With their presence during the inauguration of the new honoris causa, the King and Queen of Spain demonstrated their commitment to the Spanish language and the city of Salamanca.

Víctor García de la Concha, Director of Instituto Cervantes, and José Ramón Narro, former Chancellor of the Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), received honorary doctorates honoris causa by the University of Salamanca in a ceremony presided for the first time by the current King and Queen of Spain.

The act recognizes the impetus and collaboration of both recipients in creating the  International Service for the Evaluation of the Spanish Language (SIELE).

The King and Queen of Spain are commited to spanish

The King and Queen of Spain are commited to spanish

The King and Queen of Spain are commited to spanish

The King and Queen of Spain are commited to spanish

I would like to highlight a few of the most memorable points made during the speeches made during the inauguration ceremony. Daniel Hernández Ruipérez, Rector of the University of Salamanca, pointed out the relevance of Spanish as the “heritage of all people” and identified the award recipients as those responsible for the “Panhispanic Revolution”.

Victor Garcia, director of the Cervantes Institute, argued for the growth of the Spanish language, made possible by the regulations established by Antonio Nebrija in 1492, which opened the path to other distinguished scholars such as Fray Luis de Leon and Lope de Vega.

Education is the master key which grants access to all human rights and to the enjoyment of a more humane life.

The former Rector of UNAM and current Secretary of Health in Mexico, Jose Narro, gave an excellent speech on education and its role in “combating ignorance, reducing poverty and fostering equality”. In his opinion, education “is the master key which grants access to all human rights and to the enjoyment of a more human life”.

I would like to underscore the importance for Narro of the role of women in the university. He called for an “urgent” decision to “transform or accelerate change” given the absence of women leaders in universities.

More information and speeches available at Comunicación Universidad de Salamanca.