On 10 May, the EARL celebrated its existence in a particularly solemn way. After two years of ‘testing’ its capacity and ability to live up to expectations, the EARL has been recognised as an institution that can serve as an excellent source of knowledge to the wider community of students, scholars and general public.
The EARL consists of four sections: China Corner Reading Beijing, Japan Corner, Korea Corner, and Taiwan Resource Centre for Chinese Studies.
The programme of inauguration included the welcoming of guests by the Deans of two Faculties that have joined forces to establish the EARL. Professor Roman Kuhar (Faculty of Arts), and Professor Monika Kalin Golob (Faculty of Social Sciences) have greeted guests at the entrance to the EARL. The Deans shared with them their enthusiasm about the present and future of the EARL.
The official programme began with the video presentation of the EARL, made by students of both Faculties. Mirjam Kotar, Chief Co-ordinator of the EARL, Professor Igor Papič, Rector of the University of Ljubljana, and Professor Zlatko Šabič, Director-General of the EARL, have shared their thoughts about the value of the EARL, its vision, and its place at the University of Ljubljana as well as regionally. The guests, who included representatives of EARL partners, ambassadors, senior public officials, members of the business community, students, and prominent Slovenian media then listened to the Keynote Speech, delivered by Professor Anuška Ferligoj, Ambassador of Science of the Republic of Slovenia with valuable connections with colleagues from East Asia. In her address, Professor Ferligoj underscored the inclusive role that the EARL can play for researchers, scholars, students and others interested in the region.
The programme was enriched by the music performed by Ms Florence Gacoin-Marks and dancing by Ryuzo Fukuhara.
The EARL’s motto – knowledge knows no borders – was at the forefront of the ceremony. Together with donors, the EARL strives to offer students, scholars and interested public an opportunity to get to know the East Asian region better. The EARL-ers, ranging from world-renowned academics such as Professors Andrej Bekeš and Jana Rošker to young scholars at the beginning of their path to become experts on East Asia, are determined to stay firm on course to follow this purpose.