The exhibition *Democracy* opened on June 27 and will be on view through July 7 in the lobby of the School of Design. It features posters created by fifth-semester students in the Bachelor of Graphic Design program to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the coup d'état.
The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Julio María Sanguinetti, former President of the Republic, along with the Graphic Design Coordinator, Vicente Lamónaca, and the Dean of the School of Communication and Design, Eduardo Hipogrosso.
Sanguinetti began his speech by mentioning his fondness for the work of Pedro Figari, who, as he recalled, organized the first poster exhibition at the Ateneo in 1900.
Hipogrosso emphasized that this exhibition highlights “the students’ creativity in celebrating democracy.”
Lamónaca, for his part, emphasized the idea that graphic design aims to encourage reflection and foster knowledge and attitudes on two levels: “Individual reflection (what each person thinks about what they see) and that extends to the collective level (what I discuss with the person next to me).”
The teachers who led this activity noted that, for some students, this was their first exposure to the topic. “That alone is a win,” he said. In that regard, he thanked the teachers and students for, ultimately, “inviting us to reflect.”
Democracy as a peaceful means of political transition
The former president emphasized that “it is important to look back at the past,” as well as “at these past 50 years, during which the country has fully rebuilt its democratic and cultural life.”
Neither the period of decline nor the period of recovery is the result of chance; both have been the outcome of political debate, as well as the actions of the government and the opposition.
Dr. Julio María Sanguinetti
Sanguinetti recalled that, during his student days, the debate at the university centered on liberal democracy. “The important thing is to preserve that form” of government, he said.
“Since the time of Aristotle, democracy has been debated—from its origins, from its very roots. The philosopher Karl Popper said that we should not look at democracy from its origins, but rather from its consequences. Democracy is a system in which there is a peaceful method that allows us to change a government we do not like. We can debate whether it is popular sovereignty or national sovereignty, but ultimately that is what it is: ensuring a peaceful path to change.”