Personalities who has confirmed their participation

- Spanish Central Government

- His Excellency Mr. José María Aznar, President of the Government of Spain

- His Excellency Mr. Rodrigo Rato Figaredo, Vicepresident and Minister of Economy

- Her Excellency Mrs. Ana Palacio, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain

- His Excellency Mr. José María Michavilla, Minister of Justice

- Her Excellency Mrs. Pilar del Castillo Vera, Minister of Education, culture and Sports

- His Excellency Mr. Ramón Gil Casares Satrústegui, Secretary of State for the Foreign Affairs

- Her Excellency Mrs. Ana López Monís Gallego, Director General, General Office of Registers and Attorneys of Spain

- Her Excellency Mrs. Rosa Aguilar Rivero, Mayor of Córdoba

- His Excellency Mr. Luis Campoy Zueco, Mayor of Tudela and the actual President of the Federation of the Judaica cities of Spain

- Mr. Rafael Rodriguez Ponga, General Secretary of Spanish Agency for the International Cooperation

- Catalan Government

- Very Honorable Jordi Pujol i Soley, President of the Authonomic Government of Catalunya

- Honorable Artur Mas i Gavarró, Senior councilor of the Autonomic Government of Catalunya

- His Excellency Mr. Joan Clos i Matheu, Mayor of Barcelona

- Honorable Antoni Subira, Conseller of Industry, Energy and Trade of the Generalitat of Catalunya

- Foreign Government Representations

- His Excellency Mr. Shimon Peres, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel (*)

- His Excellency Mr. Roni Milo, Minister for Regional Cooperation of Israel

- Her Excellency Mrs. Limor Livnat, Minister of Education of Israel

- Her Excellency Mrs. Dalia Itzik, Ministry of Industry and Trade of Israel

- His Excellency Mr. Antonio Mercader, Minister of Culture of Uruguay

- His Excellency Mr. B. Suat Caglayan, Minister of Culture of Turkey

- Her Excellency Mrs. Joannaa Kozinska-Frybes, General Consul of Poland on behalf of His Excellency Mr. Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland

- Mr. José Francisco Gil Díaz, Secretary of State of the Ministry or Treasure and Public Credit of Mexico

- His Excellency Mr, Luis Alberto Lacalle, ex – President of Uruguay

- His Excellency Mr. Yehuda Lancry, Ambassador of Israel at ONU

- His Excellency Mr. Herzl Inbar, Ambassador of Israel in Spain

- Mr. Marcus Gill, Vice-president of the National Bank of South Africa

- Mr. Juan Dexeus, General Council of Luxemburg, Dexeus Legal Advice Founder

- Mrs. Wieslawa Sylkowska, President of the National Bank of the Poland Republic

- Other Personalities

- Mr. Henry kissinger, ex Secretary of State of EEUU, Advisor of Nixon ex President, Member of the Senator of the United States of America (*)

- Mr. Jaques Attali, Member the French State Council, former Adviser of the President Mitterand (France), ex President of European Development Bank, BEX

- Mr. René Samuel Sirat, Great Rabbi of the Sepharad Community of Europe

- Mr. Yaacov Carciente, Great Rabbi of the Israeli Community of Barcelona

- Mr. Baruj Garzón, Rabbi

- His Excellency Mr. Samuel Hadas, The First Israeli Ambassador in Spain and the fist Israeli Ambassador in Vatican

- Professor Jon Juaristi, Director General of the Institute of Cervantes (Spain)

- Mr. Vicenc Villatoro, Director General of the Catalan Corporation of Radio-Television (Spain)

- Mr. Mordechai Arbell, Member of the board of the World Jewish Congress (Israel)

- Mrs. Dalia Levinshon, President of the Israeli Community of Barcelona

- Professor Henry Mechoulan, Director of the National Center of Scientific Investigations of France, Doctor on Salamanca University and correspondent Member of the Real Science Academy of Spain

- Mr. Jean Carasso, Publisher of the magazine “La Sepharade”

- Professor Jaques Taieb, Author of the book “Sefarad” (France)

- Mr. Tamar Alexander, Ben Gurion University

- Professor Haggai Ben Shammai, Principal of the BenZvi Institute (Jerusalem)

- Mr. Mark Bedeman, member of the Boar of Directors of the FCSM

- Mr. Moshe Shaul, Publisher of the magazine “Aquí Jerusalem” (Israel), professor of Hebrew University

- Mr. Gustavo Perednik, Journalist and Writer

- Mrs. Matilde Gini de Barnatan, Director of the program “Radio Sefarad” of Radio Exterior of Spain

- Mr. Bernardo Ignacio Mogilevich Groisman, attorney, and professor of Law at University of Buenos Aires

(*) pending confirmations

World Sepharad Federation

- Mr. Nessim Gaón, President

- Mrs. Lilian Shalom, Vice President

- Mr. Don Leon Levy

- Mr. Alberto Nasser

- Mr. Yahezkel Zaccai

- Mr. Simon Aziza

- Mr. Isaac Aspani

- Mr. Ishak Eshel

- Mr. Mr. Judah Castiel

- Mr. Arie Nahoum

- Mr. Claudio Leon

- Mr. Rafael Hodara

- Mr. Yaacov Benayor

- Mr. Abraham Touboul – Vaad Haeda Hamaaravit

Barcelona, September 30th of 2002

Dear Friend,

On approach of this big international event, our World Sephardi Congress, I have pleasure to inform you that our Foundation has decided to embark itself the additional important economical effort and to offer a special subsidy to all our Latin - American friends converting the inscription fees to the Congress, Forum and dinners as voluntary fee not - obligatory, to release them from any additional changes except their own travel expenses.

Nevertheless, we hope to be able to count with the generosity of all those people, who can permit themselves to pay for themselves and to offer some additional sponsorship to us to balance this important effort which our organisation is facing.

This morning after communicating this news to the president of the World Sephardi Federation, Mr. Nessim Gaon, he told me that he will give the instructions to the World Sephardi Federation to give the additional subsidy of 500 US$ to all Latino - American assistants whoever will need such aid.

I permit myself to remind you about 30% of discount which we have with Iberia flights for all our participants as well as about the special prices of hotels which include breakfast and taxes, prices which we have obtained through our collaborator Viajes El Corte Inglés.

Regarding our preliminary program, we are proud to inform you that nearly 90% of the speakers has confirmed their participation.
I am convinced that this great Congress will be the initiation of the solid union of all the Sephardies from all over the world and also the firm establishment of the Institute for the International Sephardi Co-operation (ICIS), the "fundamental stone" of the development of the extraordinary cultural and socio - economical projects based on co-operation between Spanish institutions and the Sephardi Universe of the four continents.

The Sephardi Diaspora will be able to meet again and re - identify itself on October 14th
In Palace of Congresses of the Fairgrounds of Barcelona, where we hope with interest and faith to develop a bight future, so characteristic to our people.

We are looking forward to see you soon in Barcelona,

Cordially yours,

Giaco Ventura
President.