Turan University holds grandoise conference on Central Eurasian Studies
On June 6-9, 2024, Turan University hosted the Annual Conference of the Central Eurasian Studies Society. Central Eurasian Studies Society (CESS) is a non-government organization, which unites scholars studying a vast region of Central Eurasia, which alongside with Central Asia, includes the Caucasus, Southern Siberia, Volga area, Eastern and Central Europe, Iran, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Tibet, Xinjiang and other countries and territories. It aims at a promotion of communication and interaction between scholars and institutions studying Central Eurasia, development of research on the region and dissemination of academic knowledge on the region in the world.
Since its foundation in 2000, Central Eurasian Studies Society has been holding its Annual Conferences to give a space to scholars from different countries and various fields of research to discuss a wide range of essential issues of the Central Eurasian studies. For a long time, the CESS Annual Conferences were held at the universities in Northern America, while since 2008, it organized simultaneously the regional conferences in the region. Such regional conferences have been held so far at Nazarbayev University in Astana, American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Tashkent, at other universities in Tatarstan, Turkey and Georgia. In 2022, CESS decided to hold its Annual Conference alternately in the Northern America and Central Eurasia, and organize smaller thematic conferences. Turan University became the first university of Central Eurasia, which hosted the full-fledged Annual conference of the Central Eurasian Studies Society. The Annual Conference have been held so far exclusively at the Universities of the USA and Canada.
2024 CESS Conference at Turan University became the largest conference in the history of the Society. The grandiose academic forum of CESS at Turan University gathered more than 450 researchers of Central Eurasia from different parts of the world. 108 thematic panels and pre-Conference workshops worked at the Conference. The working language of the Conference was English. Key-note papers were given by the well-known specialist in the history of Soviet Kazakhstan, Professor of the University of Maryland (USA) Sarah Cameron and Professor of Cultural studies from Turan University, an expert in Central Asian cinematography Gulnara O. Abiekyeva. The welcome addresses at the Opening ceremony were delivered by the Rector of Turan University R. A. Alshanov, the Vice-Rector of the National Academy of the Republic of Kazakhstan L. Yeraliyeva, CESS President A.K. Kamalov, Chairman of the Union of artists of the Republic of Kazakhstan U. Zhabaniyazov. The Book awards meeting announced the best books in the field of Eurasian Studies awarded by CESS.
Turan University offered participants of the CESS Conference very interesting rich cultural program, which included the Exhibition of paintings of the Kazakhstan’s artists and works of the members of the Union of artisans of Kazakhstan, guest lecture on the Kazakh ornament, photo exhibition dedicated to the mountains of Trans-Ili Alatau, concert of the artists of the Uyghur academic theatre of musical comedy named after K. Kuzhamyarov, Almaty city tour and excursion to the Mededo skating rink. The CESS Conference participants outlined unprecedented size of the Annual Conference in Almaty, productive discussions and debates, exchange of ideas at panels and quite high level of organization of the Conference provided by Turan University. Words of gratitude to Turan University continues in social media.
Presently, the Central Eurasian Studies Society unites more than 500 members from various countries, including Central Asian countries. In 2022, for the first time in the history of this global professional organization, a representative of Central Eurasian region a Director of the Center of Regional studies of Turan University, Professor Ablet A. Kamalov was elected the CESS President.
2024 CESS Conference Program can be seen here
The video and photo materials on 2024 CESS Conference are here
