The UAB is sad to announce the death of Federico Mayor Zaragoza
Federico Mayor Zaragoza passed away on 19 December 2024. Among the many positions he held were professor of Biochemistry, minister of Education and director general of the UNESCO. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate by the UAB in 1989 at the proposal of the Institute of Fundamental Biology. The University extends its heartfelt condolences to all those who knew and loved him and expresses its sadness for his passing.
Professor of Biochemistry Federico Mayor Zaragoza, honorary doctor of the UAB and one of the most important scientists and politicians of the Spanish transition period, director general of UNESCO from 1987 to 1999, passed away on 19 December.
Mayor Zaragoza was awarded an honorary doctorate at the proposal of the Institute of Fundamental Biology “Vicent Villar Palasi” of the UAB, now the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (IBB), in recognition of his work in favour of the scientific and cultural development of the world.
The ceremony took place on 25 May 1989 in the conference hall of the Rectorat building, and the keynote speaker was Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Professor Claudi M. Cuchillo. Cuchillo, who stated that “the main interest of every scientist is to progress and contribute to the development of science through research, it is also necessary that there are people who dedicate a good part of their efforts to facilitate the development of the work of others”, praising the figure of Mayor Zaragoza who knew how to "partially renounce his laboratory in order to create initial economic funds, in addition to the necessary structures for its channeling, from which all the research groups of Spain could benefit".
Mayor Zaragoza gave a master class on culture as a driving force for human transformation and social change: “all development is ultimately cultural, since it creates the necessary resources for the expansion of the community of cultured individuals”, he stated, before invoking the spirit of exchange and convergence between "science and culture, between cultures in their diversity, from which the great transformations we are living today can crystallise". And he concluded his speech by emphasising that it is the “source and point of convergence of the human adventure, culture is the alpha and omega of development”.
His acceptance speech can be consulted online at the investiture ceremony for Federico Mayor Zaragoza.