Modern Development of Confucianism and Mutual Learning among Civilizations. Dialogue among Members in Europe-Friends of International Confucian Association(ICA)

The International Confucian Association organized a dialogue to discuss the topic related to the research and dissemination of Confucianism in North America in order to promote the mutual exchanges on the research and dissemination of Confucianism and to deepen people-to-people exchanges in international arena.

To better connect and provide services to members of ICA, strengthen their communications and enhance their mutual understandings, Liaison Committee for Members of ICA planned to hold “Dialogue among Members in Europe-Friends of International Confucian Association (ICA)”in the afternoon of December 17th . 

Raúl Ramírez Ruiz, director of the Research Group on China-Spain Relations at the URJC, participated in this meeting with a presentation entitled:

The reception of Confucianism and other Chinese philosophies. Are Chinese philosophies an underrated path to mutual understanding?

First words of Raúl Ramírez Ruiz's presentation at the conference: 

The reception of Confucianism and other Chinese philosophies. Are Chinese philosophies an underrated path to mutual understanding?

"The idea of this brief exposition entitled “The reception of Confucianism and other Chinese philosophies. Are Chinese philosophies an underrated path to mutual understanding?” it is due to a statement that Professor Minkang Zhou of the Autonomous University of Barcelona made in a conference guest at my university, the Rey Juan Carlos University. Professor Zhou said:

“The Dao de Qing is the most translated, edited, and sold Chinese book in Spain and Europe”

This statement surprised me and, immediately, I asked myself.

“How is it possible that a book so difficult to understand is the best seller?

How is it possible that the Analects of Confucius, which, for me, has a more practical, more understandable content, do not have that impact?

The first answers that came to mine mind was:

“Orientalism, as defined by Edward Said. “People buy that book because it is exotic, but they don’t read it.”

Even so, I decided to study the topic". 

Raúl Ramírez Ruiz (R3)

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The academic meeting was developed with the following program:

Language：Chinese and English

16:30—16:45 Conference Opening Ceremony

Moderator：

Xu Yongji, Vice Secretary General of ICA,

Director of Liaison Committee for Members of ICA

16:30—16:40 Remark from Li Wei,

Vice President of ICA, Professor of Ningxia University

16:40—16:45 Group Photo

16:45—18:30 Speech from Participants（10 Minutes foreach Speaker）

Moderator: Wen Haiming, Deputy Director of Liaison Committee for Members of ICA, Professor of Renmin University of China

Agita Baltgalve (Latvia), Professor of University of Latvia

Topic：Comparision of Two Translations of "Lunyu" in Latvian Language

Elena Avramidou(Greece), Associate Professor of Philosophy of Ionian University，Greece

Topic: Confucianism in Europe: A Contemporary Challenge

Marijan Cingula (Croatia), Professor of Croatia Libertas International University

Topic：The Modern Confucianism and Global Social and Economic Issues

Raul Ramirez Ruiz (Spain), Professor of Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

Topic：The reception of Confucianism and other Chinese philosophies. An underrated path to mutual understanding?

Carsten Boyer Thøgersen (Denmark), Professor of Denmark Niels Brock - Copenhagen Business College

Topic：How modern Chinese policy initiatives are embedded in traditional Chinese Thinking

Rui Lourido (Portugal), Director of Portugal Observatory 

Topic：The role of Culture in the case of Portugal, in the Mutual Learning among Civilizations

Jana S. Rošker (Slovenia), Professor of Univerza v Ljubljani

Topic：New approaches in Comparative Transcultural Philosophy: the Method of sublation

Yang Guiping, Deputy Director of Liaison Committee for Members of ICA, Professor of Minzu University of China

Topic：Integration of Islam and Confucianism, Mutual Learning among Civilizations

Kong Deli, Deputy Director of Liaison Committee for Members of ICA，Professor of Capital Normal University

Topic：The Outlook on Confucianism of Reginald Fleming Johnston as the Teacher of Emperor in Late Qing Dynasty

Wen Haiming, Deputy Director of Liaison Committee for Members of ICA, Professor of Renmin University of China

Topic：The intentionality of ancestors and heavens: contemporary significance of Confucian religious sensibility

Renovatio Abroad