This morning, the 39th edition of the Summer University of Gandia, which will take place in the city from July 18th to July 22nd, has been presented in a press conference. An edition marked by the return to on-site learning and the wide range of activities offered to both students and citizens. Manuela Carmena will be in charge of giving the inaugural conference this year.
This morning, the vice-principal for Culture and Society of the Universitat de València, Ester Alba; the mayor of Gandia, José Manuel Prieto; the director of the Gandia International Centre, Carme Melo, and the councillor of culture, Nahuel González, have been in charge of presenting a new edition of the Summer University that, this year, will be held under the slogan “At the crossroads of the future”. A new edition that, according to mayor Prieto, restates the role of Gandia as a “space of reflection and exchange of ideas, with a slogan that shows how urgent it is to address the present and immediate future of our society in a reality marked by the Ukraine conflict, climate change, the energy crisis or mental health problems.” Along the same lines, the vice-principal Alba expressed how the slogan chosen for this year’s edition shows us the turning point we are in: “we are in a time marked by the creation of a new era in history, a crisis where we need to decide what kind of society we want to be.”
The academic programme of this 39th Summer University includes 13 on-site seminars about different topics. Carme Melo, director of the CIG-UV, has been in charge of presenting an offer “that draws attention in the tense moment we are living in” and where topics like climate change, the Ukraine conflict, new forms of government, equality, depopulation or feminist economy will be addressed. Furthermore, this year will include three seminars of a more cultural nature. One of them will be coordinated by the comic book artist Paco Roca, while the other two will be dedicated to the Year of Berlanga. One of these seminars will be coordinated by Rosana Pastor and the other one will address literature and include a practical workshop on creative writing.
As previous years, the registration to the seminars of the UEG will be free and can be formalised through the Summer University website starting today: www.uv.es/ueg
Activities open to the public
Regarding the open activities, they go back to the format of previous years, although this year’s schedule has been updated. This edition recovers the format “Conversaciones con...” (Conversations with...), which will be held at 7 PM at the Casa de la Marquesa.
The first conversation will be with Helena Maleno, journalist and researcher specialised in migration and human trafficking, and will take place on Tuesday, July 19th. She is also the founder of the Caminando Fronteras organisation. Maleno lives in Morocco, from where she denounces the human rights violations that happen at the Spanish southern border and provides support and empowerment for migrant sub-Saharan communities during the migratory process. On Wednesday, July 20th, the conversation with Octavio Salazar, a father and “feminist in process”, will take place. He is a Spanish jurist specialised in Constitutional Law, especially known for his work in the gender equality field. On Thursday, July 21st, the conversation with authors Rafa Lahuerta and Ferran Torrent will take place. They will talk about the novel “Noruega” (Norway), written by Lahuerta and one of the Valencian publishing successes of the past year. The conversations programme will finish on Friday, July 22nd, with the speech of Amarna Miller, activist in women’s rights and author of “Vírgenes, esposas, amantes y putas” (Virgins, wives, lovers and whores), an essay analysing what it means to be a woman in today’s society.
For his part, Nahuel González has been in charge of presenting the evening activities, highlighting “the popular nature of the programme, with free performances open to all citizens of Gandia and the region in an unrivalled place like the garden of the Casa de la Marquesa.” The activities, as usual, will start a few days before the start of the edition with the performance of the European Project Escena Erasmus, who will present the work "El desig de la joventut" (Youth’s desire) on Thursday, July 14th, at 10:30 PM in the garden of the Casa de la Marquesa.
The evening performances will be resumed on Tuesday, July 19th, at 9:30 PM, an hour before as usual. The group Holistiks will be the opening act. On Tuesday, July 19th, the group of Gandia will perform in the UEG. According to councillor González, the performance will highlight “the commitment of the Universitat with local new artists.” On Wednesday, July 20th, Magalí Saré and Manel Fortià will perform, two of the most consolidated jazz voices of the Valencian scene. On Thursday, July 21st, Diluvi will present in Gandia their new album, “Presente” (Present). The evening programme will finish on Friday, 22nd, with the performance of Spanish Brass, one of the most dynamic and consolidated quintets of the international music scene, who will present the show “Make a Jazz noise here”, an homage to Frank Zappa.
Inaugural conference
The inaugural conference this year will be given by Manuela Carmena, mayor of Madrid from 2015 to 2019 and magistrate. A conference, according to the mayor Pietro, “more than necessary, since listening to voices of feminist and democratic women like Carmena is urgent.”
The event will take place on July 18th, at 8 PM, at the Casa de la Marquesa and will be open to the general public.
