In Poland on November 7-9, 2022, the First North Caucasian Conference was held under the title “Ethno-cultural problems of the Circassian people”. The event took place in the building of the Warsaw University in the Potocki Palace.
The Warsaw conference is the first conference on the Caucasian theme, which did not accidentally start with the Circassian problem. There was a meeting with representatives of the expert elite of the Caucasian region of Poland and some participants of the conference.
The organizers of the scientific conference are the Center for Eastern European Studies of Warsaw University, the Institute of Caucasology of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, the Circassian Cultural Center in Georgia.
Jan Malicki, director of the Center for Eastern European Studies at the University of Warsaw, welcomed all participants and guests of the conference, noting that such a meeting of scientists would be the beginning of future conferences.
Professor of Tbilisi University and director of the CCC Merab Chukhua, professor of Warsaw University David Kolbaya, chairman of the International Circassian Council in the USA Eyad Yogaur, former ambassador in Amman (Jordan) and representative of the international Circassian movement Ishak Mola, head of Adyghe Khase (Kabarda) Ibrahim Yagan, Regional Research University of Russia and the Caucasus in Malmö (Sweden) Karina Vamling.
As part of the opening of the conference, a lecture was held by the lecturer of the Department of Caucasian Studies (Copenhagen, Denmark) Lars Funch Hansen entitled “Colonialism and Indigenous Population: Colonialism and Decolonization in the Russian Empire and the USSR in the 19th and 20th Centuries – Discussion on the Example of the Indigenous Peoples of the Caucasus, including the Circassians ”, as well as a lecture by David Kolbay, professor of the Center for Oriental Studies at the University of Warsaw, “The impact of conflicts in the North Caucasus after the collapse of the USSR on relations between the Caucasian peoples.
Also on the first day, a presentation of new scientific publications about the Caucasus and the inhabitants of the Caucasus in 2021-2022 was held.
Conference languages - Polish, English, Circassian, Georgian, Russian.
The international conference brought together scientists, social activists, journalists from different countries. The program included participants from Poland, Jordan, Turkey, Georgia, USA, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Great Britain, France, as well as from the Circassian republics of Adygea and Kabardino-Balkaria. In the context of the global change in the modern world about the prospects of the Circassian project itself, an extensive report based on Georgian-Circassian relations was presented by prof. Merab Chuhua.
All the presented topics of speeches dealt directly with the Circassians, Circassia, Circassian issues. For example, questions and answers of the Circassian question, the reflection of the war in Ukraine on the Circassians, the Circassian toponymy of the Black Sea coast, “khabze” as the basis of the Circassians’ identity, studies on the Circassians of the diaspora in Turkey, Jordan, Iran, the Circassians in Polish journalistic, scientific and literary publications of various centuries, Circassian subjectivity, prospects for the development and preservation of the nation, and many other important topics.
Many topics aroused keen interest and discussions.
At the end of the second working scientific day, a round table was held under the leadership of Eyad Yogaur, where Circassians from different countries participated and the participants discussed the project and the prospect of recognizing the Circassian genocide in the countries of the world, including the Parliament of Poland. Topical issues of culture, science and the situation of the Circassians today were discussed, where everyone was able to indicate their point of view in all these areas.
The history of the Circassian resolution, which has been developed in the diasporas of different countries since 2016, and the discussion of which will continue in the United States in the Circassian Adyghe Khase, was also discussed.
The result of the scientific conference was the idea of creating the Prize named after the Polish officer who fought on the side of the Circassians during the Russian-Circassian war in the 19th century, Teofil Lapinsky, which will be established in the USA and will be awarded for the best scientifically based work on the Circassian theme.
Source: Circassian Press
