Memory betrays us and the passage of time makes us forget that, very recently, we had to change the way we work, relate to each other and see the world due to COVID-19.

Even today, the masks remind us of everything that happened, but despite all the difficulties we have managed to adapt and normalize teaching, research and healthcare activities. We have regained joy and we have defended it with strength and respect for the benefit of students and patients.

We leave you here the poem by Mario Benedetti, "Defense of Joy", as a tribute to all the people who have worked to ensure that today we can live with a certain normality and breathe little by little of joy.

defense of joy

Defend joy like a trench

defend her from scandal and routine

of misery and the wretched

of temporary absences

and the final ones

defend joy as a principle

defend her from astonishment and nightmares

of neutrals and neutrons

of the sweet infamies

and serious diagnoses

defend joy like a flag

defend her from lightning and melancholy

of the naive and the scoundrels

of rhetoric and cardiac arrest

of the endemics and the academies

defend joy as a destiny

defend it from fire and firefighters

of suicides and homicides

of vacations and stress

Of the obligation to be happy

defend joy as a certainty

defend it from rust and scab

of the famous patina of time

of the relent and opportunism

of the pimps of laughter

defend joy as a right

defend her from god and winter

capital letters and death

of surnames and pity

of chance

and also of happiness.