Ana Palacio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Most Excellent
Ana Palacio
|
|
|---|---|
Palacio in 2004
|
|
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office July 20, 2002 – April 18, 2004 |
|
| 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 |
|
| 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 22 July 1948) is a Spanish lawyer and politician. She served as Spain's Minister for Foreign Affairs from July 2002 to March 2004. Before this, she was a lawyer in Madrid and a Member of the European Parliament from 1994 to 2002.
In March 2012, she became an elected member of the Spanish Council of State. Today, she is a founding partner at Palacio y Asociados, a consulting and law firm in Madrid. She also works as a senior strategic counsel at Albright Stonebridge Group, a global business strategy firm.
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 recognized her as the best foreign student that year.
She earned degrees in law, political science, and sociology. Her excellent performance in her studies earned her a special award for academic achievement.
Legal Career Highlights
As a lawyer, Ana Palacio held important positions. She was a leader in the governing bodies of the Madrid Bar. She also worked with the European Bar (CCBE). She is an honorary member of the bar in England and Wales.
She was also a member of the board for the Academy of European Law (ERA). She was a distinguished professor at the European College in Parma. Her legal work focused on the laws of the European Union's internal market.
Political Journey
Serving in the European Parliament (1994–2002)
Ana Palacio spent eight years working in the European Parliament. This is where laws are made for the European Union. She led important committees, like the Committee on Legal Affairs. She also chaired the Committee on Justice and Home Affairs.
Her fellow members chose her to lead the Conference of Committee Chairmen. This is a very important group that helps coordinate all 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 the delegation that worked with the Palestinian Legislative Council.
Becoming Foreign Minister (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 important job in Spain. At that time, it was the highest position a woman had held in the Spanish government.
During her time as minister, Spain and Morocco solved a disagreement. They formally ended their military standoff over Perejil Island. They also agreed to improve their relationship.
After her time as foreign minister, she was 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 draft and discuss new rules for the European Union.
Working with the United Nations
From 2005 to 2006, Ana Palacio served on a special UN commission. This group worked on helping poor people gain legal rights.
In 2006, she was appointed as a senior vice-president and general counsel for the World Bank. This meant she was the chief lawyer for the World Bank. One of her main duties was to serve as secretary general of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. This part of the World Bank helps solve disagreements between people and countries.
Other Important Work
Since 2010, Ana Palacio has been a founding partner of Palacio y Asociados. This is a consulting and law firm in Madrid. She also works as a senior strategic counsel for Albright Stonebridge Group. This is a company that helps businesses with their global plans.
Since 2014, she has been a visiting professor at Georgetown University. She also writes monthly articles about global strategy for Project Syndicate.
She holds various other positions, both paid and unpaid. She serves on the boards of companies like Enagás and PharmaMar. She is also involved with many non-profit groups. These include the Atlantic Council and the Council on Foreign Relations. She helps promote dialogue between Europe and the Middle East through the Medbridge Strategy Center.
Awards and Recognition
In January 2004, The Wall Street Journal listed Ana Palacio as one of the top 75 'global opinion leaders'. In 2001, the same newspaper called her "Europe’s Lawyer" in a special article.
She has received several awards. In 2004, she received the American Jewish Committee Ramer Award. This award recognized her work in supporting democracy and open societies. In 2016, she was given the Sandra Day O’Connor Justice Prize.
Personal Life
In December 2000, Ana Palacio was diagnosed with an illness. She chose not to wear a wig or hat when her hair fell out during treatment. Her sister, Loyola de Palacio, was also a minister in the Spanish government. She passed away in 2006 from an illness while receiving treatment.
See also
In Spanish: Ana Palacio para niños
