Ana Palacio facts for kids
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Ana Palacio
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Palacio in 2004
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| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office July 20, 2002 – April 18, 2004 |
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| Monarch | Juan Carlos I |
| Prime Minister | José María Aznar López |
| Preceded by | Josep Piqué |
| Succeeded by | Miguel Ángel Moratinos Cuyaubé |
| Member of the Congress of Deputies | |
| In office 14 March 2004 – 28 August 2006 |
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| Constituency | Toledo |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ana Isabel de Palacio y del Valle Lersundi
22 July 1948 Madrid, Spain |
| Political party | People's Party |
Ana Isabel de Palacio y del Valle Lersundi, born on July 22, 1948, in Madrid, Spain, is a well-known Spanish politician and lawyer. She served as Spain's Minister for Foreign Affairs from July 2002 to March 2004. Before this important role, she worked as a lawyer in Madrid. She was also a Member of the European Parliament from 1994 to 2002.
In 2012, she became a member of the Spanish Council of State. Today, she is a founding partner of a consulting and law firm in Madrid. She also works as a senior advisor for a global business strategy company.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ana Palacio was a very bright student. She graduated from the Lycée Français with top honors in Mathematics. The French Government even recognized her as the best foreign student that year.
She earned degrees in both law, and political science and sociology. Her excellent grades in these studies earned her a special award for academic achievement.
Legal Career
As a lawyer, Ana Palacio held important positions in legal groups. This included the governing bodies of the Madrid Bar and the European Bar. She is also an honorary member of the bar in England and Wales.
She was a member of the board for the Academy of European Law. She also taught at the European College in Parma. Her legal work focused on the laws of the European Union's internal market.
Political Career
Member of the European Parliament (1994–2002)
Ana Palacio spent eight years working in the European Parliament. This is a very important group that helps make laws for Europe. During her time there, she led several committees. These included the Committee on Legal Affairs and Internal Market. She also chaired the Committee on Justice and Home Affairs.
Her colleagues chose her to lead the Conference of Committee Chairmen. This is a top group that helps organize the Parliament's law-making work. She focused on laws for the internal market and security. This included justice, home affairs, and human rights.
From 1995 to 1999, she also worked on rules for the Parliament. She was part of a group that worked with the Palestinian Legislative Council.
Minister of Foreign Affairs (2002–2004)
In 2002, Prime Minister José María Aznar chose Ana Palacio to be Spain's foreign minister. She was the first woman to hold this very important position in Spain. It was the highest government job a woman had held in Spain at that time.
While she was foreign minister, Spain and Morocco solved a disagreement. They had a military standoff over a small island called Perejil. They agreed to improve their relationship.
After this, she became a member of the Spanish Parliament. She represented the area of Toledo. There, she led a committee that focused on European Union affairs. She also helped discuss the future of the European Union. She worked on new agreements that guide the European Union.
Work at the United Nations
Ana Palacio also worked with the United Nations (UN). From 2005 to 2006, she was part of a special UN commission. This group worked on how laws can help people who are not wealthy.
In 2006, she joined the World Bank. She became a senior vice-president and general counsel. This meant she was a top lawyer for the World Bank. One of her main jobs was to be the secretary general of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. This part of the World Bank helps solve disagreements between people and countries about investments.
Other Activities
Since 2010, Ana Palacio has been a founding partner of her own consulting and law firm. She also advises a global strategic consulting firm. Since 2014, she has been a visiting professor at Georgetown University in the United States.
She writes monthly articles about global strategies for an international media group.
She also serves on the boards of several companies and non-profit organizations. These include:
- Enagás, an energy company
- PharmaMar, a pharmaceutical company
- Atlantic Council, a think tank focused on international affairs
- Council on Foreign Relations, another important group for foreign policy
- Carnegie Corporation of New York, a foundation that supports education and peace
In 2003, Ana Palacio helped create the Medbridge Strategy Center. This center aims to improve understanding and discussion between Europe and the Middle-East.
Recognition
Ana Palacio has received many honors for her work. In 2004, The Wall Street Journal listed her as one of the top 75 global opinion leaders. In 2001, the same newspaper called her "Europe's Lawyer."
She received the 2004 American Jewish Committee Ramer Award. This award recognized her efforts to support democracy and open societies. In 2016, she was awarded the Sandra Day O’Connor Justice Prize.
Personal Life
Ana Palacio faced a health challenge in 2000. She showed great strength during this time. Her sister, Loyola de Palacio, was also a minister in the Spanish government. She also served in the European Commission.
See also
In Spanish: Ana Palacio para niños
