The International Congress of East European Studies (CIEES), the first of the congresses planned within the International East European Research Platform (PIEES), was held at the Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University in Ukraine. Although academicians and historians which came from mainly ukraine and turkey included in the congress, many academicians and historians which came from another parts of the Eastern European also participated in the congress.
CIEES-2018 consisted of five main sections: Opening Ceremony, Presentations, Closing Session, Closing Cocktail and Sightseeing,.
- OPENING CEREMONICS
The opening ceremony of CIEES-2018 was held at the Council Hall of Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University, at 09.00 am on December 21st
At the opening, the vice rektor Prof. Dr. Petro Beh gave a speech on behalf of the Rector of Taras Shevchenko University, Prof. Dr. Leonid V HUBERSKY. Also, Dean of the Faculty of History of the Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University, Prof. Dr. Ivan Patrylak, and Prof. Dr. Yuri KOCHUBEY, one of the Turkish-friendly lecturers of the NAS Ahatanhel Krymsky Institute of Oriental Studies, made a speech on behalf of the Ukrain side.
Turkey’s Ambassador to Kiev Yönet CanTEZEL, Prof. Dr. Mustafa ÖZTÜRK which is Dean of the Faculty of Science and Arts of Izmir Democracy and Department Chair of History and Prof. Dr. Yücel ÖZTÜRK from Department of History of Sakarya University and Ender KORKMAZ which is chairman of Kiev Yunus Emre Institute, took part in the opening ceremony on behalf of the Turkish side.
The Vice-Rektor Petro Beh, who conveyed the views of the Rector, Leonid V. HUBERSKY, greeted the participants and expressed their views on the congress. He stated that he was honored to host CIEES-2018 and that the communiqués to be presented at this congress will further research his discipline and make a great contribution to the world of science. “ The Vice-Chancellor continued: una As the Rector of Taras Shevchenko National University, I was very excited when I was informed about this congress and opened the doors of our institution to this science feast. The high level of participation and the diversity in the number of participants are also very happy. Both Turkey’s Ambassador to Kiev and the deputies of the Ukrainian Parliament are here and this shows the importance of this congress.
The Vice-Rektor stated that Eastern European research is of great importance for all the states and nations in this region, especially in Ukraine, and the development and further development of the works in this field are of great importance in the development of relations in the international context as well as the scientific community.
In his last part of the speech, the Vice-Rektor expressed his gratitude for the contributions of all the scientists in the congress organizing committee and stressed the importance of the congress for the scientific community and the region.
Then Ivan Patrylak hold the floor. Patrylak: after the greeting, referring to the process related to the emergence of PIEES and CIEES, “the first Eastern European Studies Congress in Sakarya in the previous years, was realized with the support and contributions of Sakarya University. At the congress we understood that there are many issues that need to be written, discussed, researched and discussed in the context of Eastern European Studies. CIEES-2018, which is the second of the correct European Studies Congress, is held in Ukraine and at the Taras Shevchenko National University. In this respect, I would like to thank the university administration once again for providing this environment.”
Patrylak argues that Eastern Europe is a very important place in the world, both geopolitically and strategically. He said that the geography had a great cultural heritage from the first ages to the present day. Patrylak stated that there is still a need for more scientific studies for the region, and that he believes that only the scientists who are interested in the region from all over the world can do this in a coordinated and systematic manner. Professor Patrylak, the Dean of the Faculty of History, stated that he did not have any doubts about the successful completion of the congress and expressed his gratitude to all the institutions and organizations that contributed to the congress.
The last speaker of the opening ceremony was the Ambassador, Yönet Can Tezel. Tezel, in her highly regarded speech, focused on the current dimensions of international relations, international alliances and universal values. In his speech, the passages drew attention: “The organizers of the Congress were kind enough to give me the opportunity to go beyond the diplomatic opening speech. In this way, I will try to contribute to the congress about the issues that I think are relevant to the discussions on international politics in 15 minutes. Although this is an academic meeting, I am not an academic. In this respect, I will share my personal thoughts and put my official identity in the second plan.”
The Ambassador maintained his words by pointing out the problems of European and American failure to implement the international system. He pointed out that the failures in solving the problems faced by the international liberal order represented by Europe and America led to the spread of liberalism and its liberal democracy. In addition to economic and social problems, the US and Europe have failed to solve the problems of xenophobia, racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and similar problems among the main problems of the world.
In his speech, the Ambassador gave a lot of space to the West and East-based theoretical debates about the failure of Western universalism and concluded his remarks on the Post Modern challenges.
Without Yuri KOCHUBEY, great scholar and permanent participants of the history symposiums between Turkey and Ukraine, this opening could not reach the goal. Kochubey, after warm friendship greeting and messages said: “Turkey – Ukraine cooperation with intensive academic study that have continued nearly since ten years, now reac its climax. In these studies, the contribution of Turkish friends is great and important and we aware of this the contribution and we appreciate. Our Turkish friends hosted to us many time.Now we are proud of hosting them at a high level in our country. We want to maintain our belief that history studies will continue. We believe that the conference will be successful and we sincerely welcome all our friends.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Ozturk, who made the first speech on behalf of the Turkish side, referred to the 2017 Kamanice and Kiev symposia, which were instrumental in the establishment of the PIEES, after the greeting, and said: “Last year we visited Ukraine because of our scientific meeting with our colleagues who were among us. The idea of establishing a scientific platform for Eastern Europe among Turkish and Ukrainian academicians participating in the symposium came about at that time. The valuable scientists of Kiev Taras Shevchenko University, who we visited previously, supported the idea. Today we live together a very meaningful practice of this idea. The biggest wish is to make these scientific meetings and mutual visits traditional.”
Öztürk pointed out that the Eastern European studies were almost in the second plan and that the current work was born from a need. In his words, Professor Öztürk emphasized that the history of the colonialist states, which have become more and more global power today, has been brought to the forefront and that history is composed of the histories of these countries. Continuing his words in the same context, Öztürk said, We may have the opportunity to get to know each other more closely by carrying our common history to the present day.
Öztürk stated that the relations of nations with each other depend on the stages such as recognition and promotion in the field of education-culture, establishment of economic and political cooperation and he concluded his speech by pointing out that the symposium was the biggest contribution to this field.
The opening ceremony continued with the speech of Prof. Dr. Yücel Öztürk. Öztürk devoted his first statements about the symposium to the birth and purpose of PIEES. In this context, he said: The present convention, the first work of the Platform, is a continuation of nearly twenty years of uninterrupted work. At the end of these studies we have reached an important level. In this regard, the proudest development is sturdy bridges between Ukraine and Turkey academics. We are proud of this bridge.
Öztürk continued his speech by pointing out PIEES ‘mission and objectives, and gave a link between PIEES’ Logo and its mission. Ozturk dominant figure in the logo icon of the bridge, which was established between Ukraine and Turkey, he said represented the aim of spreading the academic cooperation with all Eastern European countries. He stated that the main aim of PIEES is to contribute to the development of researches on the history, culture and civilizations of the communities in Eastern Europe. Öztürk devoted the last part of his speech to PIEES ‘Eastern European-based work, which covers areas other than symposia, and gave brief information on the JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL EASTERN EUROPEAN STUDIES (JIEES), which is another important cultural study area. He also pointed out that PIEES also aimed at panels, workshops and similar works. Ozturk finished his speech with thanks speech.
- PRESENTATIONS
The presentations took place in two stages. The first stage was held on September 21st in the halls of the Taras Sevchenko University. The first session of the presentations was related toEastern Europe’s geographical borders, ethnic and cultural roots, the changes undergone by the date of Turkey and the Ukrainian nation. The Scientific Opening Session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Orhan KILIÇ and 7 academicians presented their scientific papers.
Subsequent presentations were made in five different halls. In the halls I, II, III, IV, V, two sessions were held in each session with 5 or 6 participants. Approximately 60 papers were presented and discussed in 10 sessions.
Following the presentations of the papers, discussions on the sources of Eastern European history from the encyclopedic sources to manuscripts and literature were made. Hungary, Albania, Poland, USA, Crimea, Ukraine and Turkey historians have the opportunity to share their views on science resource issues. The second phase of the presentations was held on September 22 in the halls of the National Library of Kiev. The presentation schedule of the second day, which was planned for half a day, was administered as two sessions in four different halls, each with four presentations. On the second day, 32 participants presented their presentations in 8 sessions. Thus, when the opening session was added, up to 100 presentations were held in the two-day symposium program.
- CLOSING SESSION
he closing session under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Orhan Kilic, Prof. Dr. Yucel Ozturk, Prof. Dr. Ferhat Turanli, PhD. Taras Pshenychnyy turned into a magnificent arena with the participation of all participants. The researchers, who spontaneously developed their ideas during the sessions, expressed their thoughts with an intense desire. Each thought paved the way for the birth of other thoughts. The closing session had more than doubled the planned time without losing its excitement and dynamism.
Prof. Dr. Orhan Kilic has pointed out that Turkish Historical Society, the most active institutions of this support in Turkey in the history of the area, financially support the Congress and thanked on behalf of the participant the Turkish Historical Society President Prof. Dr. Refik TURAN. Kılıç emphasized the issue of joint work and said that it was necessary for the parties to actively and equally support this cooperation. In this context, he expressed his regret that some academicians did not attend the meeting by some of the academicians. Stating that PIEES is open to academicians in all Eastern European countries, Prof. Dr, the next congress will probably be another East European country.
Professor Dr. Viktor Krukov stated that it is necessary to examine Turkish history not as a whole, but as a period, and he proposed to examine the Ottoman history separately as an example. Professor Krukov stressed the need for joint efforts and stressed that the Ukrainian side had deficiencies in the Ottoman and Arabic sources as well as the fact that they should start working in this direction as soon as possible. Then spoke Mustafa Öztürk, drew attention to the importance of institutionalizing in History Research ad he joined Viktor Krukov ideas, and said that an institution would be required to pass a practical and wishes of Turkey and Ukraine. Professor Dr. Öztürk offered to hold congresses every 2 years.
Albanian, Hungarian, Polish, Turkish, Ukrainian academics made proposals to conduct PIEES’s subsequent conferences in their own country.
The PIEES board said they would be evaluated.
- COCKTAIL
The closing cocktail, which was held under the supervision of an organization called Assambly of Nationalities of Ukraine, operating in the name of the brother country of Azerbaijan, was a wide participation and fun. The tiredness created by the intense presentations in two days could only be taken with such a thoughtful closing program.
In closing, Ukraine’s veteran researchers Prof. Dr. Yuriy Kochubey, Prof. Dr. Victor Krugov, and Prof. Dr. Ferhat Turanly expressed their sincere feelings and satisfaction with the symposium. Mustafa Öztürk and Yucel made short speeches on behalf of Turkey and PIEES Ozturk in the cocktail about friendship and brotherhood content , the living memories of the beauty and emphasized the sincerity. Yücel Öztürk expressed his thanks to the President Assambly of Nationalities of Ukraine for organizing the cocktail.
Rovshan TAGIYEV, the head of the Ukrainian National Assembly gave an intimate and emotional speech in the cocktail,, expressing his pleasure in this kind of work. The cocktail continued to entertain until the evening.
- TRIP
The third day of the symposium was devoted to the whole tour. The historical museums and historical monuments of Kiev were visited, and after the noon at the historical market, one of the oldest places in Kiev was visited, and after that, a trip to the Dnieper was made.
The boat, which was reserved for CIEES participants, was enough to see the magnificent scenery and historical artifacts on the bank of the river Özü. CIEES participants returned to their country at the end of the same day.