Looking to change up the routine of your typical lazy Sunday? How does an afternoon filled with adventure, culture and discovery sound?
On Oct. 7, Ferris students and community members will have the opportunity to travel along the Silk Road without ever leaving Ferris’ campus. Visitors will tour a global network that spanned from the Roman Empire to the period of the Mongol conquest–over 1,000 years. The event will run from 1 to 5 p.m. and will be held in the IRC Corridor.
BEYOND, a new initiative by the Center for Global Studies and Engagement, presents this Five-Star Event which allows participants to experience the Silk Road with the aid of interactive exhibits, speakers and performers. According to their website, BEYOND is “a community-wide celebration of the history and culture that ties us together as a global society.” The initiative plans to highlight one central global theme each year, and BEYOND’s theme for this year is “A Silk Road Journey.”
With this theme, the program hopes to give Ferris students and the community a greater understanding of how major world civilizations influenced each other over time. The ancient trade route which connects Asia to Europe is a metaphor for globalization, according to Dr. Piram Prakasam, director for the Office of International Education.
“Ideas and goods travelled along the route connecting the past and the present,” Prakasam said. “Through this theme, our goal is to shape the way we see today’s globalized reality from the vantage point of history.”
While at the event, students will be able to discover opportunities to experience different cultures first-hand with Study Abroad. According to Prakasam, Ferris has “redoubled its efforts by investing significant energy and resources in expanding its international opportunities” in recent years. As part of these efforts, the Center for Global Studies and Engagement was formed.
Prakasam said the three primary functions of the center are “to enhance global engagement, strengthen Study Abroad travel opportunities and to be a platform for dialog on global issues.” The goal of “The Silk Road Experience” event is to invite students to study abroad, according to Prakasam.
“All students can benefit from study abroad,” he said. “We want students to go beyond their own classrooms, their own communities and their own interests. We want students to make a connection with what they learn in the classroom to what happens in the world around them.”
For additional information, interested individuals can learn more at ferris.edu/HTMLS/administration/academicaffairs/international/beyond/.
“We hope everyone who comes to the event will walk away with a sense of adventure and curiosity to learn about other cultures,” Prakasam said.