EC EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER PROGRAMS: The first day in Rhodes

Thursday, July 14, 2016

The first day in Rhodes

Since we arrived in Rhodes at 4 am on Sunday, we had a very long day! We still managed to do some exploring of the city since Professor Vamvakas brought us to the old part of Rhodes. I was amazed at all the historical buildings, castles and statues. This island definitely has a lot of history and that was confirmed by the lectures that we had at the prefecture on Monday and Tuesday. Even the building itself where the lectures were held was built by the Italians under the rule of Mussolini.

Other than the history of Rhodes, we discussed the conflicts between Greece and Turkey regarding island and sea territorial claims. I thought this was a very relevant topic especially with the Hague ruling on Chinese island building in the South China Sea. It is easy to compartmentalize issues based on the places that they occur in, but in the big picture many connections can be made.

Here are some picture of the old town!

No comments:

Post a Comment

EC Eastern Security Studies Program

In the summer of 2011, as the "Arab Spring" was unfolding and the "Eurozone Crisis" was entering its second year, the Emmanuel College Eastern Mediterranean Security Studies Program was established in Crete, as a way to make the location the classroom. Beyond the grand theoretical, historical and political understanding that can be achieved through reading and classroom discussion and exchange, a more immediate, intimate and truer appreciation of the complexities can only achieved by experiencing the cultures, languages of personal interaction.

Since 2012 students have been able to combine an intensive curricular study, with the experience of immersion and living in a local setting. The geopolitical and geoeconomic forces that have acted in the region for centuries, can be identified in the classroom, but they can only be understood by being there. This year's EC EMSS Program will add a fourth week of study, experience and exploration and will also travel to the islands of Rhodes, and Cyprus. In Rhodes we will be partnering with the Prefecture of Southern Aegean and the Aegean University, while in Cyprus we will be hosted by the University of Nicosia.