An international conference is going to be held by some Iranian universities and higher educational institutes on Caucasus on October 20- 1 in Tabriz.
Welcoming all professors, researchers and students who have thus far contributed articles to the conference, the secreterate of the international conference on ‘Caucasus in the context of history’ said that the international conference on ‘Caucasus in the context of history’ is going to be held by Aran Cultural Institute and the history department of Tabriz university with the cooperation of a number of other Iranian scholarly institutes on October 20 – 1 in Tabriz, said, ISCA News Agency. According to the report, the conference aims to create an amicable atmosphere for Caucasian and other thinkers, to bring about a scholarly atmosphere for assessing the historical documents concerning Caucasian region, to explain scientific facts to remove any historical distortions regarding Caucasian region, to elaborate on the role of Shiism in Caucasus, to determine the role and place of Iran in promoting the culture and historical identity of Caucasus, to find out existing obstacles preventing Iran to establish full scale relations with Caucasian countries and present solutions for overcoming the obstacles and to recognize Iran’s moves in relation with Caucasian developments before and after the Islamic revolution. The conference will focus on these topics: Caucasus historical ties with Iran, historical developments of Caucasus in Safavid Iran, Caucasian developments from the downfall of Safavids to Qajarid era, historical background of Russian intervention in Caucasus and their consequences, historical developments of Caucasus during 19 and 20th centuries, Gulistan and Turkman Chaiy contracts; backgrounds and consequences, Caucasus in documents, travel accounts and historical and geographical myths of Caucasus Aran region from past to present.
In social and cultural areas, the conference will center on these subjects: role of Shiism in cultural and social development of Caucasus, Caucasian ethnicities, role of Iranian classic literature in the formation of Caucasian literature, role and place of Iran in the culture and historical identity of Caucasus, place of Caucasus in cultural matters in Iran and role of Imam Khomein’s thoughts in cultural and social developments of Caucasus.
In political affairs, the conference concentrates on the following:
Geo-politic, geo-strategic and geo-economic place of Caucasus
Caucasus and Golobalization with especial reference to security models
Caucasus’ recent political and security crisis and their impacts on Iran’s national interests
Caucasus; regional and foreign powers
Role of political parties and ideologies in the political developments of Caucasus
Finding the roots of ethnical conflicts in Caucasus
A comparative study of Iran-Russia war and the imposed Iraq-Iran war
Role of elites and public opinion in the formation of foreign policies in Caucasus
Impacts of Islamic revolution of Iran on the political developments of Caucasus
Place of Iran in Qarabagh conflict
Legal regime of Mazendaran’s sea
Those who cooperate with holding this conference are: Islamic open university of Tabriz, Aromiyya university, Mufid university, Payam e Noor university of Tabriz, Caucasian Research Institute of Ardabil, Institute of contemporary historical studies of Iran, Artistic, cultural and social department of metropolis of Tabriz, center of documents and national library or Iran’s north-western region and broadcasting corporation of Eastern Azarbayjan.
Based on the words of some orientalists, the word ‘Caucasus’ is derived from Persian ‘gap ke’ meaning big mountain while in accordance with other observations made by others the term is derived from ‘koh qaf’ a mythical word used in Ferdowsis’ Shahnama. Based on certain observations including Caucasus’ historical, cultural and religious commonalities with Iran, mutual impacts of Caucasus and Iran, Caucasus’ geo-strategic and critical status and the emergence of some distortions in its history, Iranian scholarly institutions have always paid attention to Caucasus. Given this fact, cultural institute of Aran and the history Department of Tabriz University are making efforts in collaboration with other scholarly institutes to hold an international conference on ‘Caucasus in the context of history’. We expect all experts, professors, researchers and the student interested Caucasian affairs to help us aptly hold the conference by making their precious contributions.
