Being part of the group of places of Europe distingued by
their importance in the development of Physics is an honour that the Residencia
receives with pride and it is added to the European Heritage, which,
as you know, the Residencia has recently received from the European Union Council
both honours extremely meaningful to us, because,
on the one hand, it reinforces the international european vocation that inspired and
encourages the project of the Residencia from its beginnings and, besides, in this
particular case, it highlights the dedication and constant attention to Science
emphasazing the importance of Physics and conscience
giving this designation. This honour to the Residencia de Estudiantes, well-deserved honour
for the rest, shows that Science is at the same level as Humanities.
Although it is thought that the Residencia is Lorca, Dalí, Falla,
it is also the physicists that were acournd the
Residencia and recognizing that Science is a part of Culture
with capital "C" I think it is very important in a
society that, although it is hard to admit,
is far away from the golden years of the Residencia, 100 years have passed, but is is
very important to expose. Now the international scientific society also
has 42 national societies at the moment and it promotes scientific excellence
and has contributed significally to the european Physics in Education, research, to the mobility
publication and authenticy. We overtake 305 members and about 40 associated members from the industry, manufacters...
now it presents about 120.000 physicists in Europe in the international society.
Our labor here is transmit our ideas and our
experiences and I think it is precisely what the Residencia used to
do in the 1920s and 1930s in 20th century. I am not going to repeat
the list of names since they have been already mentioned, but when
any extraordinary person had something to say regarding several cultural matters
of course, but also as the professor Azcárraga has pointed out about
diverse aspects of science in general of Physics and in particular to the
visit to the Residencia. He stayed or not in its facilities and he will give a
lecture about the state of scientific knowledge. The most
well known scientists and intelectuals of all the areas of research
transformed this place into the golden place of Science, Culture and tolerance.
Nowadays, the Residencia follows the same path and it is weird if there is a week without
debates and lectures that maintain alive and thriving the interest regarding science and culture in general.
Now we are going to uncover, in the gardens, the commemorative nameplate as an tribute to
those who made possible the existence of this oasis of calm and civilization and of that dedication.
I hope that, apart from this tribute to the nameplate, it symbolizes the announcement and
the compromise of our intention to make this go on in the same way.