Words spoken yesterday, by the President of the Republic, during the opening ceremony of the academic year with the now traditional Academic Parade, at ULisboa.
Yesterday, September 12, was a memorable day for students, as the opening ceremony of the academic year was held at Ulisboa's Aula Magna, attended by many students, teaching staff and prominent figures from various areas of society, as well as the President of the Republic.
This ceremony takes place every year with pomp and circumstance and this year was no exception! But beyond the formalism associated with these initiatives, there is also a great sense of belonging and responsibility on the part of those involved, especially the presidents of the academic associations, who proudly carried the flag of the respective association to which they belong.
The parade was led by medical student Leonor Rodrigues, captain of the women's handball team, who carried the symbol of the University of Lisbon.
There were several speeches, including by the Rector of Ulisboa, Luís Ferreira, who spoke about the role of the university, "whose fundamental mission is to train the new generations, providing skills and contributing to the civic maturity of its students, through the incessant search for knowledge and values of citizenship".
Times are competitive and challenging, but Ulisboa has been asserting itself internationally, as he rightly pointed out with examples of expansion: "The Universities of Shanghai and Lisbon are making their contribution to the development of an international university partnership, relevant at world level," adding, "there are already more than 350 students from the Ulisboa School in Shanghai attending our courses in China." The University of Macau will follow with the signing of a protocol aimed at bringing students together and sharing teaching experiences.
Despite the financial constraints, a theme highlighted in this speech that requires some gymnastics and creativity, there were other positive aspects that pointed to the direction of this university. The cause of sustainability is on the table, with Luís Ferreira assuring us that "the UN's Sustainable Development Goals" are defended and applied here, guaranteeing that "we are working towards a more sustainable, inclusive, fair and equitable world."
The President of the Republic singled out three words to talk about this context: Pride, concern and hope. Pride in the contribution of this house to the training of several generations, with responsibilities in Portugal and abroad, "it's a great house", he said. The concern comes from the time marked by the pandemic, which has brought challenges that, in the opinion of the President of the Republic, are not being taken advantage of. The lack of dialog between all those involved in education is also another cause for concern. Hope, strategically placed last, lies with the students and their responsibility to "not resign themselves", to be demanding and "open to dialogue".
He ended with nostalgic words: "It was here 57 years ago that I learned to love, to think and to fight for causes and to live each day as if it were my last. I am grateful to Ulisboa. This University of Lisbon is a source of pride for Portugal".
A performance by the Ulisboa de Lisboa Children's Choir, directed by conductor Erica Mandillo, rounded off the ceremony, which this year also had time to remember the names of all the employees who have recently retired.
