The fifth annual Central Asia Conference at the University of Montana begins Thursday and continues through Saturday morning.
The event is free and open to the public, and all events will be held in the University Center.
For a complete conference schedule, go to www.umt.edu/oip/events/centralasiaconference.htm. or call 243-2299.
The following is a schedule of topics that will be discussed:
Thursday
- 3:30-5 p.m.: “Georgia at the Crossroads.”
- 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Musical performance and presentation of the mugham musical tradition of Azerbaijan.
- 7:30-9:30 p.m.: “Central Asia and Its Geopolitical Impact on the Caucasus and the Middle East.”
Friday
- 10-11:30 a.m.: “The Interpretation of Nature, Space and Time in Kazakh Culture.”
- Noon-1 p.m.: “Historical Relations Between the Caucasus and Central Asia.”
- 1-3 p.m.: “Kyrgyzstan in Transition.”
- 3-5 p.m.: “Whither Azerbaijan: Kuwait on the Caspian.”
- 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Jeffrey Werbock, noted authority on Azerbaijani culture and president of the U.S.-based Mugham Society, speaks on music and artistic culture of Azerbaijan.
- 7:30-9:30 p.m.: “Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East: Policy Challenges for the United States”
Saturday
- 10 a.m.-noon: Roundtable discussion.
By BETSY COHEN of the Missoulian
Academics and diplomats from places such as Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and other distant lands will be in Missoula this week for the fifth annual Central Asia Conference at the University of Montana.
The three-day international gathering gets under way Thursday and serves as a platform to exchange ideas and talk about trends and challenges facing Central and Southwest Asia.
“This is an important event for us here at UM,” said Mehrdad Kia, director of the university's Office for International Programs and organizer of the event. “The conference not only showcases the depth and strength of our Central and Southwest Asian Studies program at the University of Montana, but it also serves as an important program that allows diplomats, analysts and scholars to build bridges among themselves through UM and this program.”
On Friday night in the University Center Ballroom, keynote speaker Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher will give an address titled “Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East: Policy Challenges for the United States.”
Among the other luminaries participating in the conference will be the consul general of Azerbaijan, ambassadors to the United States from Georgia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia's ambassador to the United Nations.
“We are very honored to have such distinguished guests,” Kia said. “This is a wonderful lineup of educated and informed people.”
Understanding central and southwestern Asia is increasingly important in our global economy, Kia said. Not only is the region steeped in ancient history, it's rich in natural resources. And with the collapse of the Soviet Union and increasing American military involvement in the area, the region has become strategically important to U.S. policy, he said. Despite this evolution, the Persian Basin is one of the most neglected curricula in American colleges and universities, he said.
Conferences such as UM's are a major step in bridging the knowledge gap, Kia said.
“We want to incrementally expand and deepen our involvement with that part of the world and to bring not only more understanding and knowledge to Missoula and the United States,” Kia said, “but also to bring more students through our new contacts, partnerships and collaborations.”
The events, which are sponsored by UM, the Montana Committee for the Humanities, Title VI and U.S. Department of Education grants, are open to the public.
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