We live in times of deep and overlapping crises: wars that multiply, inequalities that deepen, climate emergencies that threaten the habitability of the planet, and hate speech that divides entire societies. Given this scenario, the central question of the colloquium could not be more pertinent: is it possible to think philosophically about conditions for a more harmonious, cooperative and less destructive world?
The event's bet is that it is — and that this task requires the contribution of multiple traditions of thought. By bringing together perspectives such as Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, African philosophy, and contemporary political philosophy, the Colloquium assumes that no single tradition has all the answers. Transculturality is not an academic ornament, but an ethical and political requirement. It is about recognizing that dialogue between civilizations is a condition for imagining forms of collective organization that are not based on the domination, exploitation or destruction of the other and of nature.
In addition to the conferences by renowned researchers, the colloquium reserves a space for the presentation of works by graduate students, reaffirming its commitment to the formation of new generations of thinkers capable of moving between different traditions. The event will also include book launches and a final get-together, moments that strengthen the bonds of an engaged academic community.
In a world that so often seems to be heading towards closure, the XII International Colloquium on Oriental Philosophy at Unicamp presents itself as an exercise in openness: for thought, for the other, for the future. We invite everyone to participate in this collective construction of a more cooperative and less destructive horizon, not as a naïve utopia, but as an urgent philosophical and political task.