Last month we had a great pleasure to host Covadonga Torres Assiego on a resident programme in Lublin. She visited the Workshops of Culture (WoC) as part of the  international project “Trans making”, working on her research. The title of it was 'Freedom of Expression through Art.  Threat to Censorship’.

Cova works at the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (Educational Sciences, Language, Culture and Arts, Historical-Legal and Humanistic Sciences and Modern Languages Department) in Madrid. Her main area is history of law and institutions in the law system. 

Asked about her interests, she answered „my project concerned the rights that artists have in different aspects, in particular in the freedom of expression against the authorities”. During her secondment we were talking a lot about the similarities and differences in the restriction of human rights in the COVID pandemic world, the impact of political theories on social life, political fictions, fake news and the necessity of interesting historical education. Because politics of memory is far away from historical facts and it is always highly appropriated by the political parties of various governments.

If I were to define the merits of the 'Trans making’ project in one sentence, I would say that it creates an untypical platform for cross-sectoral multicultural dialog as well as a great opportunity to understand the role of being a useful game changer in different environments. For Cova it means the exchange of knowledge through travelling and learning about new cultures. The project gave her a chance to open her own mind and get new wonderful ideas.

Covadonga was born in Madrid, although a large part of her family comes from Andalusia. She lectures on the history of law. She finished studies at the University of Alcala, where she studied law to become a lawyer. Her story, when she decided to become a researcher and took up a job at the university, started from the right choices and supportive wise people around.

Thanks to great mentors like Roberto Cippitani [1] and Fernando Suarez I am teaching at the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid. I owe to my family, my great mentors, parents, teachers and friends, what I am. I love to be with my family and my friends talking about anything. I love talking to them while having a beer or going somewhere. My family is extremely large (I have more than 30 cousins) and I think that is why I love to travel the world and learn from wonderful people. Once, I stayed in Italy, in Perugia, which changed my life forever. I always say that I have a Spanish and an Italian family and I owe what I am to both. Among my passions are reading, drawing, traveling, theater and cinema and playing video games if I have time. I have two cuddly cats and I’m fond of raccoons. Currently I ask my students to travel and read a lot about history and rights to understand the misfortunes that are happening, she reveals.

We both have common passions, i.e wondering how historical knowledge has an impact on the human imagination and the anticipation of social actions that can also positively change our future. Cova organises conferences relevant to today’s understanding of the need to bring to put on trialwar criminals for their acts of violence against humanity. Among other things, she organised conferences on the Holocaust and the Norymberg trials of Nazis. What for me is still important to recognize the discourse about Russian crimes on Ukrainian civilians nowadays. 

Apart from university Cova is keen on football. But since she loves Real Madrid, this is the point where we differ -because of our Polish player Robert Lewandowski who is playing in FC Barcelona at the moment, of course.

But speaking seriously, an extremely moving moment was when Cova decided to support a few Ukrainian children among refugees. The City of Lublin, as a city located around 2 hours by car from the border with Ukraine, has become the new home of victims of war and Russian aggression. So it is difficult not to talk about war or meet Ukrainians around every corner.

When Cova found out that there was a day-care centre for Ukrainian kids in our cultural institution (WoC), she volunteered to run workshops, talk to the children. Then she realised that there were some needs and just one day post come from Spain. A big parcel with presents for the Ukrainian children. „I asked my friends to support the children here. I was touched by a girl who had started learning to play the piano at home, before the war in Ukraine, and here she couldn’t continue her studies, so I bought her an electric piano. We did it together with my friends in Spain.” The children were given drawing materials and other useful materials for creative games. Who knows, maybe that is how one Ukrainian girl will become a famous musician one day, thanks to Cova. And thanks to the Trans making project, where different people had the chance to meet and talk with one another.

Personally, I can confirm that if you want to change your perspective on history you should definitely visit Perugia. Or, just talk to an Ukrainian child and see her or his smile.

[1] A professor of law, an expert who had been training Polish officials in the field of European law following Poland’s accession to the European Union. And my admirable tutor during my secondment at University of Perugia this year [AZ – ed.]

21.09.2022
Kultura Enter