World

Prof. Ambeth Ocampo lectures on Jose Rizal in Madrid

Friday 10th of February 2012

QUEZON CITY, Feb. 10 (PIA) -- Dr. Ambeth Ocampo, a multi-awarded Filipino historian best known for his writings on Dr. Jose Rizal, delivered a well-received and widely-applauded lecture on February 2 at the Biblioteca Nacional de España (BNE) in Madrid.

The lecture was part of the conference series organized by the BNE to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Rizal.

In his lecture, Professor Ocampo noted that Dr. Rizal is not well-known as a writer in international literary circles as he is in his own country. He showed how Dr. Rizal´s literary works (prose, poetry, novels, etc.) had undergone various phases coinciding with his growing socio-political consciousness in the course of his 20-minute lecture.

He likewise mentioned that were other Filipino writers who wrote in Spanish during Dr. Rizal´s time and encouraged everyone to discover these writers to enable them to see a fuller picture of how the Philippines was during the Spanish period.

The conference series, which began on January 26 and will end on February 9, aims to give a detailed overview of who Dr. Rizal was as a person and writer and to situate him within the political, social and cultural milieu of his time.

Speakers for the conference series included known Filipinistas such as Ms. Dolores Elizalde, Mr. Rafael Rodriguez-Ponga, Mr. Xavier Huetz Delemps, Mr. Joseph M. Fradera, and Mr. Leonardo Romero Tovar.

Author Mr. Miguel Syjuco will close the conference series next week with a discussion of his award-winning book, Ilustrado.

In addition to the conference series, the BNE in close collaboration with the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarollo (AECID), is hosting an exhibit on Dr. Rizal entitled "Entre España y Filipinas: José Rizal, Escritor," in Madrid.

The exhibit, which will run until February 12, showcases Rizal memorabilia and snippets of colonial life in 19th Philippines (i.e. education, religion, ethnic groups, past times, dress, etc.). Admission to the exhibit is free. (DFA/PIA-GHQ)