The opening session marks the start of this year's courses, which will delve into the major challenges facing society today regarding democracy and human rights, heritage protection, and artificial intelligence

For four days, La Laguna will bring together other renowned figures such as the president of the International Organization for the Protection of Heritage, Mohamed Joudat, and the president of the Observatory of Social and Ethical Impact of AI, Idoia Salazar

The second International Campus of La Laguna began its academic activity today with the celebration of the inaugural event, dedicated to democracy and human rights, which included presentations by the president of the National Court, Juan Manuel Fernández; the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ana Palacio and the Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo.

The opening ceremony, held at the Teatro Leal, was attended by representatives of the entities promoting the initiative: the mayor of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez; the rector of the University of La Laguna, Francisco Javier García, and the president of the CajaCanarias Foundation, Humberto Orán.

The mayor of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, emphasized that this forum was created to analyze and address major contemporary challenges. “Today, the Campus positions us as an example of collaboration for the development of the city and humanity,” he explained.

“La Laguna wants to remain a city true to its history, linked to thought, the search for knowledge, research, debate and the exchange of ideas,” added the mayor.

For his part, the rector of the University of La Laguna, Francisco Javier García, praised the chair's connection with the city, which “could not have been closer or more fruitful” and which “has meant that the foundations of present-day Canarian society have been laid in this city.” “This campus aims to be a commitment to radical hope in these dark times,” he added.

Likewise, the president of the CajaCanarias Foundation, Humberto Orán, emphasized that “we live in an era of great technological, social, and geopolitical changes, so the themes chosen for this edition of the Campus could not be more appropriate, bringing them closer to the academic community and the general public.” Orán also highlighted that this academic and cultural program shares many of the values ​​that form part of the Foundation's identity, such as institutional cooperation, excellence, and openness to the world.

Following the institutional opening, which inaugurated the II International Campus City of La Laguna, the day gave way to the main presentations, in which the pillars, challenges and threats of contemporary democracy were addressed from different perspectives.

The first presentation was given by the President of the National Court, Juan Manuel Fernández, entitled 'The National Court, Guarantor of the Rule of Law'. In it, he analyzed how democracy requires a strong and independent judiciary, highlighting the role of the judge as a guarantor of human rights. He also emphasized the work of the National Court, which is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary, both in its criminal prosecution of terrorism and organized crime, and in its judicial oversight of the government.

Next, former Foreign Minister Ana Palacio delivered a lecture entitled "The Rule of Law in a Dislocated World: Rules, Power, and Human Dignity at the Multilateral Crossroads," in which she analyzed the current crisis of the multilateral order established after World War II. In her address, she reflected on the profound contemporary separation between rules and power, as well as between legality and legitimacy, placing human dignity as the ultimate limit of any power.

The final speaker was the Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo, who delivered the presentation 'For Democratic Coexistence: Duties, Obligations, and Democratic Rights.' In his address, he warned of the serious threats posed to coexistence by current phenomena such as polarization, inequality, and selfish individualism. During his speech, he emphasized the urgent need to build a new humanism based on solidarity, knowledge, and civic engagement to sustain a truly just and inclusive society.

This activity marks the beginning of the training program of the International Campus Ciudad de La Laguna, which in the coming days will continue to delve into issues related to democracy and human rights, while also addressing other topics such as heritage protection and artificial intelligence.

The Campus will bring together specialists from different disciplines in La Laguna, representing prestigious national and international institutions. Notable participants include Mohamed Joudat, president of the International Organization for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, and Idoia Salazar, president of the Observatory of Social and Ethical Impact of AI.

Places for enrollment in the face-to-face courses have been sold out for weeks, but it is still possible to follow all academic training online through the Campus streaming option available during all sessions.

During the four days, some twenty seminars, round tables and conferences will be held with the aim of reflecting on the great challenges of today's society, from an international and multidisciplinary perspective, consolidating itself as a forum for the exchange of ideas from a critical and humanist perspective.

The grand finale to this intense program will be a musical performance on July 29th at the Teatro Leal. The concert 'Islands and Strings' will unite Benito Cabrera's timple with a string quartet from the Las Palmas Symphony Orchestra, in a unique offering that fuses traditional Canarian roots with the emotion of European classical music.

The complete program with all the courses and activities that make up this second edition of the International Campus Ciudad de La Laguna can be found on its website https://campusinternacionalciudaddelalaguna.es/. Likewise, through this same platform, interested parties can access the presentations online and follow the development of the different academic sessions.