Prof. Ambeth R. Ocampo Gives Lectures in Brussels and Ghent
Prof. Ambeth R. Ocampo discusses the Murillo Velarde map during his lecture “The Philippines, Maps and the Emergence of Nation” at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) Campus Solbosch, Brussels, 18 March 2025.
BRUSSELS 02 April 2025 – The Philippine Embassy in Brussels, Belgium, in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Office of Cultural Diplomacy of the Department of Foreign Affairs, hosted public historian and professor Ambeth R. Ocampo in Brussels and Ghent on 17 to 22 March 2025. During his visit, Prof. Ocampo conducted two lectures: (1) “The Philippines, Maps and the Emergence of Nation” at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) Campus Solbosch in Brussels on 18 March 2025; and (2) “Rizal: The Hero as a Traveller” at the Royal Literary Society (Club Falligan) in Ghent on 20 March 2025.
In his lecture “The Philippines, Maps and the Emergence of Nation”, Prof. Ocampo discussed the historical narrative of the Philippines as seen in, and as shaped by, maps and cartography starting from the 16th century onwards.
Meanwhile, in his lecture “Rizal: The Hero as a Traveller”, Prof. Ocampo broadened the notion of Jose Rizal the hero as human - someone who studied, felt homesick, and made the most of his travels. Prof. Ocampo showed how Rizal's ideas of a Filipino nation were formed as he travelled the world, as reflected in Rizal's and his friends' writings.
The two well-received lectures were made possible in cooperation with the ULB Centre for East Asian Studies and Maison des Sciences Humaines, and the Philippine Honorary Consulate for Flanders, respectively. Both lectures were attended by Filipino and Belgian students, professors, academicians, and members of the different chapters of Knights of Rizal (KOR), as well as by the Filipino community at large.
Prof. Ocampo was also able to meet freshmen IT students at Vives University – Bruges Campus who are developing a mobile app on Jose Rizal’s life in Belgium and Europe. He also visited several historical sites, including the markers on Rue Philippe de Champagne 38 in Brussels and Henegouwenstraat 47 in Ghent, which mark the sites where Rizal took residence while in Belgium.
Prof. Ocampo also visited the Royal Library in Brussels and the library of Collège Saint Michel, a Jesuit secondary school, to look for source material on the Philippines. END
Ambassador Jaime Victor B. Ledda delivered the welcome remarks for the lecture “The Philippines, Maps and the Emergence of Nation” at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) Campus Solbosch, Brussels, 18 March 2025.
Prof. Ambeth Ocampo discusses “Rizal: The Hero as a Traveller” at the Club Falligan, Ghent, 20 March 2025.
Prof. Ambeth R. Ocampo with freshmen students of Vives University – Bruges Campus after the discussion of their development of a mobile app on Jose Rizal’s life in Belgium and Europe, Bruges, 20 March 2025. Honorary Consul General for Flanders Ronny de Blaere, Cultural Attaché Virginia T. Abad and Attaché Mary Bel C. Garcia accompanied Prof. Ocampo.
Prof. Ambeth R. Ocampo visits the Jose Rizal marker at Henegouwenstraat 47, accompanied by Honorary Consul General for Flanders Ronny de Blaere, Cultural Attaché Virginia T. Abad and Attaché Mary Bel C. Garcia, Ghent, 20 March 2025.
Ambassador Jaime Victor B. Ledda and Philippine Embassy personnel posed with Prof. Ambeth R. Ocampo during his visit at the Chancery, Brussels, 21 March 2025.
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