The Faculty of Humanities held the graduation ceremony for the class of 2019 on 27 June. The event began with a speech by the dean of the Faculty, Judith Urbano, who, following her remarks, handed the floor over to the director of the University Master's Degree in Cultural Management, Dr Marta Crispí, who offered a few words to the master’s students.
This was followed by a lecture from the president of Sala Parés, Joan Anton Maragall. Maragall pointed out that, at present, there is a clear gap between art and people’s lives, and urged the future professionals to bridge this divide, “because Europe's spirituality is undermined by this inharmonious coexistence with today’s culture”. The key is to get the ball rolling, he explained, because, “as economists say, culture is addictive: the more you consume, the more you want”.
Afterwards, he dedicated part of his speech to the students from the University Master’s Degree in Cultural Management, during which Maragall defined the work the master’s graduates are due to carry out: “A cultural manager must have one foot in the clouds and one on the ground, being careful the two do not get too far apart to not lose their balance”. The patron of the Faculty of Humanities’ graduation ceremony voiced his satisfaction with the emergence of this type of programme, as, according to him, “culture is delicate and easily manipulated. That is why it must be pampered, because it is a right to which every human being around the world is entitled”.
After the graduates received their diplomas, the class representatives gave a speech on behalf of the students.
Finally, the dean of the Faculty was charged with bringing the ceremony to an end. Dr Urbano started by thanking the parents, as well as the teaching body and administration staff, and explained that she had mixed feelings: on the one hand, she was pleased to have been able to see the students develop and overcome this challenge, while, on the other, she was sad to see them go. The ceremony ended with the singing of Gaudeamus Igitur.
