The faculties of Communication Sciences, Veterinary Science and Law join forces in a new project to generate critical awareness in the university community. Planet UAB: The Journey to the Other – Equal in Differences organises a series of activities and awareness-raising actions based on the concept of the Campus as a “planet” to address major issues such as the culture of peace, sustainability, the environment, interculturality, change and transformation.
The project is based on the need to encourage interdisciplinary debate and generate points of reflection between faculties that allow teachers, researchers and students from different subjects (degrees, master’s degrees, doctorates, faculties, etc.) to participate in joint initiatives to develop activities and projects. It also seeks to generate spaces for debate and exchange of ideas with the aim of improving the university, conceived as a “planet” where all points of view and all visions are of great value and importance.
The UAB, with more than 40,000 people between teaching staff, students and administrative staff, has more “inhabitants” than countries such as Liechtenstein (36,000), Monaco (33,500), San Marino (31,000) or the Vatican (800). Added to this is the variety of origins of the teachers, students and researchers who, every day, determine the campus, in a space where more than 50 nationalities, cultures and idiosyncrasies coexist. More than 6,000 students come from exchange programmes… This rich and stimulating mix is a great opportunity to encourage reflection and the fight against prejudice, exclusion, inequalities, environmental degradation and discrimination in all its dimensions. In the same way, the richness of our campus provides an excellent setting to encourage debate and the development of actions on coexistence, social equity, human rights and the different challenges related to education for global justification,” say the project members.
Planeta UAB is inspired by the elements of nature that many ancient cultures used to explain the world. These are different types of energy that are permanently interacting with each other. Based on them, a communication, training and awareness-raising strategy has been designed based on the following thematic pillars:
- Water: Symbol of life, calm and well-being, it represents education in values and the culture of peace as a great challenge for our societies.
- Earth: Conceived as a space of crossing, mixing and interaction, it represents the interculturality that defines our societies and, therefore, our university.
- Air: From its meaning of current or breeze that cleans places, it represents sustainability, as a decisive and urgent commitment of our societies and of the planet in general.
- Fire: Understood as the emission of light and heat, it represents the change and transformation that all societies need to advance and improve.
This project is supported by the Fons de Solidaritat de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
