On 1 March 2004, the Rafael del Pino Foundation signed a collaboration agreement with the Carlos III Foundation for International Cooperation and Health, with the aim of developing the actions detailed below.
Firstly, the collaboration between the two institutions has materialised in the sponsorship by the Foundation of the design of two large panels by the painter Fernando Fueyo, illustrating the history of the universe and life, on the one hand, and the main milestones of humanity, on the other.
The first panel was delivered and installed at the Foundation in 2005 and the second in 2006. Based on these panels, large-scale murals are being developed to provide a detailed explanation of the panels, as well as a number of additional dissemination tools. In addition, the Centre for Research on Human Evolution and Behaviour has prepared the text of a book explaining the murals that can be read in the margins.
The history of human evolution, described in the above-mentioned panels, transcends the scientific interest of the discipline itself because it has a definite impact on our knowledge of human behaviour. Although a substantial part of our behaviour is governed by the values and traditions of each culture, human behaviour is also considered to be determined by biological factors. From this perspective, knowledge of the biological bases of human behaviour is of transcendental importance in essential aspects of our society, such as the planning of education, the elaboration of laws, proposals for models of social organisation, and as a source of data for ethical reflection.
The agreement also provides for the organisation of an annual cycle of conferences for managers and scholars or, alternatively, of a course given by Professor Arsuaga and his team, including the possibility of the participation of prominent professors of recognised international prestige.
The content of this research materialised in the book "The History of Life and Man" published in 2009 and in booklets for distribution to children.
