A panel event, hosted by the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD), with discussion focused on 30 years of the permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan, and featuring participation from the International University of Humanities and Development in Ashgabat.
The Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD), established in 1989, is based in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Westminster. CSD has a longstanding international reputation for research excellence through a programme of publications, events and collaborations with academics, practitioners, policymakers, activists, and governments. We undertake research across a range of critical social and political challenges, promoting an interdisciplinary intercultural environment to encourage new ways of thinking about knowledge, power and identity in international relations.
Turkmenistan professes itself as democratic, secular, and law-based multinational state with a Presidential republic form of government. On December 12 (marked as International Neutrality Day by Turkmenistan) in 1995, was recognised as a 'permanently neutral' State by the resolution A/RES/50/80A of the UN General Assembly with the unanimous support of 185 member States. "The Turkmen neutrality model assumes that contemporary international law is the law of peace, and that a neutral state must constantly adhere to its status not only in wartime, but also in peacetime. As a new phenomenon in international legal practice, Turkmen neutrality has become the basis of a new concept of cooperation and achieving world peace" (Yazymyrat Seryaev, Turkmenistan Ambassador to the UK).
The event will feature conversations about the principle and practice of Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality with an aim of understanding the opportunities and challenges it presents in the current regional and global environment of contention as well as consensus-building.
Agenda
- Arrival and registration
- 5.45–6pm: Introduction to the University of Westminster (UoW)
Introduction to UoW by Professor Dibyesh Anand (DVC Global Engagement and Employability) and Professor Catherine O'Connor (DVC Education) A few words from Professor Andrew Linn (DVC, Research and Knowledge Exchange) about the MoU A few words from Dr Maral Kuliyeva (Rector, IUHD) about the MoU.
- 6–6.20pm: Message from UK ambassador to Turkmenistan His Excellency Stephen Conlon
Professor Andrew Linn introduces senior representatives from Turkmenistan to the United Kingdom.
- 6.20–7.15pm: Panel discussion on Neutrality
Panel discussion on Neutrality: its adoption and importance as a norm; the opportunities it offers for development, cooperation, scientific partnerships; the challenges in current regional and global environment.
Speakers: Ms Chemen Vekilova, Dean of the Language Learning Department and Senior Instructor, IUHD; Mr Nurmuhammet Shyhlyev, Vice-Rector, IUHD; Dr Maral Kuliyeva, Rector, IUHD.
Respondents: Professor Andrew Linn, UoW; Dr Wojciech Ostrowski, CSD; Professor Nitasha Kaul, CSD Chair: Professor Nitasha Kaul, CSD, UoW.
- 7.15–7.45: Q&A
Q&A from the floor followed by closing remarks and thanks.
- 7.45–8.30pm: Drinks and nibbles reception
Location
Fyvie Hall, Regent Street, London W1B 2HW
