It had been only a few weeks since the war between Ukraine and Russia had broken out, and the editor of La Vanguardia, Javier Godó, was considering the creation of a format that would allow for in-depth reflection on the consequences of the most important armed conflict on European soil since World War II. The idea was to involve the human and technical potential of the group’s media, both La Vanguardia and RAC1, to offer subscribers, readers, and listeners a cross-sectional view of a conflagration that, even in those days, was evident would mark the history of Europe and international relations. With this vocation, Foros de Vanguardia was born on April 7, 2022. The debut was a debate with correspondents from La Vanguardia and RAC1 who had been or were still on the front lines in Ukraine or neighboring borders. The Eyes of the War was the title, and the auditorium of the Círculo Ecuestre was packed to capacity to hear the experiences of María Paz López, Félix Flores, Plàcid Garcia Planas, Jordi Armenteras, and Joaquín Luna. It was a resounding success. So much so that a month later, we repeated with a special guest, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares. Since then, approaching five years of existence and fifty editions, the Forums have expanded the range of topics and, in the process, have become fully integrated into Barcelona’s agenda, becoming one of the city’s essential events.
