Carlos Torres Vila: "We work day in and day out to create a more sustainable and inclusive society"

“At BBVA, we want to have a positive impact on people’s lives and on society as a whole,” said Carlos Torres Vila during the event. “That’s why our purpose is to bring the age of opportunity to everyone. Because we aspire to create opportunities for everyone. And like FEDER, we work day in a day out to create a more sustainable and inclusive society that improves the opportunities and lives of the most vulnerable, leaving no one behind,” he said.

With the slogan, “Growing with you, our hope”, and coinciding with the 20th anniversary of FEDER, BBVA’s Group executive chairman gave a special welcome to “all the people who have a rare disease who are here with us today and their family members.”

Carlos Torres Vila recognized the important work that FEDER does to promote the inclusion of people with rare diseases and a better quality of life for them. “Learning about your history and your work is an inspiration and it encourages us to continue working hard,” he said.

Spain’s Queen Letizia, who presided over the closing ceremony, called for “the involvement, support, constant assistance, unwavering encouragement, and effective action from all those entities in a position of responsibility, in both the public and private sectors."

The President of FEDER and its foundation, Juan Carrión, thanked BBVA for hosting the event in a space he called “a reflection of innovation, which is currently the epicenter of solidarity with rare diseases.”

Rare diseases are a combination of over 6,000 different disorders with low levels of individual prevalence: less than five out of every 10,000 people, but as a whole affect approximately seven percent of the global population. In Spain, more than three million people have a rare disease, people to whom FEDER has spent the last 20 years dedicating its commitment and efforts.