Rafael Moneo presented before more than 500 Navarrese people his "most abstract building", as he himself defined it. Museo Universidad de NavarraRafael Moneo presented his "most abstract building", as he himself has defined it, and a tribute to the art collection of María Josefa Huarte, donated to the University of Navarra and which has been the origin for the construction of the art center. Although María Josefa Huarte could not attend the presentation, she was very present in the words of all those who spoke at the event who thanked her for her patronage work. 

During the event, which had as masters of ceremony Sofia and Chema, students of the university center, the rector of the University of Navarra, Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero, stressed that "the Museum is the story of generosity of many people" and he thanked especially the Huarte and Ortiz-Echagüe families for their legacies, pillars of the Museum's art collection. For his part, the director of the Museum, Miguel López-Remiro,  presented the Center's Art Collection and explained the university nature of the project and its experimental basisIt will be more like CIMA than a standard museum," he said. He also told all the attendees how the project is being woven and with which artists and made special emphasis on stressing that all exhibitions and activities that the museum will program will be aimed at all citizens, not just the university community.

 The Mayor of Pamplona, Enrique Maya, and the President of the Government, Yolanda Barcina, also participated in the presentation. Both agreed that the Museum will be a"key piece" for Navarra and will strengthen the relationship between the University and the citizens. At the end of the event, Rafael Moneo and the director of the art center presented them with drawings of the Museum, made by Moneo, as a symbolic delivery of the Museum to all Navarrese. 

Javier Vidal and Rafael Moneo during the presentation in Baluarte

 

The economic situation of the project was also reported, with a team that has been working for years to attract capital to finance the start-up of the project. Currently, 47% of the initial investment required has been raised through committed funds from 19 partners, from 9 different countries, on 4 continents. Precisely in order to bring together these people and corporations around the world that financially support the Museum, the Board of Trustees and appointed its president, Ángel Gómez Montoro.

In the Baluarte Chamber Hall there were representatives from all areas of Navarre's society: institutions, the business community, the educational community, artists and architects, gallery owners, etc. The event was organized with the collaboration of students from the El Molino school and university students from the center. This public presentation was the first of a series of events that will be held until its official opening (January 2015) with the aim of explaining the project to all Navarrese audiences.

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