From the Republic Congress, Unicauca is already dressing for the bicentennial and proudly upholding its legacy

On Tuesday, June 4, at the facilities of the House of Democracy, the University of Cauca officially launched a full agenda of actions and activities associated with the celebrations of its bicentennial, a process that will culminate in 2027. The event, which was attended by various prominent figures, including congress members, university officials, and Unicauca alumni, will continue until June 14 of this year.

Celebrating 200 years of academic and institutional life is no small achievement, which is why the University of Cauca has already begun the commemorative events for this great celebration. And what better setting than the nation’s capital, specifically in the Congress of the Republic, to showcase the legacy and history that this house of thought has built since 1827, the year of its founding in the department of Cauca. The University has been a clear example of how, from the periphery, the nation is also built. This was highlighted through an exhibition about the Caucana Alma Mater, as well as a literary space and a cultural showcase.

The event was attended by the leadership of the University of Cauca, members of the teaching and administrative staff, alumni of the institution, as well as congressional representatives from Cauca who, in addition to proudly celebrating the significance of this house of thought and its contribution to Colombia, also took part in the recognition granted on behalf of Unicauca to Doctor Gregorio Eljach Pacheco, an illustrious alumnus who for many years has upheld the name of the institution where he completed his undergraduate studies, and who has been a key figure in the realization of the dreams woven through higher education.

Thus, in his opening remarks, Rector Deibar René Hurtado Herrera, without overlooking the current context the department of Cauca is experiencing, stated emotionally that:

“We are a university sensitive to the realities and needs of our local, regional, and national environment; we are a determined university filled with people, with social organizations, with knowledge networks, with research groups, with interns, with individuals who fight to transform their realities and who seek the possibility of co-creating alternative solutions to their needs and requirements.”

He referred to the richness of this institution which, from southwestern Colombia, works to lay the foundations for a more just and equitable society.

For his part, Dr. Gregorio Eljach, in his role as host, expressed:

“Today is a very special day for us in the Congress of the Republic; a Congress that has been enriched on many occasions, and is enriched again today, by graduates of that illustrious institution of higher education. This is a place of legislation and political debate, which has had and welcomed great representatives of progressive thought, avant-garde thought, and of all political and ideological perspectives that were formed at the University of Cauca and who have come here to give their very best so that Colombia may be what it is today, and to lay the groundwork for it to become even better.”

Without a doubt, his words reflected how pleased Dr. Eljach was to witness the presence of his Alma Mater in a place filled with history such as the Congress of the Republic.

After the inauguration of the exhibition “Universidad del Cauca: Road to the Bicentennial,” two discussion panels were held. The first, titled “La vorágine: edición del sur,” featured Senator Carlos Alberto Benavides, Professor Felipe Restrepo, and Dr. Juan Carlos Pino, General Director of Publications of the University of Cauca’s Publishing House. The event then moved on to “Letters from Bolívar to Mosquera,” a conversation between Dr. Gregorio Eljach and writer Víctor Paz. To close the day, a cultural showcase was presented, allowing all those in attendance to enjoy the talent of members of the University of Cauca and of the Cauca region in the nation’s capital.

Finally, it is important to highlight that a permanent exhibition of the University of Cauca’s editorial production was also installed an exhibit that offered a unique opportunity to appreciate the richness and diversity of the University’s academic and literary work materialized in books, with particular emphasis on the remarkable efforts being made with the Posteris Lmen collection, an unprecedented project that will have one hundred published books by 2027.

From the Alma Mater of the people of Cauca, we feel very honored to bring a representation of the University of Cauca to such an emblematic place. We are pleased that, from the heart of the country, visitors can broaden their perspective and recognize how important processes have historically taken shape from the periphery, contributing to what we are today as a nation. From this university, where we transform lives and make dreams come true, we extend our gratitude to all those who made this space possible, and we close with an important announcement: the exhibition will remain open to visitors until Friday, June 14, 2024, as it is of great interest to us that more people can visit and connect with this extensive timeline.