Organizers
From the Spanish side the following people have been involved in organizing the project: profesor Angel Jose Gomez Montoro, the rector of the University of Navarre, and Angel Tellechea Goyena, the honorary consul of Republic of Poland in Pamplona, the Polish side consists of: Father Piotr Roszak from the Associaton of Graduates of the University of Navarre, Piotr Paweł Orłowski, a patron of cooperation between Poland and Spain, and Agnieszka Brzezińska – the Director of the Chopin Center in Szafarnia.
A few words about each of the institutions involved in the project of the Navarrian Disputes:
The University of Navarre – is a private university established in Pamplona in 1952 by St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, who became its first Grand Chancellor. The University is a corporate work of Opus Dei, a personal prelature of the Catholic Church. IESE Business School in Barcelona, which in 2009 topped the Economist’s ranking of best business schools in the world, is an affiliate of the University of Navarre. In 1961 the first part of the University Clinic was opened. In 1982 the Center for Technical Studies and Research of Guipúzcoa was established. In 1986 the Institute of Science and Technology as well as the Institute for Enterprise and Humanism and the Information Technology Center were founded. For the last several years the University has enjoyed the reputation of the best private university in Spain and the eighth place in the ranking of all Spanish universities. More than 10 thousand students are currently doing their diploma studies; 5 thousand more have undertaken postgraduate studies. The University offers 22 different majors.
Website: www.unav.es
Here you can read about the concept of the university as the apostolate of intellect, which was developed by Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer (appendix – article)
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń – more than 32 thousand students: 21 thousand full-time day students, more than 870 candidates for doctor’s degree, 100 foreign students, 380 UMK’s students on scholarships abroad, 1400 postgraduate students. The University employs 4450 people: 2264 academic teachers, 630 professors and doctors habilitated, 1100 doctors, 520 masters and medical doctors. The University offers 16 departments, 70 majors, 100 specializations, 63 postgraduate programs (e.g. MBA) and 21 doctorate degree majors. Website: www.umk.pl
The Chopin Center in Szafarnia – a cultural institution under the auspices of the marshal of Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship whose aim it is to commemorate visits Frederic Chopin paid to the manor in 1824 and 1825. It organizes a wide range of educational and cultural activities: concerts, conferences, theater performances, School of Music, workshops and courses conducted by professors from many European countries. The Center has recently become a modern institution which enriches the cultural life of the whole region. In 2010, the International Chopin Year, Szafarnia serves the function of the cultural capital of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is renown across Europe due to the International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition for Children and Youth.
Website: www.szafarnia.art.pl
The ALUMNI Association – is one of the most expansive graduate associations in Spain. Its main aim is to spread information regarding the University of Navarre among it former students. It is also responsible for editing the magazine of “Nuestro tiempo” and gaining donors to scholarship programs among the University’s graduates and companies cooperating with the University.
Toruń and Pamplona – both cities cooperate very closely, as they are applying for the title of the European Capital of Culture in 2016. The municipal authorities have signed a bilateral agreement. A similar agreement has been signed at the level of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and the region of Navarre. For the last several years numerous exchange programs between Toruń and Pamplona have been set up. Citizens, municipal authorities, scientists, journalists and businessmen have visited both cities. Moreover, Toruń Days have been organized in Pamplona, while in Toruń the Epiphany celebrations have been modeled on the Spanish tradition. Close relations between the two cities were sealed by the sign of the St. James’s Way (Camino de Santiago), a present from Pamplona which was embedded at the foot of the gate of the Church of St. James ( both Pampelona and the Church of St. James in Toruń are historical pilgrimage stations of Camino).
Website: www.pamplona.es, www.torun.pl