Forums & Events
Revolt in Central Asia: The Cataclysm of 1916
CACI FORUM
Revolt in Central Asia:
The Cataclysm of 1916
Wednesday, June 8, 2016, from 5 to 7 p.m.
(reception at 5 p.m., followed by the main program at 5:30)
A century ago, at the time of World War I, hundreds of thousands of Central Asians – Kazakhs, Tajiks, Turkmen, Uzbeks, and above all Kyrgyz – perished when they revolted against the tsarist Russian government's attempt to draft them into the army. Besides those who were killed outright, tens of thousands of Kyrgyz men, women, and children died trying to escape over treacherous mountain passes into China.
Soviet authorities have long suppressed Information on the 1916 revolt, but its Centennial has generated fresh interest, marked by seminars, mass meetings, and publications. Russia, in the meantime, has closed relevant archives and offered the curious thesis that the revolt was actually directed not against Russian rule, but against the authority wielded by the indigenous Turkic bourgeoisie.
The Central Asia-Caucasus Institute marks the centennial of the tragic loss of Central Asian life with two major publications: a new edition of the book The Revolt of 1916 in Russian Central Asia by Edward Dennis Sokol, with foreword by Dr. S. Frederick Starr (JHU Press); and a Silk Road Paper entitled Central Asia in Revolt: the Cataclysm of 1916, edited by Zamira Sydykova. Both of these publications will be presented and discussed at this forum.
This event can now be viewed on the SAIS Events YouTube channel.
Speakers will include:
Zamira Sydykova, Ambassador, Editor in Chief, Res Publica Newspaper
Dr. Prof. Mirzokhid Rakhimov, Visiting Fulbright scholar at Central Asia-Caucasus Institute/Head of the Dept. for Contemporary History and International Relations, Institute of History, Academy of Sciences, Uzbekistan.
Moderator: S. Frederick Starr, Chairman, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute.
Rome Building Auditorium
SAIS - Johns Hopkins University
1619 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20036
Click here to RSVP and register
The Revolt of 1916 in Russian Central Asia
Edward Dennis Sokol, with a foreword by S. Frederick Starr
Paperback, 208 pages, 1 map
ISBN:9781421420509
May 2016
Follow this link to order a copy of the book
Strategic Pillars of Security for Georgia: Trans-Atlantic Integration, Economy, Democracy
Levan Mikeladze Foundation for the Caucasus Studies
and
Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at Johns Hopkins SAIS
invite you to participate in the conference
Strategic Pillars of Security for Georgia:
Trans-Atlantic Integration, Economy, Democracy
Thursday, May 12, 2016
1:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Kenney Auditorium
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
1740 Massachusetts Ave, NW, 20036
Washington, DC
Conference Program
1:00 – 1:15
Registration / Check-in
1:15 – 1:30
Welcome: Mamuka Tsereteli, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute
Tina Mikeladze, Levan Mikeladze Foundation for Caucasus Studies
1:30 – 3:00
Georgia and Strategic Environment in the Black Sea-Caspian Region
Moderator: S. Enders Wimbush, Founder, Stratevarious/Member of the Advisory Board, LMF
Discussants: Kurt Volker, McCain Institute, Former US Ambassador to NATO
James MacDougall, Professor, National War College
Amb. William Courtney, Former US Ambassador to Georgia
Amb. Archil Gegeshidze, Ambassador of Georgia to the US
Svante Cornell, Director, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute
Job Henning, Fellow, Truman National Security Project
Glen Howard, President, Jamestown Foundation
Brenda Shaffer, Visiting Professor, Georgetown University
3:00 – 3:45
Remarks: Bridget Brink, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
David Bakradze, State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration
David Dondua, Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations, Georgia
3:45 – 4:00 Coffee Break
4:00 – 5:30
Internal Factors of Security in Georgia: Conflicts, Economy, Democracy
Moderator: Elizabeth Kvitashvili, President, Georgian Association in the USA
Discussants: Stephen Nix, Director for Eurasia, IRI
Melissa Muscio, Senior Manager, Caucasus and Central Asia, NDI
Jeffrey Mankoff, Senior Fellow, CSIS
George Khelashvili, DCM, Embassy of Georgia
Danica Starks, Policy Team Director for Eurasia, Dept. of Commerce
Kenneth Angell, Managing Director, SMEF, OPIC
Eftychis Gregos-Mourginakis, Executive Director, America-Georgia Business Council
Miriam Lanskoy, Senior Director for Eurasia, National Endowment for Democracy
David Soumbadze, Director, Rumsfeld Fellowship Program, CACI/LMF
5:30 - 5:45
Closing Remarks: S. Frederick Starr, Chairman, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute
5:45 – 7:00
Closing Reception, sponsored by Georgian Association in the USA
Georgian Association Annual Award Ceremony with Co-chairs of the Georgia Caucus in the House of Representatives: Congressman Ted Poe, R-Texas, Congressman Gerry Connolly, D-Virginia
Please register using this link.
Lecture and Book Signing by Dr. S. Frederick Starr, “Lost Enlightenment: Central Asia's Golden Age from the Arab Conquest to Tamerlane”
*** Special Announcement from CACI ***
The Near East Section of the African and Middle Eastern Division
at the Library of Congress
AND
Roshan Institute for Persian Studies at the University of Maryland
Present:
“The Persian Book Lecture Series” 2016 Focus: Literature and Performing Arts
Lecture and Book Signing by
Dr. S. Frederick Starr, speaking on his book “Lost Enlightenment: Central Asia's Golden Age from the Arab Conquest to Tamerlane”
Thursday, May 5th, 2016
12:00 noon - 1:00 pm
Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building,
African Middle Eastern Reading Room, LJ-220
10 First Street, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20003
Free and Open to the Public
For Information Contact: Hirad Dinavari [202-707-4518 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.]
Please allow time to clear security
Request ASL and ADA accommodation five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
TRANSIT FORUM: Trans-Caspian East-West Trade and Transit Corridor
TRANSIT FORUM with the Embassies of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Turkey
Thursday, 28 April, 2016, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Central Asia, Caspian, South Caucasus and Black Sea regions together form a strategically important transit corridor between China and Europe. Connecting trade, people and economies, the modern trans-Caspian trade and transit routes from China to Europe, envisages an extensive and integrated network of infrastructure, special economic zones, harmonized customs, and cross-border procedures along this route.
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Turkey combined represent a market of more than 110 million consumers. These countries are able to offer customized and integrated solutions to companies with highly sophisticated supply chains.
Video of the forum can now be viewed on the SAIS Events YouTube channel.
On Thursday, April 28, 2016, the Embassies of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Turkey to the U.S.A., are organizing the “Trans-Caspian East-West Trade and Transit Corridor” Forum in Washington, D.C., in partnership with the World Bank Group, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Council for International Understanding, Boeing Company, U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce, AmCham Azerbaijan, America-Georgia Business Council, U.S.-Kazakhstan Business Association, AmCham Kazakhstan, AmCham Georgia, and Turkish-American Business Association/AmCham Turkey.
This special all-day forum, hosted by the Central Asia and Caucasus Institute at SAIS-Johns Hopkins University, will introduce projects and investments along the modern Silk Road to U.S. business leaders across a variety of multinational industries.
Speakers at this special forum include: Ambassador Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan; Ambassador Archil Gegeshidze, Georgia; Ambassador Kairat Umarov, Kazakhstan; Ambassador Serdar Kılıç, Turkey; Mr. Gary Litman, VP, US Chamber of Commerce; S. Frederick Starr, Chairman, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, JHU-SAIS; Dr. Taleh Ziyadov, Director-General, Baku International Sea and Trade Port; Mr. Rauf Valiyev, Chairman, Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping; Mr. Mamuka Bakhtadze, CEO, Georgian Railways; Ms. Ketevan Salukvadze, Head of Transport Policy Dept., Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development; Mr. Askar Mamin, President, Kazakhstan Railways; Mr. Sanzhar Yelubayev, President of KTZ Express; Mr. Osman Nuri Beyhan, Deputy Director General for EU and International Affairs, Ministry of Customs and Trade; and others TBA.
Schedule, Thursday, 28 April 2016:
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Continental breakfast
9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Welcome by the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, the US
Dept of State, Ambassadors of Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Kazakhstan, and Turkey, and representatives from the US
Chamber of Commerce
10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Panel #1: "Trans-South Caucasus Customs and Trade
Facilitation: What Needs to Be Done?"
Moderator: S. Frederick Starr
11:00 - 11:25 a.m. Q & A
11:25 - 11:40 a.m. Break (refreshments)
11:40 - 12:40 p.m. Panel #2: "'From Sea to Sea' Integrated Regional Transit
and Logistics Infrastructure."
Moderator: TBD
12:40 - 1:00 p.m. Q & A
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Lunch served in the auditorium
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Panel #3 "Commercial and Investment Opportunities:
Financing, Logistics, and Supply Chain."
Moderator: Jorg Frieden, Executive Director, The World
Bank Group
3:00 - 3:25 p.m. Q & A
3:25 - 4:00 p.m. Closing remarks
SAIS - Johns Hopkins University
1740 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20036
