Politician, academic, and Vice President of the Board of Trustees of the Fundación Universitaria San Pablo CEU, Marcelino Oreja Aguirre, has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Universidad CEU San Pablo recognising his extraordinary merits throughout his significant professional career—on the national, European, and international stage—as well as for his exceptional dedication to CEU.
In his speech, the politician reflected on the European integration process, which "has remained true to the vision of the founding fathers." Oreja stated that, "the journey has been a long one, but much remains to be accomplished." He emphasized that "we must remember that only values will save the European synthesis: the values that built Europe and the values that will keep it on solid ground. Europe, rooted in values, will continue to contribute its wisdom and spirituality to the human race."
He encouraged attendees to "propose models of virtuous individuals with habits of courage, justice, prudence, and generosity. Let us call for unity in promoting a culture of values that opposes postmodern relativism and opportunistic possibilities. Let's dream of a better world, not based solely on technical advances and scientific revolutions but on the ethical behavior of individuals, the discovery of the true path, in pursuit of a common horizon. And let's do it through the path of principles, along the long and courageous trail of the values that shape the Europe of globalization."
The Rector of Universidad CEU San Pablo, Rosa Visiedo, praised Oreja's brilliant professional career and celebrated his inclusion in the university's school. She stated that this appointment "emblematically reflects the profile of our University: preparing individuals to take an active role in public life, nationally, in Europe, and internationally, and having a positive impact on society, remaining faithful to our principles and the educational project of the Asociación Católica de Propagandistas."
The politician and the new doctor's sponsor, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo, delivered the laudatio in which he highlighted Marcelino Oreja's persona. The academic event also included the participation of the Vice-Rector for Institutional Relations and General Secretary, María Bellido, who read the university's decree of appointment as Honorary Doctor. Professor Belén Becerril from the School of Law accompanied the new doctor until he was led to the university's Aula Magna. Before the academic event, the Archbishop Emeritus of Burgos and National Consiliary of ACdP, Fidel Herráez, celebrated a mass in the Chapel of the Montepríncipe Campus.
Marcelino Oreja has joined a select group of national and international intellectuals who have received the Honorary Doctorate distinction from Universidad CEU San Pablo, including Augusto Ferrer-Dalmau, José Luis Gutiérrez, Rémi Brague, Antonio Fernández de Buján, Alberto Campo Baeza, S.G.O. Johansson, Joseph A. Bellanti, Raimundo Bassols, Herman Van Rompuy, Joseph H. H. Weiler, Eduardo García de Enterría, José Antonio Escudero, Margaret Foti, Francisco Rodríguez Adrados, Vicente Palacio Atard, Mario Monti, Antonio María Rouco Varela, Gordon Tullock, John Martin Scott, and Helmut Kohl.