President Calviño: Shaping the future together

Buenas tardes, Bonsoir, Guten abend, Buona sera.

Good evening, graduates, dear faculty, proud families, and honoured guests,

I am so happy to join you on this special occasion. Actually, let me share a secret: This is the best moment of my week! And it has been a very intense and good one as I have participated in the UN conference on finance for development in Seville.

Let me begin by congratulating each and every one of you. Not so long ago, my children also went through this process and I can very well remember their long hours finishing their papers and preparing for the BAC, the stress….

We all know it takes a village to raise a successful graduate.

So congratulations to all students graduating and also to your parents. Let me ask you for a round of applause for them! 

Your graduation today celebrates not only your years of hard work and dedication, but the start of an exciting new chapter in your lives, filled with promise and possibility.

As I was preparing this speech, I remembered my own experience. When I was sitting where you are now, my country Spain had just joined the European Union, together with Portugal. We had recently come out of a dictatorship and there was still an Iron Curtain dividing the continent.

Today we are 27 Member states with 10 family members joining in 2004, after almost six decades of post-war separation. You can study, live or work anywhere in the EU. You can travel from Ireland to Cyprus without endless border controls, and in most countries, you don't need to change money.

We have come a long way together. The European Union has overcome many crises and remains the best place to live. This history, our unity and our resilience, gives me confidence for the future.

The transformation we have witnessed in Europe over the past decades is proof that progress is possible, and that each generation can shape the future.

It is my generation currently at the helm but very soon it will be you. You are graduating at an extraordinary moment in history. A time when it seems like everything, everywhere, all at once is changing.

When we are facing a war in Ukraine, on European soil, something we thought would never happen again.

We are living challenging times.

And yet, in many ways this is also a time of hope. The world you are entering is more connected and more innovative than ever before. A new world order is in the making, driving a deeper integration of our countries. Technological change opens incredible opportunities that seemed to be science fiction only yesterday.

At the European Investment Bank Group, we work with many bright entrepreneurs with ideas that can change the world. For example, developing technology to turn carbon emissions into sustainable jet fuel and brain implants to treat Parkinson’s disease. They are finding solutions to problems and turning challenges into opportunities. This is the spirit you should carry forward.

Seize the opportunities

Yes, you are stepping into a rapidly changing world, but it is a world full of opportunity – and you must seize it. It is in your hands to shape the future. This is the first message I want to share with you. 

We don’t know what challenges will come our way in the coming decades, but there is one that will surely not go away: climate change.

It knows no borders. It affects every country, every community, and every person. It is not a problem for the future, it is already having an increasingly costly impact.

Just look at how hot it has been this week. I’ve just landed from Seville where it was 47 degrees. New temperature records are set every year and each year we seem to see more extreme climate-related disasters like floods, droughts and wildfires.

That is why at the European Investment Bank Group, we have made climate action our top priority, financing projects to shield millions from floods in Poland's Odra valley; to improve water management in the island of Crete; and to  help farmers prepare for extreme weather in Rwanda.

Supporting the green transition is the right thing to do and also the smart thing to do from the economic and security point of view.

To reduce dependency on fossil fuel producers and boost the opportunities for economic growth and job creation through renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and a circular economy. Some of you may well develop your professional career in these fields.

Importance of innovation

And this brings me to the second message I want to share with you: the importance of innovation and continuous learning.

The pace of technological change today means that your ability to learn, unlearn and relearn is your greatest strength.

Innovation is not just about technology—it is a way of thinking. It means questioning assumptions, seeking different perspectives, and having the courage to try new ideas.

Challenge what you know, don’t accept the “it has always been done this way” argument against change. There is no such thing as mission impossible. This mindset will take you far – regardless of the professional path you choose.

Power of cooperation

This brings me to the third message I’d like to share, one that is always in my mind these days.

As I told you, I just landed from a top-level international gathering, where Europe has stood up as a beacon of stability, cooperation, and shared human values.

I say this not just as the president of a European institution, but as someone who has seen the power of European unity.

When the pandemic struck, European solidarity and cooperation helped speed up the development and efficient deployment of vaccines. It also helped rescue the economy, providing financing so that people could keep their jobs and businesses stay afloat. And launched an ambitious investment and reform programme to build back better.

More recently, when floods and fires devastate communities, we are all immediately mobilised to provide emergency physical and financial support.

And as we speak, we are stepping up cooperation in the areas of security and defence to support those countries on our Eastern border.

These are perfect examples of how working together can achieve what none of us can do alone.

You are fortunate to be part of this European community—a place where democracy, human rights, and opportunity are core values. And also a great place to live!. With excellent public schools and universities, hospitals, security, a social safety net which is the foundation of prosperous and inclusive societies.

At a time when some world leaders are rolling back on climate action, gender equality, health coverage for all, finance for development and even democratic values, Europe is staying the course, as a trusted partner, seeking win-win solutions, and an anchor of peace and stability in troubled waters.

Our world is increasingly interconnected and we need to work with others in partnership. The challenges we face will not be solved by any individual country. We must work together to find solutions with partners around the world.

From the European Investment Bank, we are providing finance with huge impact on the ground: helping build vaccine production facilities in Ghana, Senegal and South Africa. Supporting sustainable agriculture in Ethiopia and Madagascar. Investing in women and young entrepreneurs in Brazil, Vietnam and Mauritania.

When we invest in the wellbeing of others, we invest in our own future security and prosperity.

As you make the next step in your careers, I encourage you to think European as well as globally. Look for opportunities to work across borders. Learn from different cultures and perspectives. Remember that your decisions—as consumers, professionals, and citizens—have impacts that reach far beyond your immediate community.

More than ever, I am proud to be European, and I hope you are too.

You are so fortunate to have been able to get a top-notch education, multilingual, that will allow you to live and thrive anywhere in the world.

Let me ask for another round of applause for the whole team of the European School, the teachers and all support staff!

A call to action

I’d like to close with a call to action

So, what does all this mean for you, today’s graduates?

• First, embrace change rather than fear it. The world you are entering will keep changing quickly. Your ability to adapt, to keep learning, and to see the opportunities created by new challenges will be your greatest strength.
• Second, remember the power of working together. The biggest problems we face can only be solved by cooperation—across fields, sectors and countries. Build bridges, not walls.
• Finally, stay true to your values. In a complex and fast-changing world, your principles will guide you. The European project is built on values of human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality and respect for human rights. These values have guided Europe through its hardest times and its greatest achievements. They should be our compass for the future too.

Let me conclude and leave you with a simple truth: the future is not something that happens to us—it is something we create together.

The world needs your energy, your creativity, and your commitment. It needs your fresh ideas and your willingness to imagine better alternatives.

Seeing you gives me confidence and hope for the future. Congratulations once again. I wish you all the very best.

And the last round of applause goes to you!

Thank you!