Costa Rica is the host of the 18th International Congress of ALADAA.
ALADAA turns the Costa Rican capital into a global reference for studies on Asia and Africa in the 18th edition of the "ALADAA International Congress", a unique and internationally recognized event, aimed at professionals in the sector, featuring prestigious academics from Spain, France, Italy, Chile, Peru, Mexico, China, Japan, India, Indonesia, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, and Costa Rica. This year's chosen theme is "Asia and Africa and their contemporary challenges in the globalized world."
By: Rodrigo Martínez
Photos: Kuok Wa Chao Chao
Location: San José, Costa Rica. On Monday, November 20, the University of Costa Rica and the Latin University of Costa Rica hosted the 18th ALADAA International Congress, resuming the in-person format after the last edition was held in a hybrid format due to the pandemic. The aim is to provide spaces for dialogue and exchange of ideas on studies of Asia and Africa among those registered with ALADAA. Like previous editions, this year will feature an international group of guests renowned for their academic track record in African and Asian topics.
At the opening ceremony held on Monday, November 20, Dr. Gustavo Gutiérrez Espeleta, academic rector of our university, said: “this event is held with the aim of strengthening the culture of university research with Asia and Africa. In the particular case with Africa, we do not have an agreement with any university, and it is a goal to be able to change that in the short term.”
For his part, Daniel López Zúñiga, director of the School of International Relations at the Latin University of Costa Rica, noted: “we share with ALADAA a line of research in regionalized studies, and as part of these studies in teaching and research, we have created an Executive Master in Commercial Geostrategy with an emphasis on Asia-Pacific, and we hope to be able to expand it to sub-Saharan North Africa.”
The first keynote lecture of the congress was given by Dr. Esteban Córdoba Arroyo, a specialist in Japan, on the topic of Japanese Exceptionalism (nihonjiron) as Orientalism and Nationalism, moderated by Dr. Ricardo Martínez Esquivel, member of ALADAA Costa Rica and the University of Costa Rica.
For Esteban Sánchez Solano, coordinator of the Costa Rica chapter of the ALADAA Congress: "We want to function as a bridge in Costa Rica for the expansion that ALADAA International wants to develop in Central America and the Caribbean, considering that the congress is an excellent opportunity to achieve this."
Throughout the academic sessions, there are more than 150 people who will present in blocks of lectures and round tables, with researchers from Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay, Indonesia, China, Japan, and Peru.
For Diana Senior Angulo, director of the Office of International Affairs and External Cooperation UCR: "this event will give rise to new proposals and research to energize networks with Asia and Africa, where we have had a historical debt with these populations."
Finally, the event concludes on November 24 with the General Assembly of ALADAA International and a lunch with the National Coordination and the General Secretariat of ALADAA International.
For more details about ALADAA, you can visit: https://tinyurl.com/mrvncwj2 or send an email to: info@aladaainternacional.com
It is reminded that the Confucius Institute (IC-UCR) is a public institution formed by the University of Costa Rica, the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC), and the China Education International Foundation (CIEF), in collaboration with Renmin University of China (RUC); its main focuses are: the dissemination of the Mandarin language and Chinese culture; in addition, social action is also a fundamental part of the Institute's work.
Contact for more information: Rodrigo Martínez (罗瑞高)
Communication Officer, Confucius Institute (孔子学院传媒负责人)
Email: comunicacion.confucio@ucr.ac.cr
Website: http://institutoconfucio.ucr.ac.cr/
Phone: 2511-6870
