Memoria [EN] No 49 (10/2021) | Page 21

The vice-chancellor of the University of Burgos, Manuel Pérez Mateos, and Álvaro Enrique de Villamor y Soraluce, President of the National Auschwitz Birkenau Institute in Spain and Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland in Spain

The Auschwitz-Birkenau Institute is engaged in international cooperation and offers numerous cultural, social and educational projects in close cooperation with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. The Institute aims to build and continuously expand the network of people involved in the activities of memory diplomacy at the Auschwitz Museum and to reach out to those who have never visited the Memorial. The Institute undertakes these activities in cooperation with institutions dealing with the subject of the Holocaust in the world, educational and cultural institutions, associations, and people committed to these issues.

- The contrast between values and anti-values allows us to work comprehensively on various levels - and I am confident that together with the University of Burgos, we are initiating a vital milestone for the National Institute of Auschwitz Birkenau in Spain - he stressed.

The Vice-Chancellor Pérez Mateos thanked the Institute for its interest in retrieving social and historical memory, which reminds us of human nature.

- It has been more than 80 years, and yet we are still shaken by this story. I believe that this is how it should be. The university can play an important role here. Our students and the entire academic community need to be constantly reminded of what memory brings - which is why it is so important to work with your Institute to develop our activities - he said.

The University of Burgos is a public university. About 10,000 students are enrolled in 30 undergraduate courses and 20 doctoral programmes.