The Embassy of Uruguay in the Netherlands, which serves as coordinator of the Group of Friends of Spanish in The Hague (GAEH), welcomed a group of students from Leiden University who are members of CLUSS (Community of Leiden Students in Spanish), for a meeting dedicated to academic, cultural and diplomatic exchange in Spanish.
The Spanish language was the common link among the students, who requested to visit the Embassy of Uruguay precisely because of its role as coordinator of the GAEH. This diplomatic platform, established in mid-2025, aims to promote, defend and consolidate the use of Spanish within international organisations based in The Hague.
During the meeting, the Ambassador of Uruguay, H.E. Álvaro González Otero, highlighted the importance of Spanish within international institutions and congratulated the students on their initiative to create a university space dedicated to the language and cultures of Spanish-speaking countries.
CLUSS was founded by students at Leiden University with the aim of promoting cultural and academic exchange, creating spaces for meeting, dialogue and interaction, as well as building connections among students and strengthening engagement within the university community. It currently has 84 members, most of whom come from Spanish-speaking countries. The organisation also seeks to welcome Dutch students and students of other nationalities interested in the language, culture, politics and international relations of Spanish-speaking countries. CLUSS is a non-profit organisation and conducts its activities exclusively in Spanish.
The conversation with Ambassador González Otero gave the students an opportunity to learn more about Uruguay’s foreign policy priorities and guidelines, as well as the country’s active participation in international organisations. The discussion also addressed coordination between the Embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other Uruguayan government institutions.
The students showed particular interest in the daily work of a diplomatic mission and Uruguay’s contribution to multilateralism and the development of international law. Their questions covered a wide range of subjects, including the preparation of foreign-policy reports, international negotiations, the representation of national interests and the opportunities available to States within the international system, including how a country such as Uruguay can participate and make an impact in multilateral forums.
The meeting provided an opportunity to bring students closer to the workings of diplomacy while highlighting the value of Spanish as a language of communication, study and professional engagement in the international environment of The Hague.
The CLUSS visit to the Embassy of Uruguay also reflected the growing interest among younger generations in languages, international relations and the multilateral world, strengthening links between the academic community of Leiden and the diplomatic community based in The Hague.
