The National Quincentennial Committee is pleased to announce that between 20 October and 17 December 2021, the country will host the Philippine International Quincentennial Conference (PIQC). Around 100 Filipino and foreign scholars, diplomats, officials, artists, and scientists will deliver lectures and insights about the theme “Situating the Filipino and the Philippines in 1521.” Sessions will be streamed at www.nqc.gov.ph and NQC’s official Facebook page (@nqc2021) and YouTube Channel (@nqc2021).
Many Filipinos were educated that Philippine history began with the now politically incorrect phrase “discovery of the Philippines” by Ferdinand Magellan in March 1521. For centuries, it created an impression that prior to Magellan’s arrival, our ancestors were nothing but savage, uncivilized peoples. While the world is celebrating the 500th anniversary of the realization of Magellan’s feat as an achievement of humankind (i.e., circumnavigating the world for the first time), the Filipinos are trying their best to find their place in the milestone that is respectful of their own history.
PIQC has fourteen themes (as of 25 August 2021), divided into two to three sessions each:
20-22 October 2021. Opening Ceremony and Inaugural Session: Recent Studies on the Magellan-Elcano Expedition and the Philippines (Convener: National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the Department of Foreign Affairs Philippines)
25-26 October 2021. Historiography Among Filipino Propagandists/Ilustrado Historiography (Convener: Philippine Historical Association, in partnership with the Ateneo de Manila University History Department)
4-5 November 2021. The Formative Years of Spanish Philippines, 1565 to 1665 (Convener: Philippine National Historical Society, Inc.)
10 November 2021. Religion, Colonialism and the Revolution: Quincentennial Reflections (Convener: De La Salle University History Department)
15 & 22 November 2021. Reclaiming Our Place: Reanalyzing Toponymy and Philippine History (Convener: University of the Philippines Los Baños Social Science Department)
17 November 2021. Southeast Asia in the 16th Century (Convener: Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology History Department)
23-24 November 2021. Confluences of Latin American-Southeast Asian Relations in the 16th Century (Convener: Department of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with Philippine Academic Consortium for Latin American Studies)
26-27 November 2021. Early Accounts on the Philippines from Various Foreign Archives (Convener: National Historical Commission of the Philippines)
1 December 2021. Tracing the Maritime Silk Road in the Visayas (Covener: University of San Carlos Museum)
2 December 2021. Year of Filipino Pre-colonial Ancestors Special Papers (Convener: National Museum of the Philippines)
3-4 December 2021. Belief Systems and Spiritual Climate in the Philippines Over the Last 500 Years (Convener: University of the Philippines Baguio History Department)
6-10 December 2021. The Early Philippine and Southeast Asian Building and Gold Crafting Technology (Convener: Fr. Saturnino Urios University)
13-15 December 2021. Documentation of Early Filipinos (Convener: ADHIKA ng Pilipinas Inc.)
16-17 December 2021. Closing Session: Asserting a Filipino Point of View (Convener: University of the Philippines Diliman History Department)
The two-month-long gathering will be held online. Stay tuned for more updates.
This is a collaboration of the NQC, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Department of Foreign Affairs, BARMM Commission on the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Philippine National Historical Society, Philippine Historical Association, Asosasyon ng mga Dalubhasa, may Hilig at Interes sa Kasaysayan (ADHIKA) ng Pilipinas, University of Santo Tomas, University of San Carlos, Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines Diliman, University of the Philippines Los Baños, University of the Philippines Baguio, De La Salle University, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, and Fr. Saturnino Urios University.
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For queries, contact
Philippine International Quincentennial Conference Secretariat
c/o National Quincentennial Committee
2nd Floor, National Historical Commission of the Philippines Bldg., T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila
secretariat@nqc.gov.ph | (+63) (02) 5335-1200 loc. 145
Use “About PIQC” as the subject
