https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJZs7LLD2Wo
Madam Director General of ORT Uruguay, deans, members of our university’s faculty, friends of ORT, dear graduates and their families, dear friends, and colleagues.
We’re finally meeting in person again this year after such a long delay. We’ve missed you all. Today, I want to congratulate you on your graduation.
I would also like to thank our university community. I want to thank you for your unparalleled spirit and dedication, which allowed us to continue teaching throughout the pandemic. Suddenly, on March 13, 2020, everything we had and everything we knew became obsolete: the buildings were empty, the classrooms deserted, the libraries closed, and the laboratories unusable. Our experience was no longer applicable; our colleagues around the world were just as disoriented as we were, and there was no one to turn to for advice. Faced with a shock like this, we can be overcome by panic, confusion, and despair. At a time like that, it takes more than professionalism; it takes a sense of mission, a sense of community, and a sense of shared destiny.
We are proud of the way the ORT family rose to this challenge. And that is why I want to take this opportunity today to thank the faculty for their tremendous effort in learning new tools, and the technical and administrative teams for deploying new and complex technologies in record time. To the cleaning, security, and maintenance staff who stood by us in empty buildings for months. To the vice president, the administrator, the deans, the academic secretaries, and the leaders of each program for their exceptional leadership. Thank you, thank you all.
As you know, ORT has been active in Uruguay for over 80 years. It was founded by Jewish immigrants, many of whom were refugees from the Nazi regime that murdered their families, stole their possessions, prevented them from practicing their professions, and stripped them of their citizenship. These immigrants did not arrive filled with hatred; they brought with them a desire to build and to develop. Our General Director is an example of one of these surviving witnesses.
ORT is more than an institution; it is an idea, and that is why it is a project that is always a work in progress. It is the belief that people cannot be free without education. ORT has changed significantly over the past 80 years, but our commitment remains unchanged. We are committed to providing a quality education that enables people to lead dignified and independent lives. A commitment to getting to know and understand each student as an individual and to supporting them in the best possible way. A commitment to staying abreast of scientific and technological advancements and incorporating them into our teaching.
Our educational philosophy places the student at the center of our activities and decisions. The student is the protagonist; the teacher guides, supports, and inspires them. The university provides the framework for all of this to take place. Many can help, but learning is a process that takes place within the student and is driven by the student; no one can learn for another. The relationship between teacher and student is the magic potion that facilitates learning. A good teacher knows how to be close to the student when needed, but also knows how to maintain a distance so that their presence does not hinder the student’s growth. Too much closeness makes us dependent; too much distance makes us vulnerable.
We are proud of our history, but our focus is on the future. We don’t know what that future will look like, but whatever it may be, we are committed to continuing to provide the best possible education to the people of Uruguay.
As you know, ORT is a Jewish institution. Many cultures and religions have contributed to our civilization, each in its own way and in its own time. One of the most important teachings of Judaism is that nothing in life is irreversible. It is never too late to improve. According to the Torah, improving is not only possible, it is an obligation—and not just an obligation to oneself, but an obligation to others. Each person must be a “guardian of his brother.” I must regard my brother’s rights as my obligations. I cannot expect my rights to be fulfilled unless I fulfill the obligations I have toward others.
Nothing gives our lives more meaning than acting for the benefit of others without expecting their approval. It is interesting, in Jewish teaching, that despite the total obedience to religious precepts that the faith requires, there are moments and circumstances in which we are expected to act on our own. That is why God tells Abraham at a pivotal moment: “Walk before me.” Hence the Jewish tradition of venturing into the unknown and traveling the less-traveled paths. From Moses, who led an enslaved people to a distant land along an unknown path, to Christopher Columbus, quite possibly a Jew seeking new lands far from intolerance. Or Sigmund Freud, diving into the unknown territories of our inner selves, or of course Albert Einstein on an intellectual expedition unprecedented in our universe.
The Torah warns us—long before Silicon Valley even existed—that to be innovative, we must be prepared to spend some time in the wilderness.
Dear graduates. Remember that graduation is not the end of your learning; it is merely the end of the beginning. The ever-changing nature of knowledge will turn us all into lifelong learners. We do not know what form this world of fleeting knowledge and evolving technology will take, but we do know that we will all have to continuously learn and relearn. Always remember that a fulfilling life is not a race to success. We all seek to transcend, and for that, our lives must have meaning. Material possessions and recognition may be part of a fulfilling life, but they are not what give it meaning.
Believe in yourselves, because if you don’t, no one else will. Don’t limit your expectations of yourselves, and don’t let others limit them. Don’t seek the approval of others; be your own strictest critic. Don’t aim to never fail; aim to always bounce back. Always choose ambitious goals, objectives that challenge you, and friends and partners who aren’t afraid to tell you what they think. Outperforming others isn’t what matters; the real challenge is outperforming yourself. Always consider the consequences of your actions—others exist too. Remember that intelligence is an attribute, but empathy is a choice.
Always listen to others; disagree without disparaging; debate without alienating. Listening takes courage. When we listen, we are vulnerable; we allow the beliefs of others to challenge our certainties. But listening is the antidote to the notion that we are the center of the world. Do not debate to win; debate to understand. Do not assume that those who think differently are always wrong or ignorant. The search for truth is always a symphony, and a country like ours requires everyone’s contribution. Our society cannot survive if divided into “them against us.”
Be wary of the cult of identity. We live in an age obsessed with identity; it seems we are no longer people but labels. It no longer matters what we think or feel; what matters is whether we are posh or working class, left-wing or right-wing, professionals or laborers, shy or outgoing, religious or atheist. Identitarianism fuels prejudice. We always think we know what the other person thinks or feels because we assign them to a certain category, but we all lose when our identity becomes more important than our goals. We all lose when who I am becomes more important than who I want to be.
Dear graduates. Our families built a great country—one that can be improved, but it is ours. Now it is your mission to care for and nurture it; above all, we must ensure that we remain a single nation. The World Cup cannot be our only collective project. We must not become a collection of tribes with different languages and incompatible goals. Democracy and progress require social cohesion, common values, and shared aspirations. I am concerned about borders—not those that separate us from other countries, but those that threaten to divide us from one another. Ideological borders set us apart, but they must not separate us. We must discuss ideas more and ideologies less.
Education was once, and must once again become, our great unifying force, but our education system is failing to fulfill that role. That is our greatest challenge in the 21st century. The problem with our public education system is neither technical nor political, which is why it has not been—and will not be—solved by accumulating money or power, as has already been proven. The problem with our education system is a problem of freedom, or rather, a lack of freedom. Students are not free to choose their courses, parents cannot choose the high school for their children, teachers cannot choose the high school where they work, and principals cannot choose their teachers. Our educational system confuses volume with depth; it teaches little to many, admits hundreds of thousands, but graduates only a small minority. The implicit doctrine is that students must adapt to the system or leave it, which is what most end up doing in their final years of high school.
Education cannot be the same for everyone because it is not a commodity; we do not all have the same aspirations, interests, or abilities. Not everyone has the natural ability to write like Onetti, paint like Torres García, conduct research like Clemente Estable, or play like Suárez. The vast majority of us need support to learn and improve—sometimes a great deal of support, and in different ways. Denying this reality only leads to the pursuit of the lowest common denominator. Only by accepting freedom as the intellectual foundation of the educational process can we unleash the social energy needed to overcome the status quo that has persisted for decades. We must be able to imagine a different system—one that is smarter, more flexible, and freer. We must provide real educational opportunities to everyone because we cannot afford to leave any Uruguayan behind. Talent is distributed equally, but opportunities to cultivate that talent are not. The wealth of a society is measured by the number of opportunities it provides, not by the resources it distributes.
Dear graduates, this is your moment. As members of the most educated segment of the population, you have a special responsibility to help shape a more modern vision. Uruguay has a great opportunity. An educated and enterprising nation knows no bounds in the knowledge era. But remember that no country can go further than its educational system. In the long run, a highly educated minority cannot thrive in a mar ignorance. Let us aspire to a Uruguay where all young people have a real opportunity to pursue an education to the level their effort and dedication allow. A Uruguay where leaving the country is a choice for personal adventure, not an economic necessity. A society in which education and the act of educating are valued as befits a country that looks to the future. It seems like a superhuman task now, but as the Talmud says: "The magnitude of the task is no excuse; it is not your obligation to complete the work, but you must not give up."
Remember that Uruguay was, is, and must continue to be a great country, and to achieve that, it needs its best-educated young people. Succeed in Uruguay and help your country succeed. Find your own path, but know that ORT will always be your home.
Thank you very much.