Building ties for a peaceful and sustainable Eurasian community from mutual knowledge: history, culture and new technologies

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Spain is one of the nations that has shaped the world. She was the first to reach the shores of America and, after her brother Portugal, she was the first to open the maritime communication routes with Asia. But Spain has even more reasons to justify its role as a bridge between Europe and Asia. On the one hand, its presence in Asia made it the founding country of Western sinology: The Spanish, with Martín de Rada, were the first to study the Chinese language; with Juan Cobo, the first to translate a Chinese text, or with Bernardino de Escalante, the first to draw a provincial map of China. Spain, on the other hand, was the first country to discover round-trip navigation in the Pacific, known in old Castilian as the "Torna Viaje". A secret that was kept for more than two centuries. This led to Spain being the protagonist of the "first globalization" of the world through the "Manila Galleon". Spain established a trade route from Asia that brought luxury goods to the American and European markets. Spain united the Pacific and the Atlantic for the first time in a single commercial line, bringing foreign currency (silver), new American products and European manufactures to Asia.

The importance of Asia, in our world today, lies in its large population, long history, complex and diverse societies, cultures, and growing economic importance. This makes all the world's attention centers focus on Asia. Its economic importance will make the world pivot on it, but beyond, the latent conflicts on its borders between the great powers of the world mean that the real danger for world peace is found in it.

The URJC, in accordance with its motto, "non nova, sed nove", which means "Not new, but in a new way", was born with a spirit that seeks to use science, education and culture as a weapon of social integration and multicultural understanding. The URJC seeks to promote global citizenship and intercultural learning that allow the creation of new responsible and inclusive leadership in the future, through a globalized curriculum and diverse cultural experiences. And in line with this, the URJC, as a whole, aspires to train students for active citizenship and ethical leadership in a global society. That is why it is one of the most internationalized institutions in Spain. Well, the URJC, like the new Confucianism that is flourishing in Asia today, is committed to a mutual understanding between the different cultures that allows overcoming the ignorance, intolerance, racism, hatred and isolationism that still prevail in some parts of the world.

This course is organized thanks to funding from the Eurasian Foundation (from Asia): http://www.eurasia.or.jp/en/subsidies/grants/detail.html?spain ). The goal of the Eurasian Foundation (from Asia) is to contribute to the elimination of all conflicts in the world and the creation of a harmonious and peaceful society for everyone on earth. His hope is that all students can learn about world history, culture, religions, politics, economics, technology and art, as well as the importance of various values, and that they are educated to have perspective and a broad awareness through mutual understanding. For, hopefully, through these means, it can lead to the contribution to build an even better and conflict-free world in the future.

Objectives

The course proposed "Building ties for a peaceful and sustainable Eurasian community from mutual knowledge: history, culture and new technologies", will provide students with a unique opportunity to delve into one of the most important regions of the world today. Through this series of international lectures, students will gain a broader understanding of the historical, cultural, political, and economic forces that have shaped modern Asia and its relationships with Europe. The aim of the course is to help students become world citizens, who can look towards the prospects of cooperation between Europeans and Asians in building a better, conflict-free world in the XNUMXst century.