The epochal challenges of contemporary times call for creative and transformative thinking and engagement. The Asian Centre for Cross-Cultural Studies (ACCS) believes that such resources are continuously generated through a process of dialogue and understanding across peoples and cultures and through mutual learning, exchange, and joint participation and involvement. ACCS provides a milieu and conducive environment for reflecting and imaging a different society and earth and a point of encounter among public intellectuals across various disciplines and branches of knowledge.
ACCS will promote dialogue between the Church and the larger society oriented to the transformation of both. It will continuously reflect on evolving social, political, economic, and cultural conditions and facilitate a process of learning from the world by the Church and its pastoral agents. At the same time, it will endeavour to infuse those Gospel values, which are at the bottom human ones, into the stream of societal life.
Scope and Objectives of ACCS
For realising the above vision, ACCS will
1. Contribute through study and continuing research to the dialogue and understanding among cultures and peoples at national and international levels.
2. Will explore how various cultures, religions, and societies of Asia can become a source of critique and hope for each other to evolve a wholistic vision for an all- inclusive world.
3. Bring together scholars, intellectuals and pastoral agents in national and international workshops/conferences/symposia for joint reflection on issues affecting society and nature.
4. Pool together specialized human resources teams and assist wherever our help is required by conducting programmes for particular target groups.
5. Contribute to the evolution of new leadership forms in society and the Church.
6. Engage in cutting-edge research on different social, economic, political, cultural, and pastoral fields to illuminate pressing issues facing the people and help evolve policies and programmes most helpful to the people, especially the poor and the subalterns.
7. Promote inter-disciplinary studies and researches on issues of ethical concern in different areas of contemporary life.
8. Collaborate with institutions, organizations and experts to study the sweeping changes of our times and their impact on families, communities and groups such as youth and the persons with disabilities.
9. Highlight through study and research the cultural resources of marginal peoples and groups.
10. Engage in cultural studies empowering women, migrants, refugees, and other subaltern groups.