News / 11 February, 2026
The Enbaxadore programme highlights the key role played by professionals who drive the attraction and organisation of meetings aligned with the city’s strategic priorities, contributing to its international positioning, the attraction of talent, knowledge and investment, and generating a lasting impact on Donostia and the wider territory.
Donostia has named 27 new ambassadors within the framework of the Enbaxadore programme, a joint initiative promoted by the Donostia San Sebastián Convention Bureau (part of Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa) and the Kursaal Congress Centre. At a ceremony held at the Kursaal, the contribution of individuals who have played a decisive role in organising conferences and professional meetings in the city and the territory was publicly recognised.
The aim of the Enbaxadore programme is to publicly acknowledge the commitment of these leading professionals who, from their respective fields, act as drivers and advocates for Donostia and Gipuzkoa as a destination of excellence for hosting professional events. Their work contributes to economic development, the generation and dissemination of knowledge, the attraction of talent, and the strengthening of the city’s international positioning.
Since its creation in 2012, the programme has recognised around one hundred professionals who are part of a strategic network that promotes the attraction of flagship conferences in a city and territory that stand out in areas such as biosciences, nanoscience, advanced materials, smart mobility, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies.
The recognition ceremony was attended by Jon Insausti, Mayor of Donostia / San Sebastián and President of Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa; Unai Andueza, Provincial Deputy for Economic Promotion and Strategic Projects (representing Eider Mendoza, Provincial Deputy General and President of the Kursaal); Isabel Aguirrezabala, Managing Director of Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa; Iker Goikoetxea, Managing Director of the Kursaal Congress Centre; as well as the newly appointed Enbaxadore and individuals recognised in previous editions of the programme.
A strategic sector for the city
MICE tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) is a strategic sector for Donostia and Gipuzkoa and represents a firm commitment to a tourism model based on quality, knowledge and a positive impact on the territory, clearly contributing to its economic development. This is reflected in the Donostia / San Sebastián Sustainable Tourism Plan 2023–2027 and the new Gurera tourism model, both of which promote balanced and sustainable tourism development through comprehensive city management that places the wellbeing and quality of life of Donostia’s residents at its core.
In this context, the contribution of the Enbaxadore is particularly significant in attracting conferences aligned with the strategic priorities of the city and the territory—events that strengthen high value-added science and innovation ecosystems.
Recognising local talent with global impact
Being part of the programme means joining a network of professionals with opportunities for meetings and networking aimed at strengthening collaboration, knowledge exchange and the creation of synergies.
The Enbaxadore appointed in this edition have helped to reinforce the reputation of our city as a destination for professional events in fields such as science, healthcare and medicine, technology and industry, and the social sector.
New Enbaxadore 2026
Ricardo Díez Muiño – Donostia International Physics Centre (DIPC)
INTERNATIONAL QUANTUM MATTER CONFERENCE (QUANTUMATTER) – 2024
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING (AI4AM) – 2025
Aitziber López Cortajarena – CIC biomaGUNE
EUROPEAN SOUTH ATLANTIC BIOPHYSICS CONGRESS (ESAB) – 2024
Andreas Seifert – CIC nanoGUNE
IEEE/LEOS OPTICAL MEMS AND NANOPHOTONICS (OMN) – 2024
Antje Stoehr – Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL)
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON BILINGUALISM (ISB) – 2025
Claire Tonnelé – Donostia International Physics Centre (DIPC)
SYMPOSIUM ON COMPUTING CONJUGATED COMPOUNDS (CPIC-14) – 2024
Aran García-Lekue – Donostia International Physics Centre (DIPC)
GRAPHENE CONFERENCE – 2025
Clara García Astrain – POLYMAT
47th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE IBERIAN SOCIETY OF BIOMECHANICS AND BIOMATERIALS – 2025
Dorleta Jiménez de Aberasturi Arranz – CIC biomaGUNE
47th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE IBERIAN SOCIETY OF BIOMECHANICS AND BIOMATERIALS – 2025
Raquel González Miguel – Donostia University Hospital
CONGRESS OF THE SPANISH SOCIETY OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE (SEMFYC) – 2023
Irene Diez Itza – Donostia University Hospital
11th NATIONAL CONGRESS ON PELVIC FLOOR (SEGO) – 2024
Álvaro Iruin Sanz – BioGipuzkoa
27th NATIONAL CONGRESS OF PSYCHIATRY AND MENTAL HEALTH (SEPSM) – 2024
Javier Aritz Urcola Carrera – Clínica Begitek
19th CONGRESS OF THE SPANISH GLAUCOMA SOCIETY (SEG) – 2025
Irune Ruiz Díaz – Donostia University Hospital
NATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE SPANISH SOCIETY OF PATHOLOGY (SEAP-IAP) – 2025
Gotzone Urteaga Barreras – Association of Midwives of the Basque Country
2nd CONGRESS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF MIDWIVES OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY AND 33rd CONGRESS OF THE FEDERATION OF SPANISH MIDWIVES ASSOCIATIONS (FAME) – 2025
Mikel Larreategi Arana – CodeSyntax
PLONE CONFERENCE – 2023
Rikardo Bueno Zabalo – Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA)
MANUFUTURE CONFERENCE – 2023
José David Núñez González – Gipuzkoa School of Engineering (UPV/EHU)
EUROPEAN SIMULATION AND MODELLING CONFERENCE (ESM-ETI) – 2024
Santiago Miguel Olaizola Izquierdo – CEIT
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON LASER PRECISION MICROFABRICATION (LPM) – 2024
Haritz Sardón Muguruza – University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
1st CONFERENCE SERIES ON ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF SOFT MATERIALS – 3D ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING (3DAM) – 2025
Javier Barriga – Tekniker
LUBRICATION MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE (LUBMAT) – 2024
Andoni Aldekoa – EITB
39th ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF CIRCOM REGIONAL – 2023
Natalia Diez-Caballero Alonso – Hirukide
14th NATIONAL CONGRESS OF LARGE FAMILIES (FFNN) AND 11th BASQUE CONGRESS OF LARGE FAMILIES (FFNN) – 2024
Jokin Telleria Julian – DANTZ
DANTZ NETWORK CONGRESS – 2025
Iñaki Sagarna Urzelai – The Hemingway Society
BIENNIAL HEMINGWAY SOCIETY CONFERENCE – 2024
Jon Altuna Iraola – Mondragon Unibertsitatea
EUROPEAN DUAL HIGHER EDUCATION CONFERENCE (EU4DUAL) – 2025
Fernando Pérez Rodríguez – Donostia / San Sebastián City Council
INTERNATIONAL WATER ASSOCIATION WATER LOSS CONFERENCE (IWA) – 2024
Kepa Korta Murua – Strategy Office
PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE (PACE) – 2025
Enbaxadore recognised again for attracting conferences in 2025
Ricardo Cuellar – Policlínica Gipuzkoa (Enbaxadore since 2012; special recognition and tribute, awarded posthumously)
JOINT CONGRESS OF THE SPANISH ASSOCIATION OF ARTHROSCOPY (AEA) AND THE SPANISH KNEE SOCIETY (SEROD) – 2025
2016
Luis Liz-Marzán – CIC biomaGUNE (Enbaxadore since 2016)
GOLD CONFERENCE – 2025
