Professor Vitor Abrantes describes a speech delivered by him at the IAHS World Congress on Housing in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. He addresses his speech to other professors who attended the event. He states how the great island of Madeira has been mentioned in historical evidence regarding the Portuguese discovering the sea route to India. He states that the Portuguese have sought to discover new cultures and connect the world, ranging from the conquest of Ceuta in 1415 to their arrival in Japan in 1543.
