The “Cambridge in Sarajevo – Perspectives of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies”
On Tuesday, 10 May , the two day symposium “Cambridge in Sarajevo – Perspectives of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies” organized by the Center Islamic Studies, University of Cambridge and University of Sarajevo in collaboration with the Department for Oriental Philology, Faculty of Philosophy Sarajevo, and Center for Advanced Studies, Sarajevo.
Prof. Dr Hazim Bašić, University of Sarajevo’s Vice-Rector, and Prof. Dr Yasir Suleiman, Director of Center for Islamic Studies, University of Cambridge officially opened the Symposium.
Vice-Rector Bašić expressed his pleasure that University of Sarajevo had been given an opportunity to organize this symposium with the University of Cambridge, a leading higher education institution in world
“This conference may contribute to the development of democracy in B-H, since democracy is the art of dialogue. Through the interaction of different positions and various opinions new and creative solutions are getting developed. Therefore, each university is a microcosm; it multiplies the plurality of society and many of the possible connections between cultures. It is important to conclude that democratic society is constantly changing, both in its relations with other social groups as well as in education of new generations. By its constant changing, democratic society is becoming better.” stated Vice-Rector Bašić.
Prof. Dr. Yasir Suleiman, director of the Center for Islamic Studies, University of Cambridge pointed out that this is the first in a series of symposia by the Centre for Islamic Studies and plans to organize in this way to present their work the international academic community and learn about the state of Middle Eastern and Islamic studies in the world.
"Sarajevo is the first stop, next year we are having the Symposium organized in Morocco and then to Beijing, " said Professor Suleiman, adding: "We are trying to build an international network of universities and people who are interested in Islamic studies."
The attendees were welcomed by Professor. Dr. Jasmin Džindo, Vice-Dean, Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo, after who Dr. Saeko Yazaki presented the Centre for Islamic Studies, University of Cambridge’s activities.
The working part of the Symposium did begin after the launch of the "Contextualizing Islam in Britain" project that was presented by Prof. Dr. Yasir Suleiman and Mr. Paul Anderson.
Presenters at the Symposium are coming from the University of Cambridge and the University of Sarajevo, and the topics that they will present are the area of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies and are concerning oriental languages, literature, poetry, rhetoric, culture, politics, civil society, the history of Islamic thought, identity , studying Islamic law, Sufism, anthropology, etc.
Within the Symposium an open lecture entitled "Arab Spring“ will be held. Lecturer will be Professor Yasir Suleiman, University of Cambridge. Open lecture will be held on Wednesday, 11 May in the hall of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies - CIPS (The campus of the University of Sarajevo), in the period from 18:30 to 20:00 hours. Open lecture will be open to the public and will have provided a simultaneous translation into Bosnian.
