The Economic Society of Friends of the Country of Malaga, as part of the Casa América Project, hosted the series of Americanist conferences entitled "Past and Present of Hispanic Globalisation"

Chronicle of an exciting Americanist conference in Malaga

The Economic Society of Friends of the Country of Malaga, as part of the Casa America Project, and with its sponsorship together with that of the International Commission of Hispanists and the Héroes de Cavite Cultural Association, hosted a series of Americanist conferences entitled "Past and present of Hispanic globalisation". The intense day took place in the Assembly Hall of the Economic Society, under the presidency of the portrait of the illustrious monarch Charles III, a prestigious Malaga institution which has been so since 1789. Its president, Mr. José María Ruiz Povedano, opened the event before a full house, highlighting the importance of its past and present links with America, the true raison d'être of Casa América de Málaga, in the presence of its promoter, Mr. José Antonio Sierra.

Afterwards, the coordinator of the conference, Mr. Jorge Chauca García, and following the introductions of the speakers and acknowledgements, spoke on "The relevance of the past: the critical America of the Bicentenary at the crossroads". The lecturer from the Faculty of Education Sciences at the University of Malaga, with an exercise in didactic reflection on the bicentennials in both hemispheres, focused on international relations and geopolitics in the 21st century in order to gauge the relevance of the Spanish-American brotherhood, and opportunely and coincidentally recalled the declarations of the recent winner of the 2022 Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences, Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, on the indissoluble ties of the Hispanic community. Quotes from Julián Marías, Ortega y Gasset and Inca Garcilaso on mestizaje as the keystone of the Hispanic world threaded his lecture. Next, Mr. David Cuevas Góngora spoke to the heterogeneous audience on "Malagueños in the Pacific: from Magellan to the discovery of the Solomon Islands". A lecturer at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the UMA, he provided an evocative graphic presentation with unpublished data from his line of research on the presence of Malaga in the colossal Spanish Lake in the 16th century; he also announced the publication of the book "1542. The Armada of Hunger. Ruy López de Villalobos, from Malaga to the Philippine Islands", of which he is co-author and a distinguished researcher of the character. 

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After a short break due to the busyness of the day, Mr. Fernando Mogaburo López spoke with the conference "Tercios of Málaga and Tercios of Overseas", a cavalry lieutenant in the reserve and historian who provided information on his doctoral research in progress on the Army of the Hispanic Monarchy. Illustrative and entertaining scoop on the tercios stationed in Malaga and Overseas, the great unknowns of historiography and the general public. The winner of the 6th Mané González-Quirós 2020 Prize refuted myths with documentary evidence. Finally, the lecture by Juan Carlos Sánchez Mateos was on "Spanish-American tears and praise for Viceroy Bernardo de Gálvez". A qualified historian and member of the Bernardo de Gálvez y Gallardo Cultural Association, he rounded off the day with a little-known episode of the famous macharatungo, a figure of intermediation between Spain and Latin America who has been happily recovered and who stood out for his military determination and dedication to public happiness. 

The social function of History and the Atlantic links of Hispanity were thus strengthened by the high level of dissemination and the Casa America Project in Malaga, as the coordinator reminded the audience at the closing ceremony, who also highlighted the current relevance of the Hispanic and our language in the world, as well as the challenge of making this community a protagonist of the second globalisation as it was of the first.

Submitted by José Antonio Sierra, Hispanismo advisor.

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