alberich held executive positions at the Cercle d’Economia —first as secretary general (1984-1989) and later, for twenty-two years, as director general— playing a decisive role in the consolidation and evolution of the institution, during a period marked by some of the most significant economic, business and political changes in the country’s recent history. As Joan Torras said at the start of the conversation: “It is hard to find anyone more of the Cercle than Jordi Alberich.”

We must keep working to improve pre-university education. It remains a fundamental challenge. Many of the contradictions in our society are concentrated in the classroom, and much of the future will depend on how we address them.

You can watch the full discussion on the Cercle’s channel: