Dr. Teresa Vallès, the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, welcomed those attending and remarked that, as humanists and cultural managers, they should ask themselves the following questions: What does society need from culture? And what can I contribute to modern culture?
Dr. Marta Crispí, the Director of the Master’s Degree Programme in Cultural Management, then spoke to the students about their futures as professionals. “Never forget the human element of culture; culture is built on human values”, she advised.
For his part, Villatoro began his address by congratulating the new graduates and thanking them for choosing this particular field of study. “Thank you, because you’ve made a brave choice. We need you”, he said. “As humanists and cultural managers, what we do is place culture at the heart of people’s lives and social activities”.
The journalist went on to emphasize the importance of the humanities in today’s society. “Culture is the answer and the solution to a wide variety of needs, questions and diseases”, he affirmed, before going on to list some of the qualities that define the concept of culture. “It is enjoyment, creation, the sphere of participation; culture is social cohesion, a sector of the economy, a calling-card, the creator of a shared image; and above all, culture is training: training better people”.
Villatoro argued that, throughout the last two centuries, the humanities have not been considered a valid medium through which to understand the world, in comparison with science. “The world is understood as much through a scientific formula as it is through Don Quixote”, he said. The journalist ended his address by thanking the students once again and leaving them with a few words of encouragement. “We are not more important, but nor are we unimportant; we are needed. We are needed in order to achieve the most important things in life, as there is nothing that humanity dedicates more time to than the search for meaning”, he concluded.
After receiving their diplomas, the new graduates listened to moving speeches given by their three class representatives, from the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Humanities and Cultural Studies and the Spanish- and English-language versions of the Master’s Degree Programme in Cultural Management, respectively.
The ceremony concluded with a few final words from Dr. Vallès. She thanked the students for choosing to study at the UIC, and reminded them of three key qualities they should keep in mind throughout their professional careers: shared responsibility, i.e. the responsibility they have to society to make the most of their talent; creativity, which is derived from authenticity; and cordiality, i.e. paying attention to human relationships.
The ceremony was then brought the ceremony to a close with a rendition of the traditional graduation song Gaudeamus Igitur.
