Fundació Autònoma Solidària commemmorates 25 years of social actions

 

Rector Lafuente recalled the creation of FAS in 1999, as a continuation of the offices that until then had dealt with social affairs and volunteering. Since then, more than eight thousand people have volunteered at the FAS and the different actions carried out have had an impact on more than 60,000 people. According to the rector, FAS is “a pillar of the UAB” in terms of the institution's commitment to “a more just society.” And, regarding the new advisory council, he highlighted the prominent presence of UAB alumni and said that this body will deepen the ability of the FAS to give “an effective response to social challenges”.

Jordi Prat, director of the FAS, spoke of Professor Arcadi Oliveres and assured the attendants that he was an inspiration in the formation of this new advisory council. The aim is to weave complicities between the university institution, social movements and public administrations. He also stated that the commemoration of the 25th anniversary is not intended as a focus on everything that has been done but “on the 25 years that lie ahead”. And he reflected that, in a time of regression like the present, reactionary voices “call into question the values held by the FAS”, such as common good, peace, solidarity, etc. Therefore, for Jordi Prat, the FAS “will be more necessary than ever”.

After the institutional speeches, the event continued with the projection of a video reviewing the highlights of the actions undertaken by the FAS throughout this quarter of a century of existence: people involved in volunteer actions shared their experiences in areas such as assistance in hospitals and prisons, the Ítaca Campus or the Xiringu. The FAS, as the video explains, has also played a leading role in the response to emergency situations, such as the Prestige oil spill crisis off the Galician coast, or in the solidarity actions and reception of people affected by conflicts in areas such as Iraq or Palestine. After the screening, the meeting was divided into three parallel working groups on access to university for vulnerable groups, transformative educational experiences, and commitment in teaching and research.