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International Confrence “Islam, Conflicts, Peace Mediation” has been convened in Kazan, capital of Tatarstan (Russia) by the International Pugwash, Russian Pugwash Committee, International Federation for Peace and Conciliation, Center for Political and International Studies, with assistance from Academy for State Governance under the President of Tatarstan, with co-sponsorship by the Inter4national Pugwash and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.

Conference was attended by about 50 experts from 12 countries (Russia, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Germany, Iran, Kirgyzstan, Oman, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan) and three international organization. Both Pugwash Secretary General Paolo Cotta-Ramusino and Pugwash Council Chair Saideh Lotfian participated at the meeting.

Conference participants were received on the high state level in Tatarstan: they were invited to visit Tatarstan Parliament (State Council), Presidential Administration of Tatarstan (at the President’s palace conference participants were received by Dr.Rafael Khakimov, State Counselor on Ideological Affairs to the President of Tatarstan).

Participants were greeted at the Kol-Sharif Mosque by the Imam of this main Muslim mosque in Russia and Rinat Valliulin, President of the State Council on the Religious Affairs under the Government of Tatarstan addressed the conference.

Conference promoted the inter-religious dialogue, as far as it included open debates between the officials of the Muslim religion of Tatarstan and officials of the Russian Orthodox Church which especially arrived from Moscow for this conference.

Conference program included visit to the Russian Muslim University of Kazan and debates with professors of this unique for Russian Islamic teaching establishment.

Conference sessions were convened at the Academy of State Governance under the President of Tatarstan and were opened by Academy’s Rector Prof. Yershov. Several dozens of University professors, teachers and post-graduates attended sessions.

Debates at the conference included such “hot” topics as role of Islamic factor in conflicts on the territory of the Post-Soviet states (especially conflicts in Chechnya, Dagestan, Central Asia), comparative studies of political involvements of Muslim forces in conflicts (and conflict mediation) in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan/India, Middle East and in New Independent States. Inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue was discussed s one of the ways to provide peaceful solution to conflict areas. Role of both inter-governmental (UN, CSTO, etc.) and non-governmental (Pugwash) organizations in conflict mediation was presented and discussed.

Conference contributed to overcoming of primitivism and simplification of “conflict of civilization” scheme, correction of the image of Islam in the Russian public opinion. It allowed Russian-based Muslim community and Muslim officials to get in deeper dialogue with their foreign counterparts from Middle East and Central/South Asian countries. Conference allowed to the International Pugwash to play its mediatory and interface role among representative of various political forces, religions, state authorities and NGO’s.

Conference got very positive coverage in the press in Tatarstan: major national newspapers and TV channels covered the conference and published interviews with it’s participants. Conference also allowed to exchange and disseminate 14 analytical papers especially prepared by it’s participants from various countries.

Full conference program with speakers, visits and title of analytical papers presented is attached.

 

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Islam, Conflicts, Peace Mediation

Conference Program

January 26, Saturday

14:00 – 16:00 – Visit to the Kazan State University, meeting at the Rectorat, excursion to the Museum of Rare Ancient Manuscripts and to the Library

 

January 27, Sunday

12:30 -13:30  Visit to Kol-Sharif Mosque, meeting with Imam of the Mosque, excursion around Museum in the Mosque.

13:30 – 14:30 Lunch at the city restaurant

14:30 – 15:30 Bus excursion around the city

15:30 – 17:30 Visit to the Russian Islamic University.

Meeting/discussion on Muslim education with Vice-Rector (Prof. Marat Gilmanov), professors and department heads of the University.

18:00 – 20:00    Dinner at the city restaurant on the shore of Volga River.

 

January 28, Monday

09:00 Gathering at the Reception of “Shalyapin” Hotel. Board bus.

09:30 – 10:30  Visit to the State Council (Parliament) of Tatarstan .

10:45 – 11:00 Conference participants registration at the Academy for State Municipal Management. Tea, coffee.

11:00 – 11:30  Conference opening

Welcome and Introduction, Prof. Andrey YERSHOV, Rector of the Academy for State Municipal Management under the President of the Republic of Tatarstan

Welcome and Introduction, Rafael HAKIMOV, State Counselor to the President of the Republic of Tatarstan

Introductory remarks, Alexander NIKITIN, President of the Russian Political Science Association, Professor of the MGIMO University; Council member, Pugwash

 

11:30 – 14:00 Session 1.

Islamic Factor in Spread and Settlement of Conflicts

1.1 Transformation of Nationalist and Liberation Struggles into Conflicts with Religious Element

Amb. Najmuddin SHAIKH, Senior Vice President, Karachi Council of Foreign Relations, former Foreign Secretary of the Government of Pakistan, member of Board of Governors, Institute for Strategic Studies, former Ambassador of Pakistan to Iran, to the USA, to the FRG, to Canada (Pakistan)

1.2 Muslim Political and Religious Forces in Conflict-Prone Regions (cases of Central Asia)

Akylbek SALIEV, Director, Institute for Strategic Analysis and Forecasts (Kyrgyzstan)

Parviz MULLODJANOV, Director, the Public Committee for the Promotion of Democratic Processes in Tajikistan (Tajikistan)

1.3 Conflicts around Iran

Saideh LOTFIAN, Chair of the Pugwash Council, Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, Professor of Teheran University (Iran)

1.4          Conflicts and Muslim Factor in South Caucasus

Arif YUNUSOV, Head, Conflicts and Migration Studies Department, Institute for Peace and Democracy (Azerbaijan)

14:00 – 15:00 Lunch (participants are transported by van to the Kazan’ Kremlin, “Kremlyovskoe” café)

15:00 – 17:30   Session 2

Islam, State and Security in the Russian Federation

2.1 Relations between State and Religion in Conditions of Civil Society Formation

Rinat NABYIEV, History of Tatrstan Chair, Kazan’ State university

2.2 The State and Islam in Russia in Times of Globalization

Zaid ABDULAGATOV, Department Head, Institute for History, Archeology and Ethnography, Dagestanian Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Dagestan, North Caucasus, Russian Federation)

2.2  Extremism and Terrorism in North Caucasus

Abdulla ISTAMULOV, Head of the Center for Strategic Studies and Promotion of Civil Society on North Caucasus (Chechnya, North Caucasus, Russian Federation)

2.3  History and Comparative Role of Islam and Muslim Communities in Russia and Other  Countries

Hakan KIRIMLI, Professor of history,   Bilkent University (Turkey)

17:30 Bus ride to Kazan’Kremlin (with short stop at the hotel on the way)

18:15 – 19:00 Visit to the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Tatarstan hosted by the State Counselor to the President of Tatarstan Rafael HAKIMOV (foreign participants only)

19:00 – 21:00 Conference Dinner-Reception at the Kazan’ Kremlin (upper level of the “Kremlevskoe”)

 

 

January 29, Tuesday

09:40 Gathering at the Reception of the “Shalyapin” Hotel

10:00 – 14:00      Session 3

Mediatory Peace Activities of  International Organizations

3.1 United Nations  Peace-keeping and Peace-building Actions: multilateral efforts in Afghanistan

Abul Ahrar RAMIZPOOR, Human Rights Officer, UNAMA Central Region Office (Afghanistan)

3.2  Stability and Inter-Islamic Dialogue in the Gulf region

Mohammed Said Harib al MAHRUQY, member of the Consultative Commission of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Oman)

3.3          International Pugwash: Unique Mediatory Role

Paolo COTTA-RAMUSINO, Secretary General, Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs (Italy)

12:00 – 12:30 Break (tea, coffee)

3.4 National and International NGOs in promotion of global and regional   security

Victor KAMYSHANOV, President, International Federation for Peace and Conciliation

3.5  Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) as the Key Element in Russia’s Regional Security

Maxim ANDREEV, Head of the Department of law, history and political science,  Academy for State Municipal Management under the President of Tatarstan

3.6 Competitive / Supplementary Roles of Collective Security Treaty Organization, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other International Organizations in Central Asia and Eurasia

Alexander NIKITIN, President, Russian Political Science Association

14:00 – 15:00 Lunch (Participants are transported by van to the Kazan’ Kremlin, café “Kremlyovskoe”)

15:00 – 17:00 Session 4.

Promoting Inter-Religious and Inter-Cultural Dialogue

4.1 Issues of War and Peace, Violence and Appeasement in Islam and Muslim World

VALIULLA Hazrat , Deputy Head of Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Tatarstan

4.2 Russian Orthodox Church and Muslim spiritual values – dialogue of religions and cultures.

Alexander MAKAROV, Department for External Church Relations, Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow)

4.3 Inter-confessional Alienation and Religious Leaders (Case of Central Asia)

Bakhtiyar BABAJANOV, Leading Research Fellow, Islamic Studies Department,  Institute of Oriental Studies, Uzbek Academy of Sciences (Uzbekistan)

4.5 Role of Mass Media in Spread and Settlement of Conflicts

Abeer YASSIN, Researcher, Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies (Egypt)