Universit� degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

Unimore mourns the passing of Pope Francis

“The University of Modena and Reggio Emilia joins in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, a key figure of our time in terms of public thought, civil discourse, and constant attention to social transformation. His addresses also engaged the academic world, highlighting its educational mission, social responsibility, and role in fostering dialogue between different fields of knowledge.

Pope Francis brought back to the forefront the urgency of responsibility, attentiveness to real conditions, and care for those left on the margins. He emphasised the value of limits, the need for a culture capable of understanding the present, and the ethical function of institutions. He offered an essential grammar based on the balance between rigour and proximity, clarity and compassion.

Many of his messages directly concerned the role of universities, urging them to safeguard knowledge as a collective good, to educate individuals able to navigate their time, and to recognise academic qualifications as a precise responsibility. He entrusted education with the task of building citizenship, promoting justice, and opening up spaces for reflection. He called on research to remain faithful to reality, intellectually precise, and concretely engaged with the present.

As an academic community, we honour his memory as an authoritative presence, capable of speaking to all consciences, beyond beliefs and religious faiths, with humility and clarity.”

So stated the Rector of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Professor Carlo Adolfo Porro.

Categorie: International - english, Notizie_eng