UCP President Isabel Capeloa Gil, François Mabille, Secretary General of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (FIUC), Lara Boustany, former Rector of La Sagesse University in Beirut, Rodolfo Gallo president of the Organisation of Catholic Universities in Latin America and the Caribbean (ODUCAL) and Stephen Morgan president of the Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) debated the importance of Catholic Universities in various areas of society on the second day of the 32nd Estoril Political Forum. 

The President of UCP recalled the founding of FIUC between the two Great Wars, emphasising that the ‘peace-building mandate’ given to Catholic Universities ‘has never been easy’.

Addressing the "power of universities, especially Catholic ones", Isabel Capeloa Gil noted that they "combine two traditions". "One tradition is 2,000 years old and is an institution built for good, the Catholic Church. The other is almost a thousand years old, considering the foundation of the University of Bologna, which was created to serve the capacity of societies to understand the world", said the Rector of UCP, who since 2016 has also been President of the FIUC, being the first woman to hold the position.

François Mabille, Secretary General of the FIUC, emphasised some of the "cooperative processes between partners" especially in times of crisis, highlighting the example of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and the preponderance that Catholic universities have in Europe.

"In Europe, most Catholic universities are involved in diplomacy. There is a link between the expertise that the Academy has and society", said François Mabille.

Rodolfo Gallo, president of the Organisation of Catholic Universities in Latin America and the Caribbean (ODUCAL), brought to the discussion a reality far removed from Europe. "In many places, rights are not guaranteed. The right to vote, for example, is not guaranteed in some South American countries", he said, emphasising the “responsibility that universities still have in some parts of the world where it is necessary to fight for the basics".

Illustrating with the examples of universities in Nicaragua and Cuba, Rodolfo Gallo believes that "Catholic universities play a very important role in the societies where they are present".

Stephen Morgan, who chairs the Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU), began with an analogy between the creation of Man in the image of God and the responsibility that Catholic universities, in the context of the Asian continent, have to "be very clear in recognising others and behaving in such a way that the other feels comfortable questioning".

Lara Boustany, former President of La Sagesse University, gave a moving speech recounting various experiences she had while leading the university in Lebanon, a country with a confessional political system.

"Lebanese universities are the first place where students experience democracy", he said, revealing some of the political pressures he suffered while leading La Sagesse.

Summarising the importance of Catholic universities in the country, Lara Boustany said that the institutions "go beyond democracy and diplomacy". "Catholic universities are builders of peace", she concluded.

The 32nd edition of the Estoril Political Forum, organised by UCP's Institute of Political Studies (IEP), take place between June 3 and 5 at the Palácio Estoril hotel and is under the patronage of His Excellency the President of the Republic.