AlumniUV begins the new academic year with a programme for October that incorporates new proposals and activities designed to share experiences, knowledge and passions. The main novelty of this season is A Contrallum, the new photography club of AlumniUV, which will hold its first meeting on Monday, 28 October.

The programme also includes the reading sessions of Tirant and Quijote clubs, which return to their traditional location at the Sala Gonzalo Montiel of La Nau Cultural Centre, a workshop organised by the Arrels Club dedicated to the Japanese technique of Oshibana plant pressing; and a new Alumni Comparteix activity, which proposes an excursion to El Puig de Santa Maria to discover the historical connection between Jaume I and this Valencian locality, coinciding with the 750th anniversary of the monarch’s death.

Reading clubs     

The Tirant reading club will begin the activities of the month with És naufragi, by Magda Simó, 7th Lletraferit Novel Prize. The meeting will be attended by the author, who will participate in a social gathering and debate with the attendants.

The novel explores, from an intimate perspective, the tensions between the life one has lived and the life one desires, the weight of social and family expectations and the decisions that shape our life journeys. The meeting will take place on Monday, 5 October.

On Monday, 6 October, the Quijote reading club will dedicate its first session to Los nombres, by Florence Knapp, a novel that explores three possible lives arising from a single decision: the name that a mother chooses for her son.

Through three alternative scenarios, the work reflects on identity, faith and the influence that may daily decisions can have on our life’s development.

Botany, history and landscapes

The programme will continue on Monday, 22 (4:30pm) with a new proposal from the Arrels Club. It consists of a practical workshop dedicated to the Oshibana, a millenary Japanese technique of plants and flowers press and preservation that combines science and art.

The activity will combine knowledge of the scientific importance of plant pressing with techniques for collecting and preserving plants with the creation of artistic compositions. A proposal that brings together science, nature, and creativity, while offering participants the opportunity to continue exploring their connection with the club and the world of botany. In addition, participants can put this knowledge into practice by creating their own artistic compositions. The meeting will take place at the headquarters of Ginko Educación (Palleter, 62, València). 

The history of Jaume I and his connection with the Valencian territory are the main themes of the proposal by Alumni Comparteix. On the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the monarch’s death, the group has organised an excursion and cultural visit to El Puig de Santa Maria to explore the historical importance of this locality in the preparation of the conquest of Valencia. This activity will take place on 24 October, from 10:00am, and will be led by Julio Samuel Badenes, PhD in Philosophy from the Universitat de València, historical researcher and official chronicler of El Puig de Santa Maria.

Badenes is a member of the AlumniUV Collective and has participated in this initiative on several occasions with proposals of his own. This is precisely the philosophy behind Alumni Comparteix – to create a space where former students can share their knowledge, experiences and interests with other members of the collective, creating synergies and strengthening the ties that connect them with the Universitat de València.

During the visit, participants will discover different sites linked to the presence of the king and his historical legacy –such as the castle, the monastery and the hermitage of Sant Jordi.

Finally, before the end of October, the great novelty of this year comes courtesy of A Contrallum, the new photography club of AlumniUV. The initiative is intended as a meeting space for people to share their passion for photography, to learn photo techniques and to develop group projects. The first session will take place on 28 October, at 4:00 pm, at the AlumniUV headquarters (Amadeu de Savoia, 4, València). With quarterly meetings, practical workshops and field trips, the club is open to people with different levels of experience and equipment, whether they use a camera or prefer to use their mobile phones. Participation is linked to an AlumniUV Premium subscription.