News
Friday 17 March 2006
University to mark anniversary of Spanish Civil War
A week-long series of events to mark the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War is being held at Nottingham Trent University next week (March 20-24). The week has been organised by the University’s School of Arts, Communication and Culture.
The event will be launched on Monday with a Basque Children of ’37 Association’s exhibition in the 1851 Gallery in the University’s Waverley building. In 1937 almost 4,000 Basque children along with teachers, carers and priests were brought from the port of Bilbao in northern Spain to Southampton to escape the civil war. The exhibition will be followed with talks by association members, including two surviving Basque children.
On Tuesday there will be a round-table discussion on the civil war chaired by Nottingham Trent University senior lecturer in Spanish, Dr Mercedes Carbayo-Abengozar. The discussion in the George Eliot building at the University’s Clifton campus will include Basque children and association members and will run from 11.30am to 1pm.
A showing of The Guernica Generation documentary by Steve Bowles will take place at Nottingham’s Broadway Cinema on Wednesday at 10am. This will be introduced by Dr Carbayo-Abengozar and will provide an opportunity for the public to talk to surviving Basque children. Secondary school pupils will also attend the screening as well as visiting the exhibition during two school events on Thursday and Friday.
Senior lecturer in Spanish, Mirella Santamaria, said: “The outbreak of the Spanish Civil War brought on a chain of events which had a profound effect on so many people’s lives, not just in Spain, but on a global level. In particular this war had an impact on the lives of so many children in Spain, creating the need for Basque children to be sent to countries all over the world, seeking refuge, warmth and nutrition.”
She added: “The exhibition tells the story of all children who have suffered the horrors of war and separation from their families.”
For more information about these events please contact Merceded Carbayo-Abengozar on mercedes.carbayo-abengozar@ntu.ac.uk.
ENDS
Notes for editors: The war was a conflict in which the Second Spanish Republic and political left-wing groups fought against a right-wing nationalist insurrection led by General Francisco Franco, who eventually succeeded in ousting the Republican government and establishing a personal dictatorship. The war lasted from July 1936 to April 1939.
Anyone is invited to attend Tuesday’s round-table discussion, and tickets are available for Wednesday’s Guernica Generation documentary at the Broadway Cinema.
Monday's launch event is invitation only.
For more information please contact:
Dave Rogers, Press Officer, on Telephone +44 (0)115 848 2650 or via email dave.rogers@ntu.ac.uk.
Or Therese Easom, Press and Media Relations Manager, on Telephone +44 (0)115 848 6589 or via email therese.easom@ntu.ac.uk.
