US Barcelona consul Katie Stana bids farewell to Catalan capital after 2.5 years

The consul general of the United States of America in Barcelona, Katie Stana, has bid farewell to the Catalan capital after a 2.5-year tenure.

The diplomat leaves the city after landing in January 2022 and celebrated her last July 4 festivities on June 26 in the consulate building's garden.

Her speech to mark the occasion focused on the stronger link between Barcelona and the United States, with more visitors traveling between the two, increased economic investment, and various educational exchanges.

"Considering the current historical period, diplomacy is relevant. And alliances, cooperation, and coordination are crucial if we want to effectively face our future challenges with our partners, including Spain," she said in front of around 1,000 attendees.

Among the guests were sitting Catalan president Pere Aragonès, parliament speaker Josep Rull, and the Spanish delegate in Catalonia Carlos Prieto. There were also some members of American Magic, the US team competing at the 2024 America's Cup sailing championship taking place in Barcelona.

Stana will now be deployed to the US embassy in Mexico starting in August, as the consul general role in Barcelona is renewed every three years.

During the event, the consulate also unveiled its refurbished facade, an example of Catalan 'noucentisme' architecture. The building dates back to 1914 and was designed by architect Enric Sagnier, best known for designing Tibidabo church on top of Collserola hill overlooking the Catalan capital. It features various frescos dating back to 1923 by Darius Vilàs.

In May 2022, the US Department of State listed the consulate building (Torre Godó Eguia) in its list of Culturally Significant Properties in 2022 for its historical and architectural value, and a rehabilitation process began with the goal of recovering the original design of the building and preserving its cultural and artistic heritage.

In 2023, the consulate installed murals by Catalan painter Josep Maria Sert that were transferred from the US embassy in Madrid.