Embassy Madrid’s Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer (ACAO) Spencer Cryder gave a presentation to Master’s degree candidates studying diplomacy and international relations at the University of Barcelona on February 7. The talk engaged future diplomats and international organization leaders on how the U.S. Mission to Spain identifies target audiences and utilizes public audiences to advance U.S. policy on 5G/China, Venezuela, Russian disinformation campaigns, security and defense priorities, and efforts to increase the number of Spaniards studying in the United States. During the question and answer portion, Spencer dispelled myths on the difficulty of students receiving a student visa to study in the United States, discussed the need for NATO Allies to increase spending to counter shared threats and challenges, and highlighted how the United States and Spain work together to strengthen shared democratic values in the face of increased Russian aggression and Chinese malign influence in Europe.