FUNDACIÓN VÍCTIMAS DEL TERRORISMO 96 - ENGLISH

5 JUAN BENITO VALENCIANO President of the Victims of Terrorism Foundation Remembrance only fully serves its purpose when it is passed on. And education is its strongest ally in that task year by the two public foundations. The first, held at Rey Juan Carlos University, addressed the current challenges posed by the jihadist threat and new patterns of radica- lisation. In an increasingly inter- connected world, where social me- dia and digital environments play a growing role, it was essential to examine how the risks have evolved and what challenges face the institu- tions responsible for preventing and combating terrorism. The next course, at the Compluten- se University of Madrid, examined the relationship between terrorism and society, exploring the techno- logical, political and geopoliti- cal changes that have shaped the evolution of this threat in recent decades. It offered an opportuni- ty to reflect on current challenges and on the need for an informed, engaged society that understands the importance of defending demo- cratic values against every form of violence. The programme continued at the University of the Basque Country with a particularly significant course on violence against universities and academic freedom. For years, terrorism affected the lives of lecturers, researchers and students, testing fundamental principles such as freedom of thought, pluralism and coexistence. Remembering that reality is also a way of recognising those who defended freedom in exceptionally difficult circumstances. The subsequent course at the Public University of Navarre, devoted to people who disappeared as a result of terrorism, explored one of the most painful manifestations of terrorist violence. Enforced disappearance adds prolonged uncertainty to the suffering of victims and their families, leaving a particularly complex wound in human, legal and social terms. The series will culminate on 19 October at the University of Navarra with a new edition of Contar el terror , held this year under the title La vida después . Victims, journalists, filmmakers and students will share experiences and reflections on the importance of telling the stories of terrorism’s consequences responsibly, sensitively and accurately. Remembrance also needs those who tell and pass on its stories, particularly at a time when information travels at great speed and simplified narratives can obscure essential aspects of reality. Each course has addressed different realities, but all have been guided by the same conviction: remembrance only fully serves its purpose when it is passed on. And education is its strongest ally in that task. At the Victims of Terrorism Foundation, we will remain firmly committed to this path, always working alongside the Memorial Centre for the Victims of Terrorism. Teaching remembrance is about more than remembering victims. It helps shape freer, more aware citizens who are more committed to defending democratic values. It strengthens society’s rejection of every form of terrorism and preserves the truth as time passes.