Holder of the Chair:

Dr. Joan Fuster-Sobrepere

Senior Professor. Former Director of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). Holds a PhD in History from Pompeu Fabra University, a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Cultural Institution Management from ESADE Business School’s Executive Education programme.

He is a member of the Identicat consolidated research group. His research focuses on the political and cultural history of contemporary Catalonia, with particular emphasis on the city of Barcelona.

Co-holder of the Chair:

Dr. Alfons Martinell Sempere

Holds a PhD in Education from the University of Girona and a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Arts from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. He is a member of the Spanish Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). He served as Director General for Cultural and Scientific Relations at the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), part of Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He is Honorary Director of the UNESCO Chair in Cultural Policies and Cooperation and Emeritus Professor at the University of Girona. In 2024, he was awarded the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts by the Spanish Council of Ministers.

Director of the Pau Casals Foundation:

Jordi Pardo

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geography and History and a Master’s degree from ESADE. He was a member of UNESCO’s Expert Facility on Cultural Policies and Governance (2011–2015) and served on the European Commission’s panel of experts for the European Capitals of Culture programme (2012–2016). He has directed and advised cultural projects in countries across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, and has been a visiting professor at several universities in Spain.

Coordinator of the Technical Secretariat of the Chair:

Laia Duaso

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities from Univeristat Pompeu Fabra and a Master’s degree in Cultural Management from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). She is the Coordinator of the Technical Secretariat of the Pau Casals UNESCO Chair.

Responsible of the documentary and collections of Pau Casals:

Núria Ballester

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and a Master’s degree in Cultural Heritage Management and Museology from the University of Barcelona. She is Director of the Pau Casals Museum and has extensive experience in the management, conservation, research, and promotion of cultural heritage. She is responsible for the management of Pau Casals’s collections and documentary archives.

Management technician for the documentary collections:

Isaura Solé

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History, a Master’s degree in Heritage Libraries and Collections, and a PhD in Information and Communication, all from the University of Barcelona. She is a documentalist and manages the documentary archives and collections of the Pau Casals Foundation.