On April 27, 1521, forces led by the chieftain Lapulapu fatally wounded the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan on the island of Mactan, near present-day Cebu City, Philippines. This event marks the beginning of the European colonization of the Philippines as well as the beginning of a proud tradition of Filipino resistance.
To commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mactan, the NYU Global Philippine Studies Forum, the Bulosan Center for Filipinx Studies, and Alon: A Journal for Filipinx American and Diasporic Studies will convene the Mactan500 Virtual Conference.
