Idea
The concept of Navarrian Disputes stems from the time of the origins of first universities. In medieval times lecturers assumed the responsibility of organizing both private and public disputes during the academic year. Discussion topics were chosen either by lecturers themselves or by students.
The Navarrian Disputes take place every month throughout the academic year of 2009 – 2010 in Toruń and Bydgoszcz.
Lectures are delivered by research workers and professors from different faculties of the University of Navarre in Pamplona, Spain. The lectures embrace topics ranging from the fields of exact and natural sciences to the humanities. The Navarrian Disputes are set in such a wide context so that they would constitute an important scientific and cultural event in Toruń and its vicinity.
Following the example of medieval disputes, each participant may influence the course of the discussion; pose questions and search for answers. It is also possible to contribute to the discussion by sending an e-mail to the following address: dysputa@gmail.com.
The Disputes may in the future evolve into a regional initiative. The organizers are already planning to hold meetings of secondary school students (from both gimnazjum and liceum) with the Spanish professors. The meetings will be organized in collaboration with the Chopin Centre in Szafarnia. They are to serve the purposes of introducing young people to academic disputes and preparing them for future participation in the Navarrian Disputes. It is not by chance that Szafarnia is mentioned in connection with the Disputes. The Disputes themselves are part of the St. James’s Way in that they are an attempt at realizing the concept of a “marching university”. The term was coined during the conference devoted to Camino de Santiago, which was held in Szafarnia on October 24, 2009. It was in Szafarnia that a decision was made to commemorate the St. James’s Way through a series of lectures and disputes pertaining to Camino. The organizers wish to pursue the goal of enriching the modern day pilgrimage through endowing it with substance.