On the Campus of the Universidad Católica San Antonio in Cartagena, 120 civilians took the oath of allegiance to the Spanish flag this morning; women and men of widely diverse ages, some for the first time and others renewing their commitment. The ceremony, loaded with emotion, was held in what was once the Plaza de Armas, which welcomed more than 300 people, including members of the Marine Infantry, civilian and military authorities, who swore to the Flag and those accompanying them, as well as members of the UCAM academic community.

The act of saluting the Spanish Flag, in which the Salve Marinera (official anthem of the Spanish Navy) was performed, was presided over by the Admiral of Maritime Action, Juan Luís Sobrino Pérez-Crespo, accompanied by José Luis Mendoza, president of the UCAM. The 'force' was made up of a squadron of "gastadores"; the band of music, bugles and drums of the Tercio de Levante of the Marine Infantry and a company made up of students from the Marine Infantry School 'General Albacete y Fuster'. After a heartfelt Tribute to the Fallen, the Marine Corps Heroic March and the Navy Hymn were performed.

The event was attended by military authorities from the 73rd Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment, the Alcantarilla Air Base, the Special Naval Warfare Force, the Navy Diving Centre and the Tercio de Levante, as well as representatives from the Cartagena City Council, the Murcia Autonomous Community and the Regional Government Delegation. On behalf of UCAM, the Rector Josefina García, members of the Board of Trustees of the San Antonio University Foundation, the University's Governing Council, teaching and research staff, administration and services staff, as well as students from the Cartagena Campus took part.

Common values

The President of the University, José Luis Mendoza, who was recently named 'Friend of the Marines', highlighted the close relationship between UCAM and the Navy, both for personal and institutional reasons, stating that "today is a historic day; the celebration of this emblematic act, as president of the institution and as a Cartagena native, fills me with joy and happiness", he also stated "thank God for the Armed Forces, who are doing such good for Spain and the Spanish people", and thanked the Admiral and the colonel of the Marine Corps School for their collaboration in hosting of this event, stressing that "we want a country with values".

Meanwhile, Admiral Juan Luis Sobrino, thanked the President of UCAM for "his hospitality in allowing us to carry out a civilian flag swearing ceremony, which we had not done for some time due to the pandemic" and stressed that "an event like this is always a cause for joy, as we are giving Spain the best of ourselves and the citizens are showing their commitment to the country".

Along these lines, during the ceremony, Colonel Fernando Díaz, director of the Marine Infantry NCO School 'General Albacete y Fuster', highlighted the collaboration between the two institutions, for example, with the granting of scholarships awarded by the Universidad Católica to the best students of each class, or for the services provided by its students in the Route of the Fortresses organised by the Navy.

A modern university campus after four centuries as a military site

The Cartagena campus of the Universidad Católica, in Los Dolores, was a military site for more than four centuries (headquarters of the 73rd Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment). The educational institution, taking advantage of the excellent buildings designed by the Army engineers, refurbished the facilities, and has provided them with the most advanced equipment, converting them into a modern and excellent university campus. A site with a remarkable international character, with students from 24 countries, and from 38 Spanish provinces. The most recent building adapted for teaching is the one that houses the only Faculty of Medicine. This means that the University's president, the Cartagena-born José Luis Mendoza, dream to make this happen come true for his city.