The Palacio de Congresos in Córdoba is currently hosting the international congress titled 'International Year of Ibn Rushd-Averroes: An Opportunity for Reason', an initiative commemorating the ninth centenary of the birth of Averroes, a celebrated philosopher, jurist, physician, and public official who served as the chief judge of Córdoba and as a physician at the court of the Almohad caliphs.
During the inauguration, Salvador Fuentes, the highest representative of the provincial institution, highlighted that 'this land and its walls hold a monumental historical legacy, but it has also created and produced a universally influential thought like that of Averroes, who sought to harmonise reason and faith and warned of the problem of ignorance, which leads to fear, fear to hatred, and hatred to violence.'
He further stated, 'He already pointed out then that dialogue, collaboration, and exchange constitute the great recipe that the world needed and still needs today; therefore, these reflections will help us delve into the figure of what he was and what he is today, more relevant than ever.'
Fuentes reiterated Averroes' role as 'a thinker and a man who wanted to contribute to the world with an idea, above all, to be better people, with consensus and dialogue at the forefront.'
The provincial president recalled that the Diputación has participated in several initiatives commemorating the ninth centenary. From March to July, it hosted the exhibition 'Averroes and the Córdoba of His Time', which invited visitors to immerse themselves in 12th-century Córdoba to rediscover the figure of one of history's greatest thinkers in the context in which he lived, thought, and wrote.
Additionally, the Diputación participated in the international congress held at Casa Árabe from 27 to 29 April, featuring around twenty specialists from universities across various countries. It also collaborated on the issuance of a commemorative stamp by Correos, which released a stamp dedicated to the ninth centenary of Averroes' birth in July.
The congress programme 'International Year of Ibn Rushd-Averroes: An Opportunity for Reason' includes round tables on 'Reason and Faith in an Era of Uncertainty – Reflections on the Legacy of Ibn Rushd/Averroes', 'Ibn Rushd/Averroes for Our Time: Academic Perspectives', and 'Dialogue between Civilisations: Rethinking Humanist Diplomacy in the 21st Century'.
This event is jointly organised by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the Muslim World League (MWL), and Espacio Tierra Creativa, with support from UNESCO, the director of the Instituto Cervantes, the Ibn Rushd Forum, Fundación Cajasol, and various Andalusian institutions, including the Junta de Andalucía, the Provincial Diputación of Córdoba, and the City Council of Córdoba, along with other public and private entities.
