Xabier Macias Virgós (born 16 February 1958) is a

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

psychologist and activist. As of 2008 he is appointed president of the

Centre Maurits Coppieters The Coppieters Foundation, formerly Centre Maurits Coppieters (CMC), promotes policy research at the European and international level, focusing primarily on management of cultural and linguistic diversity in complex societies, multilevel governanc ...

. (With a renewed mandate until 2020)

Early life

He was born in

Vigo Vigo ( , , , ) is a city and Municipalities in Spain, municipality in the province of Pontevedra, within the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. Located in the northwest of the Iberian Penins ...

, Galicia,

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

on 16 February 1958. In 1982 Virgós graduated from the

University of Santiago de Compostela , established = , type = Public , budget = €228 million (2011) , rector = Prof. Dr. Antonio López Díaz , city = Santiago de Compostela , state = Galicia , country = Spain , undergrad = 23,835 , postgrad = 1,716 , doctoral = 2,697 ...

with a degree in psychology. His training and professional activity were mainly in the field of community intervention and social services.

Career

He worked as a psychologist for the Municipal Educational Psychology Unit in the cities of

Alicante Alicante ( ca-valencia, Alacant) is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is the capital of the province of Alicante and a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city was 337,482 , the second-largest in t ...

and

El Campello El Campello (; es, Campello) is a town on the Costa Blanca of Spain, within the Valencian Community. It is a 20-minute tram ride from Alicante city. There is a busy marina and fish market. The tower overlooking the harbour was built in the 16th ...

, both in the

Valencian community The Valencian Community ( ca-valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, es, Comunidad Valenciana) is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid with ...

until 1992. He then returned to Galicia where he spent five years as Social Services Coordinator in the town of

Allariz Allariz is a town and municipality (in ) in the province of Ourense, Autonomous Community of Galicia, Spain. It occupies the center of the western half of the province, connecting with the towns (''concellos'') of Taboadela, Paderne, Sandiás, ...

and subsequently as a psychologist on the technical team of the

Pontevedra Pontevedra (, ) is a Spanish city in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. It is the capital of both the ''Comarca'' (County) and Province of Pontevedra, and of the Rías Baixas in Galicia. It is also the capital of its own municipality whi ...

juvenile court. He became a university expert in assessment, planning and supervision of social insertion policies for the UNED (National Distance Learning University). Macias held many positions in professional psychology organizations between 1993 and 2002. He was the Head of the Educational Psychology Area (1996–2000) in the national governing body for the Spanish College of Psychologists and, in December 2000, he was elected as the first Dean of the Official College of Psychologists of Galicia. He led the Think Tank Fundación Galiza Sempre.

Personal and political life

Since 1975 he has been involved the in political and social organisations of Galicia and the Valencian country. He led the Galiza Sempre foundation (1999-2003), which is dedicated to cultural activities concerning philosophy, history and other subjects of the

Galician nationalism Galician nationalism is a form of nationalism found mostly in Galicia, which asserts that Galicians are a nation and that promotes the cultural unity of Galicians. The political movement referred to as modern Galician nationalism was born at ...

. He developed major international work under the banners of the World Social Forum and the World Network for the Collective Rights of Peoples. Between 2002 and 2003 he was communications secretary on the National Executive of the Bloque Nacionalista Galego (BNG). In 2014, he was re-elected for the third time as president of the

, a policy research centre connected to the

European Free Alliance The European Free Alliance (EFA) is a European political party that consists of various regionalist, separatist and ethnic minority political parties in Europe. Member parties advocate either for full political independence and sovereignty, ...

(EFA-ALE), bringing together 17 think tanks from eight EU Member States.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Virgos, Xabier Macias 1958 births Living people Spanish psychologists University of Santiago de Compostela alumni