March 13, 2011
The city of Cambridge, UK, on March 12-13 hosted “Avicenna Conference: a forum for talent from Uzbekistan in the UK”, which was attended by around 50 people, including scientists from Uzbekistan and the UK, traditional medicine professionals and students from Uzbekistan currently studying in the UK. The conference was organized by the Fund Forum headed by Gulnara Karimova, the Center for Political Studies, Avicenna International Association of Traditional Medicine, Cambridge Central Asia Forum, British-Uzbek Society, Avicenna International Association of Traditional Medicine and the Embassy of Uzbekistan in London with assistance from Tethys Petroleum.
The conference included a presentation of Avicenna International Association of Traditional Medicine established in 2010 in Tashkent. The Association works to revive, conserve and promote the foundations of oriental medicine as well as developing international cooperation in this field. The presentation was followed by a roundtable which brought together UK scholars and practitioners such as Noble Prize-winning professor at Cambridge University, Brian Josephson, oriental medicine professional Madan Thangavelu, and Dr. Barbara Potrata of Cambridge Central Asia Forum among others.
Speaking at the forum, Professor Josephson said: “Interestingly, many traditional healing methods have not yet been explained scientifically. The legacy left by luminaries of the past such as Avicenna and achievements of oriental medicine as a whole has not yet been fully understood here. It`s interesting that what was discovered in the Orient centuries ago has yet to be recognized in the West.”
The two-day conference was preceded by a cultural event, Navruz celebration, which involved Central Asian students attending Cambridge University. The event was attended by around 200 people, including representatives of diplomatic missions, academicians, students and the general public.
A notable feature of the conference is that it has come as the first multidisciplinary conference which has encompassed original research and accomplishments of Uzbek and British scientists. Participants described the forum as a meeting of generations and a junction of western and eastern approaches in various scientific fields.
Discussions focusing on the East and the West were among the key themes of the conference. The British scholars shared their thoughts and noted the potential of cooperation among the project participants. More specifically, Professor Peter Nolan of Cambridge University, the author of books on the economic impact of eastern countries, noted: “We are on the crossroads of humanities. Central Asia is literary on the crossroads of the world and the word is on the crossroads itself. It is very moving to see all young people who came here to present their research findings.”
Renowned British cosmologist and astrophysicist and Master of Trinity College at Cambridge, Lord Martin Rees said: “I was very impressed by the research interests of young people from Uzbekistan. They raise very original and important questions. It is crucial to think in their native language. When you start thinking in English you become similar to other western researchers. When you think in your own language you can bring something original to science. I also enjoyed the friendly and open atmosphere of our discussion. I believe that collaboration between the Uzbek and British academic communities will develop actively.”
Avicenna Conference included speeches by leading British academics and young Uzbek researchers as well as presentations on scientific achievements in Uzbekistan. The disciplines the speakers focused on ranged from astronomy and medicine to economics, ecology and tourism. The dialog that unfolded at the forum revealed a significant potential for future cooperation.
Professor Siddharth Saxena of Cambridge Central Asia Forum underlined that “modern science in Uzbekistan is progressing actively equally with any other country on the world. The international cooperation of Uzbekistan scientists is well established in the form of individual contacts. The bigger aim of this meeting was to meet young talents and prominent professors of Uzbekistan and Great Britain. We are happy that the forum was quite successful and hope it will become regular.”
The president of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, Professor Salikhov, also expressed his contentment with the conference. “I`m highly optimistic about the development of science in Uzbekistan,” he said. “Now that I see the research by our students studying at prestigious schools such as Cambridge University and London School of Economics, I can say I`m very proud and confident about the future of our country. This conference has shown once again the potential of Uzbek science and professionals.”
The conference, the first of its kind, was organized by the Fund Forum, the Center for Political Studies, Cambridge Central Asia Forum, British-Uzbek Society, Avicenna International Association of Traditional Medicine and the Embassy of Uzbekistan in London with assistance from Tethys Petroleum.
Related links
Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Europe. Round Tables in Vienna, Brussels, Milan and Geneva