Presentation of Convit/e Magazine, Issue No. 7: With (Con)Science

Reflection, dialogue, music, and gathering at the Historic Botanical Garden

On June 6, the Historic Botanical Garden of Barcelona hosted the launch of Convit/e magazine, Issue 7: Con(Ciència), an event that brings together thought, the performing arts, and music in an exceptional natural and heritage setting. We are living in a time when critical thinking and scientific knowledge coexist with phenomena of misinformation, polarization, and the questioning of institutions of knowledge. In this context, the relationship between science, truth, and society takes on central importance.

The concept of “science” is broad and dynamic: what is science, and what is not? In this new edition of Convit/e, we set out to explore this concept, particularly in a context where its meaning and social value are constantly evolving and subject to debate.

Science remains one of the arenas where knowledge is constructed through scrutiny, method, and public debate. For this reason, its decline affects not only the academic sphere but also our collective ability to distinguish between information and misinformation and to maintain shared frameworks for understanding reality.

Convit/e · Con(Ciència) stems from this concern. We understand that science does not operate in a vacuum, but rather forms part of a broader ecosystem that includes education, politics, justice, culture, and citizenship. Science can guide us and provide tools for understanding the world, but its impact depends on a democratic society capable of listening to it, debating it, and incorporating it into its decision-making processes.

The event, organized around the launch of the new issue of Convit/e magazine, provided a space for dialogue and interaction where scientific and cultural reflection intersected with artistic and collective experience. The program featured conversations, musical performances, and opportunities to come together and share ideas and perspectives on contemporary challenges.

Between 6 and 9 p.m., the Historic Botanical Garden became a space for listening, conversation, and contemplation, inviting the public to experience it through curiosity, reflection, and exchange.

Food Sovereignty and Biodiversity: A Culinary Proposal from Sabor i Art

The event also featured a culinary presentation by students from Mescladís focused on food sovereignty and biodiversity, exploring how our consumption choices affect local production: when we stop buying local products in favor of cheaper imports, we lose our culinary and cultural identity and create a dependency on external sources.

The dish was created using local, seasonal ingredients sourced from the Barcelona area. Each element had symbolic meaning: the colors evoked human suffering (red), the earth (brown), biodiversity (green), natural balance (sky blue), and the region’s abundance (yellow). The cold temperature represented human indifference, and the bittersweet contrast of flavors expressed both concern about the current situation and hope for change.

The final course consisted of appetizers featuring asparagus, artichokes, romesco sauce with cherries, and a sweet-and-sour salad, served on lentil bread, accompanied by an earthy crumble that visually represented the connection to the land and the region.

The evening's performers

The music will accompany the event with two very different performances. Alan da Silva, a musician and sound researcher, explored the intersection of tradition, improvisation, and experimentation. The Miguel Tarzia Trio closed out the afternoon with contemporary jazz and Argentine music, creating a space for collective listening.

The Convit/e Contest: Young Creators with a Social Commitment

The event also featured the announcement of the winners of the Convit/e Contest, a program open to students of any age and nationality from various educational institutions in Barcelona. The goal is to recognize young people’s work in the areas of human rights, intercultural dialogue, social inclusion, and sustainability, and to encourage them to become active agents in socially committed creation.

Entries may be submitted individually or as a group, and may be related to degree projects or master’s theses. The contest features four categories—photography and visual identity, illustration, journalistic or literary article, and audiovisual production—and each winner receives a cash prize and the publication of their work in the next issue of the magazine.

The winners of this year's competition are:

🏆 Photography and Visual Identity — Daniela Pulleiro Lloret (CIC ELISAVA) 🏆 Illustration — Mouad Hassioui (CRAB Llar d'Oportunitats de Superació) 🏆 Journalism — Waira Florez and Emmanuel González (UAB)

Congratulations to all the winners.

This Convit/e · Con(Ciència) would not have been possible without the generosity and dedication of everyone who contributed to it.

We would like to thank the Barcelona Museum of Natural Sciences for its institutional support, and all the authors who have shared their thoughts on these pages: Marc Campeny, Martín Habiague, Núria Jar, Judith Juanhuix, Irene Lobato Vila, Sonda Internacional, Marina Martínez, Bernat Burriel, Hernán Lew, and Eva van den Berg. The diversity of your perspectives is what makes Convit/e a vibrant space for debate and culture.

The evening of June 6 demonstrated that science, culture, and food are not separate spheres: they are complementary ways of understanding the world and living in it mindfully. Convit/e is, in short, an invitation to think together, to debate, to create, and to share—because the challenges of our time require every possible perspective.

See you at the next gathering.