Theodor Kalifatides will be the focus of the conference that will take place on May 8, 2026 at 8:00p.m at the Ducal Palace of Gandia.
- José Manuel Prieto, mayor of Gandia: ¨This project represents a partnership among institutions to make Gandia a leading center for democratic thought and culture. “It is not just a series of events; it is a call to citizens to take a leading role in the debate on values and our shared future in an era dominated by noise and misinformation.”
- Joan del Alcázar. director of the Joan Noguera Chair: ¨We live during the time where the fundamental values are being questioned, like science, the Enlightenment or diplomacy. All we have left to stand our ground is culture, debate, and reflection. That’s why Gandia Pensa is so important.”
Gandia, May 2, 2025 - Gandia is taking a step forward in defending democratic and humanist values with the launch of ‘Gandia Pensa´, an iniciative promoted by the City Hall and Joan Noguera Chair of the Universitat de València; the CEIC (Center for Cultural Studies and Research) Alfons el Vell; and the Directorate General of Books, Comics and Reading. This is a space dedicated to ongoing critical discourse and open debate for the public, designed to foster critical thinking and revitalize the humanities in today’s world.
As the mayor noted during the presentation of ´Gandia Pensa´, this project represents a partnership among institutions to make Gandia a leading center for democratic thought and culture. “It is not just a series of events; it is a call to citizens to take a leading role in the debate on values and our shared future in an era dominated by noise and misinformation.”
“We need to engage civil society and get it involved in this project. Gandia has values that we must uphold, and if we do so, we will make our city a beacon,” emphasized the mayor, who highlighted the cultural and historical significance that Gandia holds.
“We must be able to forge alliances and reach agreements despite our differences. This is not a one-sided view. It is a conviction shared by all the organizations present here today,” he concluded.
The presentation was held in Urbalab of Gandia, also had the participation of the councilor for Culture, Balbina Sendra; the director of CEIC Juli Capilla; the director of the Chair Joan Noguera, Joan del Alcázar; and the curator of 'Gandia Pensa', Àngels Gregori. All have agreed to highlight the urgent need to generate environments that allow dialogue, reflection and honest speech as antidotes to disinformation, individualism and growing social confusion.
A response to contemporary challenges
The representatives of CEIC and the Universitat de València emphasized the significance of building spaces where the residents can react in the face of the growing threat to reason, science and democratic values.
Joan del Alcàzar said: ¨ We live during the times where the fundamental values are being questioned, like science, the Enlightenment or diplomacy. All we have left to stand our ground is culture, debate, and reflection. That’s why this initiative is so important.”
Juli Capilla from CEIC added: ¨ "We joined the project because it represents the values we stand for: democracy, tolerance, science and research. We will gather all of our editorial and human resources in the service of this idea¨
The project will have a continuous programming throughout the year, with the participation of national and international personalities and offers from the local field.
As Sendra has explained, ´Gandia Pensa´ launches as a cycle of permanent activities- conferences, workshops, talk, multigenerational meetings and with educational centers- which seeks to actively involve civil society, especially young people, high school and university senior students, social associations and collectives.
Theodor Kalifatides inaugurates the project
The first activity of ´Gandia Pensa´ will be held on May 8, at 8:00pm at the Ducal Palace of Gandia with a conference led by a well-known writer and philosopher Theodor Kalifatides, one of the most prominent voices of contemporary European humanism. Born in Greece and established in Switzerland, Kalifatides has developed a work centered on identity, memory, migration, language, pain and human dignity. His conference will be titled ‘El humanismo como defensa ante el fanatismo’ (Humanism as a defense against fanaticism).
According to Àngels Gregori, "Starting with Kalifatides, doing it through the big door. His work helps us to understand how to live in a convulsed world and to regain honesty between thought and word¨.
An open and transformative project
´Gandia Pensa´ aspires to consolidate as a cultural and educational reference not only in the Valencian Community, but also on the state-level. Mayor said:¨historically, our city was an educational city of the Classics. Now, we want it to be a reference city of critical thinking and dialogue as well. ¨
The project also includes a pedagogical line, that starting with the next school year, will integrate activities in the educational centers in the city, promoting among young people the critical thinking and their active participation in the democratic life.
With ´Gandia Pensa´, the city and the Universitat de València embrazed a future model that draws from its humanist and educative past, and which aims to become a meeting point for the construction of a fairer, more informed and cohesive society.
