Speakers Boycott Madrid Ideas Festival Over Allianz Sponsorship

• Around 20 speakers have withdrawn from the third edition of the 'Festival of the Ideas' in Madrid, scheduled for September 17–20, citing the event's sponsorship by the insurance company Allianz.
• Participants are demanding that the festival sever ties with Allianz, citing the firm's role as a major buyer of Israeli state bonds used to fund military operations in Gaza.

Notable Withdrawals

• The boycott includes figures such as communicator Inés Hernand, writers Marta Sanz and Alana Portero, musicians Rodrigo Cuevas and Niño de Elche, director Rodrigo Sorogoyen, and journalists Javier Gallego and Sergio C. Fanjul.
• The signatories argued that an event focused on the "body" cannot ethically participate in "whitewashing" economic actors linked to what they describe as the destruction of the Palestinian people.

Financial Context of the Boycott

• According to reports from the organization Profundo, published by Banktrack and PAX, Israel issued $19.4 billion in bonds to finance the war in Gaza since it began, with major global institutional investors participating.
• Allianz, through its subsidiary Pimco, has been identified as a leading purchaser of these bonds, holding nearly $1 billion worth of Israeli "war bonds" as of 2025.
• These findings were cited in a 2025 report by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese concerning the "economy of the occupation."

Demands for Accountability

• The boycotting speakers clarified that their move is not intended to attack festival staff but to spark a collective reflection on the cultural sector's economic ties.
• They have called for a public commitment from the festival to reject financial support from entities collaborating with the Israeli state in current conflicts.