8/12/2023 0 Comments Bastion definition![]() And then there’s the annual Freedom Lecture, a initiative of the University, the LUMC and the municipality of Leiden. Furthermore, through dozens of events and the appointment of a new Cleveringa Professor, the university also annually commemorates the brave protest lecture given in 1940 by Rudolph Cleveringa, then Dean of the Faculty of Law, condemning the dismissal of his Jewish colleagues. The medal has been granted to, among others, UN Secretary Ban Ki-Moon and Vice-President Boediono of Indonesia. ![]() The university also grants the William of Orange Medal to statesmen who promote liberty. This year, an honorary doctorate will be given to lawyer and human rights activist Lilian Gonçalves-Ho Kang You, for her work on behalf of the rights of women. The university grants honourary Nelson Mandela, formerĭoctorates to scientists and freedom fighters, like Sir Winston Churchill (1946) and Nelson Mandela (1999), who have gone to extraordinary lengths to support the principle expressed in our motto. What else does the university do to stay true to its motto? At the protest rally held in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the office of the Charlie Hebdo magazine, Lawson argued that: ‘A university carrying this motto in its seal cannot remain silent, but has to speak out on behalf of freedom of speech.’ 5. Was it a coincidence that North-Korean dissidents chose Leiden as the location to talk about the dictatorial regime in their country? As Professor of Korean Studies, Remco Breuker, said at the time: ‘Bastion of Liberty isn’t a PR slogan it’s a genuine policy in Leiden to guarantee the liberty of its scolars.’ An even more recent example can be found in the speech by the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Rick Lawson, given on the 8 January 2015. Numerous research institutes and faculties also regularly organise conferences that focus on human rights and freedom of speech. They do often refer to it, A total of seven North Koreanįor instance when campaigning for academic and scholarly liberty alongside other universities. Do the university's scientists and board members still draw inspiration from this motto? But we do know that people originally used ‘Libertatis Praesidium’, both orally and in writing.Ĥ. Praesidium Libertatis became popular at a later date, though we don’t know why. What is the correct order of the words? The motto wasn’t added to But then why do we usually talk about ‘Praesidium Libertatis’. However, the motto wasn’t added to the university’s new seal until 1917 – Academia Lugduno-Batava Libertatis Praesidium. De Vries attended his valedictory lecture, and was moved by the interpretation of the university as a ‘libertatis praesidium’. Incidentally, that statement wasn’t new, but was originally coined by classicist Petrus Hofman Peerlkamp in 1839. In a lecture, he stated that William of Orange had envisioned a university that would serve as a ‘bastion of independence and civilization’ (‘libertati humanitati praesidio futuram’). While William of Orange did describe the university as ‘a solid supporter and keeper of freedom’, the current motto was only introduced during its third centennial celebrations by prorector Matthias de Vries. No, it was only officially chosen at a much later date. So the motto was chosen in 1575? The historical Deed of Foundation At the time this young, Protestant university was known as a bastion of freedom in a continent still largely ruled by the Catholic Church. The Spanish besiegers were ultimately driven out in 1574, and the university was founded a year later. He chose Leiden as the location for this new university, probably to reward the city for its dedication and resolve during the Siege of Leiden (1573-1574). The nobleman William of Orange became the leader of the Revolt, and he felt that the nation-to-be needed its own university to educate Protestant ministers and other scholars. In 1568, the Low Countries rebelled against Spanish rule and the Catholic Church it supported. To trace its origins, we need to go all the way back to the birth of the university itself. Where does it come from? You can read the motto
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