The UP Asian Center in partnership with the Orient Institute (Instituto do Oriente) and the Colégio Tropical of University of Lisbon, Portugal will host the online panel discussion, Portugal and Southeast Asia: Shared Histories, Current Synergies on 8 and 9 July 2025, 3 PM to 5 PM (GMT+8), online via Zoom. The event is free and open to the public, but signing in to a (free) Zoom account is required.
ABOUT THE PANEL DISCUSSION
The relationship between Portugal and Southeast Asia spans several centuries, shaped by early maritime expeditions, encounters across diverse cultures, and evolving forms of exchange. Initial contact during the early modern period laid the groundwork for patterns of interaction that extended beyond trade and conquest, influencing language, religion, and local customs. These historical foundations continue to resonate in contemporary contexts, where migration, cultural diplomacy, and bilateral cooperation reflect both enduring ties and new opportunities for engagement. This webinar aims to outline the trajectory of Portugal- Southeast Asia relations by examining their historical roots, intercultural dynamics, and present-day developments.
Objectives
- To trace the historical foundations of Portugal’s presence and engagement in Southeast Asia, particularly during the early modern period.
- To examine the nature and impact of intercultural encounters between Portuguese and Southeast Asian societies, including socio-cultural and economic exchanges.
- To analyze contemporary connections between Portugal and Southeast Asian countries, with emphasis on migration, diaspora communities, and cultural cooperation.
- To identify areas for further dialogue and collaboration rooted in shared histories and present-day regional and transnational frameworks.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS: DAY 1
ARIEL C. LOPEZ, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Asian Center, UP Diliman
Dr. Ariel C. Lopez is an Associate Professor at the Asian Center of the University of the Philippines Diliman, where he also serves as the Assistant to the Dean for Research, Publications, and Information. He earned his Ph.D. in History from Leiden University, Netherlands, in 2018, following a Research MA (MPhil) in History in 2012 and an Advanced BA in History in 2010 from the same institution. Dr. Lopez began his academic journey with a BA in History from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2007. Specializing in Indonesian Studies, colonial and maritime History, Philippine History, and Southeast Asian History, Dr. Lopez has made significant contributions to these fields through his research and publications.
IVO GONÇALVES, Ph.D.
University of Timor-Leste
Ivo commenced his PhD at ANU in 2017. His research project examines Timor-Leste’s history of activism with the focus on the history of student movement, with a working title “Schooling for Revolution: The role of Education in the Struggle for East Timor Independence.” His research interests are history and memory, cultural anthropology, ethnography research, history of student movement, the history of class formation, social impact studies and social movement. He has a Bachelor of Arts (2011), majoring in Development Studies with the thesis entitled “Impact of the Cuban Medical Brigade on Grassroots Healthcare in East Timor.”
ASec. CELIA ANNA M. FERIA
Assistant Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippines
Celia Anna M. Feria has a 35-year career foreign service officer with the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs. She is currently the Assistant Secretary for Cultural Diplomacy at the DFA. Assistant Secretary Feria graduated from the University of San Francisco in California with a degree in Government ( and minored in Latin American Studies), and from the Escuela Diplomatica in Madrid. Her foreign postings include Brasilia, Paris, Madrid, and Lisbon. Assistant Secretary Feria was the Philippine Ambassador to Portugal from May 2017 to October 2023.
STEPHANIE MARIE R. COO, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Ateneo de Manila University
Dr. Stephanie Marie R. Coo is a Filipino Chinese author of the acclaimed book, Clothing the Colony: Nineteenth-Century Philippine Sartorial Culture, 1820-1896 (Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2019), which won the 39th National Book Award for Best Book in History (2022) and the prestigious IIAS-ICAS International Book Prize for Best Book in Humanities (2021), conferred biennially by a consortium of universities led by Leiden University, Netherlands. After earning her Ph.D. in History, mention très honourable avec les félicitations du jury à l'unanimité, from Université Nice Sophia Antipolis in France, Dr. Coo was awarded a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Universidad de Granada in Spain and Ruhr-Universität Bochum in Germany. Currently, she holds an associate professorship at Ateneo de Manila University and conducts research with Centro de Humanidades (CHAM – NOVA FCSH), Universidade Nova de Lisboa in Portugal. Her second book, Seams of Sedition: Sartorial Symbols in José Rizal´s Noli Me Tángere (Ateneo de Naga University Press, 2025), was – and will be – presented at the Leipzig (March 2025) and Frankfurt Book Fairs (October 2025), where the Philippines will be featured as the Guest of Honor Nation.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS: DAY 2
LOURENÇO NORONHA DOS SANTOS, Ph.D.
Deputy Head of Mission and Head of the Consular Section, Embassy of Portugal
Lourenço Noronha dos Santos holds a Master’s Degree in Intellectual Property and is a former lawyer and visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon. Having joined the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2019, he worked in EU and United Nations affairs before being posted to the Embassy of Portugal in Jakarta in 2023, where he is currently the Deputy Head of Mission and Head of the Consular Section, covering also Brunei, the Philippines and ASEAN. In August 2025, he will begin a new posting at the Portuguese Mission to UNESCO, in Paris.
EVI FITRIANI, Ph.D.
Professor of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia
Dr. Evi Fitriani is a Professor of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Indonesia and Head of the Department from 2012 to 2016. She is also the Indonesian Country Coordinator of the Network of East Asian Think-tanks (NEAT), the Track Two of the ASEAN Plus Three (APT). She obtained her PhD from the Australian National University (ANU) in 2011 and was trained in international relations discipline in Indonesia, the UK, and the USA, as well as in Japan, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Hungary. She became a visiting professor at the University of Melbourne (Australia), University of Meiji (Japan), and University of Malaya (Malaysia) as well as a guest professor at Yonsei University (South Korea), University of Maastricht (the Netherlands), Mandalay University (Myanmar), Chuo University (Japan), University of Turin (Italy), National University of Singapore (Singapore), University of Tokyo (Japan), and Beijing University (China). Professor Fitriani’s research interests include Indonesian foreign policy, ASEAN, Asian regionalism and China, Indonesia-Australia relations, and Asia-Europe relations. Her last publications are “Crafting ‘Dynamic Interdependence’: Geopolitical Implications of China’s High-Speed Railway Projects in ASEAN Member Countries” (AJPS 2025), “Indonesia’s Perspective of Further ASEAN–China Cooperation for Joint Prosperity: Envisioning the ACFTA 3.0” (ERIA 2024), and “Climate Change under Indonesia’s G20 Presidency” (Heinrich Boll Stiftung, 2022). Prof. Fitriani is a member of the Board of Editors of Global, Journal of Global Politics (Universitas Indonesia) and East Asian Policy journal (National University of Singapore).
JOEFE B. SANTARITA, Ph.D.
Professor, Asian Center, UP Diliman
Dr. Joefe B. Santarita is a Professor at the Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman. He earned his Ph.D. in South Asian Studies from the National University of Singapore in 2012, following an M.A. in Asian Studies with a focus on Southeast Asia from the same institution in 2004. Dr. Santarita began his academic journey with a B.A. in History-Community Development from the University of the Philippines in the Visayas in 1997. His extensive educational background has equipped him with a profound understanding of Asian cultures, histories, and political economies. Dr. Santarita has made significant contributions to these fields through his research and publications specializing in Indian studies, migration studies, Philippine culture and society, maritime history, and Southeast Asian political economy.
MICHELLE R. PALUMBARIT, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Asian Center, UP Diliman
Dr. Michelle R. Palumbarit is an Associate Professor at the Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman, where she also serves as the Assistant to the Dean for Curriculum and Quality Assurance. She earned her Ph.D. in Political Science and International Relations from Yonsei University in Seoul in 2016, following an M.A. in Korean Studies from the same university in 2012. Before pursuing graduate studies in Korea, she completed a Masters in Asian Studies, specializing in Korea Studies, at the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2007 and a B.A. in History from the University of the Philippines Visayas in 1999. Dr. Palumbarit's research interests encompass Korean studies, Filipino migration to Korea, environmental politics, and Korea-Southeast Asia relations. In addition to her academic roles, she serves as the Director of UP-CIFAL Philippines, where she leads capacity-building initiatives and policy development efforts related to migration and sustainable development.
