StFX philosophy professor Dr. William Sweet was the keynote speaker at the opening session of the Indian Philosophical Congress, held at Annamalai University, Chidambaram, India, in December. The title of his inaugural lecture was “Philosophy's Role in Preserving the Diversity of Cultures.” Some 400 delegates to the Congress were present for the opening sessions which featured representatives from national philosophical organizations, civic leaders, local religious communities, and university officials.
The Indian Philosophical Congress was established in 1925 by Rabindranath Tagore and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and has met almost annually, except for two years during the COVID pandemic, in various locations throughout India. The Congress is the oldest association of philosophers in India and has close ties with the Indian Council for Philosophical Research, a national organization funded by the Ministry of Higher Education.
Professor Sweet, who has published a number of books and articles on intercultural philosophy and theology, and on issues related to human rights, has travelled to and carried out research in South and East Asia, particularly China and India, since the mid-1990s. In his keynote address, he drew on India's contributions to the development of comparative and intercultural philosophical studies, noting how a genuinely intercultural philosophy provides guidelines for communication across cultural boundaries and borders. According to Dr. Sweet, there are many relevant similarities between India and Canada. Both countries have significant diversity in culture and traditions, both have strong ties to Britain and are Commonwealth member nations, both are committed to the recognition of cultural plurality, and both have significant indigenous populations. It is no surprise, then, he says, that both countries seek to preserve a diversity of cultures within a unified nation-state.
Dr. Sweet’s visit was partly subsidized by a grant from the Shastri-Indo Canadian Institute, a bi-national organization, mandated by the governments of India and Canada to promote, facilitate and nurture academic linkages, collaborations and exchanges, research partnerships and networks on bi-national corridors. StFX has been a member of the Institute since 2010. It fosters exchanges of students and faculty, particularly, through funding research in all areas.
The conference was held at Annamalai University, one of the oldest universities in South India, and near to a number of significant temple complexes. The university has played a key role in social, cultural, and economic development of the region for nearly a century.
