The Euskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall (Euskaduna Jauregia) is located in the city of Bilbao, beside the Estuary of Bilbao, built in part of the area that was formerly occupied by the Euskalduna shipyards. It was designed by architects Federico Soriano and Dolores Palacios and construction started in 1994. It was inaugurated in February 1999 and contains a variety of spaces, functioning as a conference center, opera house and concert hall. In 2003 it was decared by the International Congress Palace Association as the world`s best congress center. Euskalduna organizes and hosts a wide range of activities, including cultural, political, business, academic and social events.