In a significant virtual ceremony, the Faculty of Humanities of the University of La Serena commemorated its fortieth anniversary of work and contribution to training.

On the occasion, the Dean of the macrounit, Dr. Cristián Noemi, greeted the attendees, quoting the author José Saramago “We are the age we want and feel! The age when we can shout out what we think without fear. Well, we have the experience of the years we have lived and the strength of the conviction of our desires.”

The authority recalled the origins of the Faculty, indicating that the current structure coincides with the creation of the University of La Serena. This is how under DFL Nº12, of March 20, 1981 of the Ministry of Education, the Faculty of Humanities was created from the Headquarters of the State Technical University and the University of Chile.

Furthermore, he indicated that “at the base of the academic-administrative structure are two leading institutions of regional university development and that constitute a substantive part of the identity of this faculty, the region and the country: the Normal School and the Regional Conservatory of Music.” . The Dean also reflected on the goals and challenges that the entire macro-unit must carry out.

Subsequently, the presentation was made by the main speaker Dr. Naín Nómez, poet, Professor of Philosophy from the University of Chile, Master of Arts from Carleton University, and Ph. D. from the University of Toronto. Dr. Nómez has been a professor at the University of Chile, the Technical State University, Queen's University, California State University, the University of California at Irvine, and the University of Poitiers in France. Currently, he is Professor Emeritus at the University of Santiago de Chile.

In his presentation “Humanities in times of crisis”, Nómez pointed out that rationality is homologous with the discourse of science as the discourse of truth. The crisis of the humanities has to do with instrumental rationality. He asks himself if “Are the humanities in danger of extinction? Is it possible to live in today's society without philosophers, without historians, without educators, without artists?”

“Can you listen to others, learn to debate and share with others without these areas of knowledge?”

“We act from emotions and these are linked to humanistic disciplines. Applied science gives us vaccines, but the humanities make us know the social realities of human beings who get sick. They do not intervene in the creation of vaccines but they help to better face existence within and in the pandemic. "Loneliness, sadness, love conflicts, misgivings about inoculation, unemployment, isolation from family and loved ones, virtual education, in short... to give other responses that are multiple to the pandemic," he points out.

Finally, the Executive Secretary of the La Serena University Symphony Orchestra, Rodrigo Díaz, presented the third presto movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 op.92.

The meeting broadcast on Friday, April 30, had the participation of university authorities, directors of Schools and Departments, academics, students and guests.

You can relive this ceremony and Dr. Nómez's conference on the YouTube channel of the Faculty of Humanities: 

Written by Claudia Farías, DirCom