FUNDACIÓN VÍCTIMAS DEL TERRORISMO 96 - ENGLISH

EDUCATION AND COEXISTENCE 34 RECTORS FACING REMEMBRANCE AND THE PRESENT One of the course’s highlights was a round table bringing together the cu- rrent Rector of the UPV/EHU, Joxerra- mon Bengoetxea ; former Rector Eva Ferreira ; and Pello Salaburu , who led the university between 1996 and 2000, during some of terrorism’s darkest years. The discussion compared experiences from different historical periods and exa- mined how the institution responded to violence and intolerance affecting univer- sity life. It prompted reflection on univer- sities’ ability to react to threats against freedom and pluralism. The strongest statement came from Sala- buru: “The University was unable to raise the flag of decency and assert that this was a place for thinking, not for firing bullets.” His words evoked some of the Basque academic community’s most difficult moments. Among them was the murder in February 1996 of Francisco Tomás y Valiente , Professor of Legal History and former President of the Constitutional Court. Days after the attack, the Univer- sity of the Basque Country organised a tribute on the Leioa campus, which radi- cal groups attempted to disrupt. That occasion produced Salaburu’s me- morable “They Shall Not Pass” speech, which over time became a symbol of the university’s resistance to terrorism and intimidation. The panel also addressed more recent debates about managing political con- flict on campuses. These included the Rectorate’s decision during the last academic year to temporarily suspend on-site activity at the Vitoria campus because of the risk of incidents during a political gathering. The measure caused controversy and criticism from former university leaders and lecturers. Beyond differences of judgement, the debate revealed distinct views on how academic institutions should respond when political tension threatens normal university life. REMEMBRANCE AS A TOOL FOR THE FUTURE The sessions also recovered a reality now distant for many students. For years, ETA targeted lecturers, intellectuals and aca- demic representatives in a strategy of in- timidation intended to silence dissenting voices. Campuses were often tense set- tings where expressing certain opinions was not always easy. The course’s co-director, historian Virgi- nia López de Maturana , argued for kee- ping that memory alive and connecting it with today’s challenges. In her view, exa- mining how democratic institutions res- ponded to violence helps us understand contemporary controversies concerning intolerance and exclusion. Without drawing simplistic parallels between different contexts, several par- ticipants agreed on the importance of ` Juan Benito Valenciano, President of the FVT ` Pello Salaburu, former Rector of the UPV/ EHU UPV SUMMER COURSE