Kyrgyz Day

Programme

Co-organised by
Cambridge Central Asia Forum and Embassy of Kyrgyz Republic, London, UK

14:00 – 14:30 Registration and coffee
14:30 – 15:15 Introductory Session: Kyrgyz Republic and Cambridge
Welcome and Introduction to the Kyrgyz Republic and Cambridge

HE Dr Gulnara Iskakova, Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic

Dr S S Saxena, Chairman, Cambridge Central Asia Forum, Jesus College, and Centre of Development Studies, University of Cambridge

Professor Lord Robert Mair, FRS, FREng, CBE, Jesus College and Department of
Engineering, University of Cambridge

Professor Peter Nolan, CBE, Jesus College and Director, Centre for Development
Studies, University of Cambridge

Nick Ray, Convenor, Cambridge Central Asia Forum and Department of Architecture,
University of Cambridge

15:15 – 15:15 History of the Great and Greater Kyrgyz
An Introduction to the Kyrgyz
15:15-15:25 Kurmanjan Datka: Epoch, Personality, Acts - Tursunai Omurzakova,
Director of the National Institute of Humanitarian Researches under the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, Doctor of Historical Sciences
15:25-15:35 Qirgiz Qaghanate (840-1206) – Prajakti Kalra, Head of Research Support, Seminars and Events, Cambridge Central Asia Forum, Jesus College, University of Cambridge
15:35-15:45 Kyrgyz in Contact with Mongol -Yuan Empires – Sally Church, Tutor & International Student Liaison Officer, Wolfson College Affiliated Researcher, CU Faculty of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, Director, Civilizations in Contact

15:45-16:00 Discussion
16:00—16:15 Tea/Coffee Break
16:15 – 17:00 Contact and Interaction with the Kyrgyz Oral and Cultural History of the Kyrgyz
16:15-16:25 Western Travel Literature about Kyrgyz and Kyrgyzstan: Considering New Interpretations and Paradigms - Cholpon Turdalieva, Professor, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Anthropology, American University of Central Asia
16:25-16:35 Life at the Edge of the Empire: Oral Histories of Soviet Kyrgyzstan– Sam Tranum, Four Courts Press, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
16:35-16:45 Kyrgyz and the Altai Traditions – Galina Wood, Research Academic, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

16:45-17:00 Discussion

17:00 – 17:45 Knowledge and Information Resource on the Kyrgyz
British Library and Cambridge University Library Resources on the Kyrgyz
and Turkic people of the Steppe
17:00-17:10 The Kyrgyz through Manuscript and Monograph: Kyrgyz Collections at the British Library- Michael James Erdman, Curator of Turkish and Turkic
Collections of the British Library
17:10 – 17:20 Hidden Sources on Steppe and Central Asian in Cambridge University Library - Yasmin Faghihi, Head of Oriental Section, University Library, University of Cambridge

17:20 – 17:30 Discussion

17:30 – 17:45 Concluding Remarks and Future Prospects between Cambridge and the Kyrgyz Republic by HE Gulnara Iskakova and Dr Siddharth Saxena

17:45 – 19:00 Drinks and Canapés and Documentary Film “Brave Women” by BBC Kyrgyz Services. This documentary film is about the role and place of women in the nomadic culture. The film is to be presented by BBC Kyrgyz Services producer Gulnara Kasmambetova