The Lanzarote Ireland Network association (LIN) has presented the Lanzarote Diaspora Strategy, an initiative that seeks to strengthen the island's ties with Lanzarote residents who live abroad and leverage the potential of their international networks.
The event, held in Puerto del Carmen, brought together institutional representatives, businesspeople, and members of the international community linked to the island. Among others, the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, José Valle; the mayor of Tías, José Juan Cruz; and the president of the Tourism Federation of Lanzarote, Susana Pérez, were present.
The initiative has its origin in the institutional visit made to Ireland in February 2025 headed by the president of the Cabildo, Oswaldo Betancort. During that trip, the delegation had the opportunity to learn about the work that Ireland -a leader in this field- has developed for decades to strengthen its relationship with its diaspora, in a presentation given by Kingsley Aikins, founder of The Diaspora Institute.
The interest generated by that experience led Lanzarote Ireland Network, with the support of Lanzarote Investments, Kilcullen Kapital and Cumbre 8, to promote the development of a specific strategy for Lanzarote.
For Catherine Noone, who spoke on behalf of LIN, the association decided to promote this initiative by identifying the potential it has for the island and the opportunity it represents to learn from the Irish experience. “Ireland and Lanzarote are, after all, two islands in the Atlantic with certain similarities and with a historical link that remains very much alive. Ireland has demonstrated for decades the enormous value that a diaspora well connected to its land of origin can have, and we believe that Lanzarote can develop its own path in that direction.”
Over the last few months, Kingsley Aikins, one of the leading international experts in diaspora strategies, has worked with different actors on the island in a process of analysis and reflection that has allowed for a diagnosis of the relationship of Lanzarote with its community abroad and to define a strategic roadmap for the coming years. The promoters of the initiative have highlighted the enriching nature of this process, which has allowed for a broad dialogue on the role that the diaspora can play in the future of the island.
The document presented today proposes different lines of action aimed at strengthening the ties between Lanzarote and its diaspora, promoting opportunities for investment, fostering the exchange of talent and reinforcing the international projection of the island.
During his speech, Kingsley Aikins emphasized that “at a time of great global uncertainty like the present, marked by conflicts and profound changes in the international arena, being well connected with our community in the world is more important than ever. Diasporas are not just a matter of identity; they are also a powerful network of talent, knowledge, and opportunities”.
For his part, the president of Cumbre 8, Marcos Cohen, stated that “for years we have talked a lot about the return of talent, an attractive idea but one that must be approached with realism. In many cases we think about bringing back Canarians who today hold positions of high responsibility in large international companies, but our business fabric still does not always have the capacity to absorb profiles of that level. That is why it is necessary to broaden the focus: more than focusing solely on physical return, we must accompany the trajectory of that talent wherever it is and generate other forms of return”.