A total of 26 former rectors of Catalan public universities have asked the public to vote on July 23 against what they consider “a clear attempt to stop” the “rights of individuals, freedom of expression and democracy” and to defend ” the social function of the public university”.
In an act that took place this Thursday in the Auditorium of the University of Barcelona, ??the manifesto was read in which the former rectors affirm that “with full freedom, and from the pluralism of a space for free reflection and discussion, We have a duty to participate in the next electoral process, promoting the participation of our fellow citizens”.
Several rectors immediately preceding the current one have been the promoters of the initiative, such as Oriol Amat (UPF), Sergi Bonet (UDG), Juan Elias (UB), María Josefa Figueres (URV) or Josep Antón Planell (UOC). Twenty more have joined, such as Ana Maria Geli de Ciurana (UDG), Antoni Giró (UPC), Dídac Ramírez (UB), Enric Argulllol (UPF), Antoni Serra Ramoneda (UAB) or Xavier Grau (URV).
The signatories show their “support for those who defend the respect and rights of people and promote policies in favor of maintaining and enhancing the social function of public universities.”
Likewise, they defend “values ??and principles such as freedom of thought and expression, free discussion, cultural deepening, equality between people” and “very particularly equality between men and women, the search for certain knowledge and the expulsion of myths and falsehoods that emerge with renewed force in the current situation”.
Likewise, they show their “forceful rejection of harassment and violence in all its forms, and in particular when it affects women, LGTBI people and migrants of different races and nationalities”.
They also reject “intolerance” and respect “diversity”, while ensuring that they take “strongly the fight for the sustainability of the planet, because we want healthy environments for ourselves and for the citizens of the future”.
“We defend the full normalization of the Catalan language in our universities and we want the individual linguistic rights of the citizens of Catalonia to be guaranteed”, includes the manifesto signed by the former rectors.
Those who were responsible for the Catalan public universities also call for “quality public health and education, where professionals feel well-regarded”, because “our health and our education depend on it”.
Likewise, they demand “a determined commitment to education, science and culture, since they are the basis of development, the activation of civil society and the well-being of a trained, empowered and critical citizenry”.
Faced with these challenges, they affirm that “university men and women cannot remain indifferent” because “the next few years are decisive”, “big changes are needed and it is necessary for us to ensure that public universities can continue to play the social role that corresponds to them” .
