Isabel Capeloa Gil, UCP Rector - 2019 Commencement speaker at Boston College

The UCP Rector, Isabel Capeloa Gil, was awarded yesterday, 20th May, an Honoris Causa Doctorate by Boston College, one of the most prestigious universities in the United States of America.

Isabel Capeloa Gil was the Commencement 2019 speaker, becoming the seventh woman and the first non-American commencement speaker in the 143 years of the college’s history. The University’s Board of Trustees appoints the Commencement speaker from among social, economic and political leaders.

Isabel Capeloa Gil succeeds the Archbishop of Atlanta, Wilton Daniel Gregory (speaker 2018), John Kerry (speaker 2014), the Secretary of State Ernest Moniz (speaker 2016) and Condoleezza Rice (speaker 2006), among others.

It was possible to follow the entire Boston College Commencement 2019 through livestreaming, including the Commencement Speech, given by the UCP President Isabel Capeloa Gil at 3 p.m. (GMT time). The link was only available during the ceremony.

During her speech, Isabel Capeloa Gil, highlighting the importance of women role in today's society, the importance of cultural diversity and the importance of fighting for human and social rights. “First, the courage to listen; second, the unwavering defence of the right of others to be heard, even if in disagreement with your innermost beliefs, and to always speak up against abuse.”.

You can read the entire Commencement Speech through this link.

The Speech of Isabel Capeloa Gil was featured in several media, including:

The President
Rector of UCP receives Honoris Causa Doctorate and recalls the importance of students, professors and colleagues in her career
Watch here the ceremony in which Isabel Capeloa Gil, Rector of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, received the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the Institut Catholique de Paris.
The President
Dean of PUC-Rio visits Universidade Católica Portuguesa before presenting his book “Por uma poética da Criatividade" at Brotéria, in Lisbon
The Rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Fr. Anderson Pedroso, SJ, visited the Portuguese Catholic University, where he was received by the Rector, Isabel Capeloa Gil. The meeting reinforced the ties of academic and institutional cooperation between the two Catholic universities. The visit preceded the launch of the book "Towards a Poetics of Creativity. The Concept of Art in Vilém Flusser," which will take place on 3 November at Brotéria in Lisbon.
The President SACRU
SACRU Autumn School debates “Freedom of academic research” in Rome
The event was part of the Jubilee of the Educational World and was attended by the president of Católica and president of the global alliance, Isabel Capeloa Gil. It brought together doctoral students, academics, and researchers from the nine SACRU universities.