Name
The Marco Polo Drive of Peace, Culture and Sustainable Development
Difficulty Level
Beginner
Certification
Yes
Ongoing
Offered By
SDG Academy
Paid
Course Details
The Marco Polo Drive of Peace, Culture and Sustainable Development, offered by SDG Academy through edX, is an instructor-paced online course designed to accompany the 43-day, 15,000-kilometer Marco Polo Drive from Rome to China’s Greater Bay Area. Across seven modules, learners follow the journey through video lectures filmed at major locations including Rome, Belgrade, Istanbul, Baku, Samarkand, Dunhuang, and Suzhou. Through the lens of the Silk Road, the course explores how cultural exchange, cooperation, and innovation have shaped peace, culture, and sustainable development across Eurasia.
Core Content
The curriculum examines the civilizations, empires, ideas, and technologies that connected Europe and Asia across centuries. Topics include the travels of Marco Polo, the history of the Silk Road, the Mongol Empire, the great dynasties of Central Asia, Chinese civilization, and the technological transformations shaping Eurasia and the world today. The course uses the journey itself as a narrative structure, helping learners connect historical exchange with contemporary questions of peace and sustainable development.
Key Skills
Participants will develop the ability to understand the historical and cultural significance of the Silk Road, interpret the role of cross-cultural dialogue in shaping societies, and connect historical patterns of exchange with present-day sustainable development questions. The course also helps learners build a broader understanding of how culture, cooperation, and innovation can contribute to peace and development in the 21st century.
Target Learners
This course is designed for students, general learners, and professionals interested in history, culture, peacebuilding, and sustainable development. Its accessible and engaging format makes it suitable for those who want a broad interdisciplinary learning experience rather than a highly technical or academically intensive course. It is especially relevant for learners interested in Eurasian history, cultural exchange, and the role of dialogue in global development.
Learning Format
Hosted through edX and SDG Academy, the course is delivered in an instructor-paced online format. The course page lists seven weeks in length, one to two hours of study per week, free access, and no prerequisites. Each module includes a video lecture, a brief quiz, and recommended readings, and learners can also join three live-streamed class meetings with Professor Jeffrey Sachs and Mr. Patrick Zhong. The course runs from June 15, 2026 to August 15, 2026, with learners able to join anytime during that window.
Additional Benefits
The course offers practical value for learners who want a more immersive and timely way to study cultural exchange and sustainable development. Those who successfully complete the course and attend at least two live sessions receive a Marco Polo Drive of Peace certificate signed by Professor Sachs and issued by SDG Academy. Its travel-based structure and live interaction also make it more engaging than a standard recorded history course.
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