UPS president Javier Herran and the representatives of the students federation in our branch campus in Quito, Karla Altamirano (president), Angy Quizhpe, Lenin Calero and Wendy Miranda; were awarded a recognition diploma by the National Assembly's Education, Culture, Science and Technology Committee because of the university's humanitarian acts and support for dialogue during the national strike. 

The recognition was also awarded to Florinella Muñoz (president of Escuela Politecnica Nacional), Fernando Sempertegui (president of Universidad Central del Ecuador), Fernando Ponce (president of Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Ecuador, Cesar Montaño (president of Universidad Andina Simon Bolivar) and Camilo Restrepo (president of Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana Benjamin Carrion)

Jimmy Candell Soto, president of the committee, highlighted the work of universities during the national strike as they provided shelter to thousands of indigenous people who were out in the protests. "The activities carried out by these universities were an act of solidarity and humanism", he said.

Javier Herran said that during the protests, students were at the service of those who needed help; they cooked, they didn't sleep well, but they demonstrated that they are the new generation of professionals who make us believe that a new world is indeed possible. Altamirano said that students worked under Don Bosco's philosophy: "Education is a matter of the heart".