Spain's Foreign Minister Albares seeks to retain Casa Árabe in Madrid

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares called Madrid Mayor José Luis Martínez‑Almeida to discuss the future of the Casa Árabe, a cultural institution housed for more than two decades in the Las Escuelas Aguirre building in the Salamanca district. Both officials said they would continue dialogue to keep the centre at its current site, after the mayor announced a plan to evict the organisation, blaming the former director Irene Lozano for mismanagement.

Albares warned that the unilateral eviction would cause “grave damage to Spain’s foreign policy, its international image and the projection of Madrid,” noting the dismay of Arab ambassadors, students and intellectuals. He offered a meeting, praised the current management’s plan and reminded the mayor of the city's involvement in the institution’s governance. No final decision has been reached.