Conference titled "Black Sea: Narratives, Spaces, Perspectives" at YSU

The first Armenian conference of the Dilemma Mobile Academy took place in collaboration with the YSU Continuing Education Center. 

The Dilemma Mobile Academy was established by the Polish organization Fundacja Pogranicze (translated as Borderland Foundation) in response to new geopolitical challenges, bringing together thinkers, renowned scientists, artists, and public figures from the EU, USA, South Caucasus, as well as Moldova and Ukraine.  

Mikayel Hovhannisyan, the Vice-Rector for Development and Innovation at YSU, delivered a welcome speech at the conference. Emphasizing the significance of the event, he stated, "It is very interesting to discuss similar topics and apply specific tools and methods to study the processes occurring in our region. With the right methods, tools, and accurate data, we can make informed decisions through discussions aimed at fostering peace and prosperity. I think one of the main goals of this event is to collectively reflect on the major processes happening in this region."

Lusine Kharatyan, Director of the YSU Continuing Education Center, spoke about the Dilemma Mobile Academy's activities, highlighting its role in fostering the exchange of ideas across Eastern Europe, Central Europe, and the Caucasus.

"The Dilemma Mobile Academy addresses a specific problem at each event. The main theme of our series in Armenia focuses on the Black Sea region. Last year, we held a meeting in Georgia where we explored the dilemmas we face amid a rapidly changing world. We gathered artists, academic representatives, and cultural workers to discuss these challenges. Today, we are continuing this conversation in Armenia, focusing on the Black Sea dilemma. Through these discussions, we aim to understand how these topics relate to our daily lives," emphasized L. Kharatyan.

The goal of the Dilemma Mobile Academy is to identify new challenges that may arise in the region, ultimately shaping the future in transformative ways. According to Lusine Kharatyan, the ideas generated during the conference will lead to the creation of texts and articles, as well as the implementation of various initiatives.

Open lectures and panel discussions were held as part of the conference. 

Tamta Khalvashi, Professor of Anthropology, Head of the PhD Program in Social and Cultural Anthropology at Ilia State University in Georgia, delivered a talk titled "A Sea of Transience".

Davit Hovhannisyan, Professor at the YSU Arabic Studies Chair, presented on "The System of Three Seas".

Marci Shore, Professor of History at Yale University (USA), spoke on "What Do Borders Mean? Musings of a Rootless Cosmopolitan from Across the Ocean", drawing on her research into the intellectual history of Central and Eastern Europe in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Krzysztof Czyżewski, Co-founder and President of the Borderland Foundation, reflected on "Medea: The Myth of the Borderland".

The panel discussion titled "Colonization? Whose Colonization?" featured insights from cultural critic and lecturer Hrach Bayadyan, Yale University lecturer and philosopher Viktoras Bachmetjevas, and Vasile Visotchi, a PhD student at Bucharest University.

The Armenian conference was funded through the EU4Dialogue Programme, with co-financing from the Borderland Foundation.