International Conference on “Great Migrations of Peoples, The Great Migrations in Eurasia of the III – IV Centuries AD
The 7th International Conference on “Great Migrations of Peoples, the Great Migration in Eurasia of the III-IV Centuries AD” was held in Moscow, Russian Federation at the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia on 29 November 2019. The conference was organized by UNESCO and the Almaty-based Culture Foundation within the framework of the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013-2022), and with the support of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The conference, which was the 7th edition within the “The Great Migrations of Peoples” series, brought together academics, cultural figures, the general public, international organizations, and research centres. It was organized with the objective of sharing knowledge on the processes of migration and the interactions between people of the vast regions in Eurasia. The international experts, including Mr Olzhas Suleimenov Director of the Centre for the Rapprochement of Cultures at the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Kazakhstan and President of the Almaty based “Culture” Foundation, and Ms Alexandra Ochirova UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and Silk Roads Focal Point, discussed a number of issues relating to the Great Migrations of peoples between the 3rd and 6th centuries CE. Fields of discussion included the styles of Nomadic life, the results of various archaeological surveys in Central Asia and Mongolia as well as the linguistic evidences of the migrations.
In the case of the Silk Roads, the conference underlined the movements of the Turkic peoples that were attempting to ensure the security of the trade caravan routes from China toward the West as well as the gradual settlement of the areas traversed. Participants also highlighted the important role the Silk Roads played during this period in opening up new markets and laying the foundation for the peaceful interactions between civilizations of the East and West.
Discussions also focussed on the Silk Roads as a tool for cultural interactions that influenced the creation of new potentials of dialogue, which in turn were an effective means of development within the fields of science and culture. The outcomes of this conference contributes to better understanding of the shared history of humankind.
The conference was held at the premises of, and with the scientific support of, the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, one of the major centres of academic excellence in Russia, which, since its inauguration in 1960, has actively promoted the values of international dialogue, mutual understanding and peace.
