International Conference on Cartography in Philippine History
Manila, Philippines
The Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) and Instituto Cervantes with support from the HISPANEX Program of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport are holding the conference on May 23, 2018 at Instituto Cervantes Intramuros (Calle Real, Plaza San Luis Complex, Intramuros, Manila).
The conference seeks to promote deeper understanding of the relevance of cartography for Philippine History, with special focus on the figure of Spanish Jesuit Fr. Murillo Velarde and his famous map as case study. It also aims to initiate and encourage discourse on Cartography as a field of Philippine Studies, to make these part of mainstream knowledge. It seeks to examine the impact of the various facets of the Murillo Velarde Map, and historical maps in general, on globalization and intercultural communication.
Dr. Carlos Madrid, director of Instituto Cervantes, will welcome the participants. The keynote speaker is Dr. Ambeth R. Ocampo of the Department of History at the Ateneo de Manila University. Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio of the Supreme Court of the Philippines is the guest of honor. The other speakers are Mr. Mel V. Velarde, Chairman and CEO of AIJC; Prof. Carlos Villoria, historian from Almeria, Spain; Prof. Marya Svetlana T. Camacho of the Department of History at the University of Asia and the Pacific; Mr. Tom Harper, lead curator of Antiquarian Maps at the British Library, United Kingdom; Mr. Jaime Gonzalez, president of the Philippine Map Collectors Society; and Ms. Almudena Morales Asensio, Alcaldesa-Presidenta at the City-Hall of Laujar de Andarax, hometown of Fr. Murillo Velarde. Mr. Valeriano Sanchez Ramos, the last of the Murillo Velardes, and Laujar de Andarax Vice Mayor Agustin Cabrera will also be present at the event.
Participants include Filipino and foreign scholars and researchers of Philippine history, geography and culture, faculty and students of higher education institutions, journalists, and officials and staff of museums, libraries and government agencies in the Philippines.
There will also be a special exhibit of the original copy of the map. Regarded by historians as the "mother of all Philippine maps", the Murillo Velarde Map is the first scientific map of the Philippines. It was designed by Spanish cartographer Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde and drawn and engraved by Filipino artisans Francisco Suarez and Nicolas dela Cruz Bagay, respectively. Filipino technology entrepreneur and educator Mel Velasco Velarde gained ownership of this artifact through an auction conducted by Sotheby’s Auction House in the United Kingdom.
The international conference will be broadcast via livestreaming by NOW Corporation. Just go to the event page’s URL http://iccph.nowplanet.tv/
Attendance is strictly for those who have pre-registered. For details, please call the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication at 743-4321.