4 November 2015The Philippine Embassy in Mexico in cooperation with the City government of Acapulco, the Fort of San Diego, the Philippine Honorary Consul, and the Centro de Estudios y Cooperacion Mexico-Filipinas, jointly hosted a symposium commemorating the 450th Anniversary of the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade (Tornavieja, or Return Voyage) on October 07 to 09 at the Museo Historico de Acapulco, Fort of San Diego.

The symposium was organized by Dr. Cristina Barron of the Centro de Estudios y Cooperacion,  with the participation of researchers, historians and academicians  from Mexico and foreign universities such as the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid,  Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Peru and Universidad Nacional de Cordoba de Argentina as resource speakers.

Nine (9) relevant topics were discussed at the symposium, namely:  1)  Urdaneta and the Return Voyage;  2) The Galleon:  A commercial and Social Encounter;  3) The Galleon:  A Cultural Link;   4) Archaeological Findings of the Manila-Galleon;  5) 450 Years of the Tornaviaje:  The Implications of the Transpacific Contact;  6) The Pacific and the Viceroyalty of Peru (XVI and XVII);   7)  Commercial Traffic;  8)  World Heritage; and  9)  The Pacific in the XXI Century:  New Opportunities, New Challenges.

The symposium discussed the historical process of the Tornaviaje and the role of Andres de Urdaneta, who was instrumental in making this important event possible. It stressed the significant role played by the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade as a catalyst in the economic and cultural exchanges between the Philippines and Mexico and even among countries on a global scale.  The symposium also allowed the speakers to present their research work, share their analysis and get reactions from the participants.  END