President Felix Matos Rodriguez addressed new students on August 26, during Welcome Day, about the “Year of” program for the upcoming academic year.
“This year is the Year of the Silk Roads, which marked the different roads connecting Asia, Europe and the Middle East. We want to give you a taste of that culture,” Rodriguez said. “A fitting theme because you are all here today as new students but you all came to Queens College from very different roads.”
Each year, QC debuts a new theme of cultural and academic programming on a different country or region. Since 2010, previous themes included countries like China, Turkey, Brazil, South Africa and India.
The Silk Road was significant to the development of civilizations because of vital routes it provided the ancient world. It connected people of different cultures, backgrounds and trades between Asia and Europe. Merchants, traders and nomads, for example, would use it for trading schools of thought, ideals, religious beliefs, crafts, goods, but, most importantly, silk.
The “Year Of” program is created by academic advisors, administrative staff and committee members from different departments of QC to form a Program Planning Committee.
The committee is comprised of academics, whose work relates to the theme, who plan events on the best of what the country or region offers.
The yearly initiative provides students and faculty with an array of events such as lectures, live performances and art exhibitions.
The first event, titled “Silk Roads: Fantasy or Reality? An Introduction to the Year of the Silk Roads” will take place during Free Hour on October 14.
