The 25th annual Norris and Margery Bendetson Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship (EPIIC) International Symposium focusing on South Asia kicks off tonight with its first panel, marking the first time in 23 years that EPIIC is concentrating on a specific region.
EPIIC is again bringing in renowned speakers and leading intellectuals from around the globe to serve as panelists in this year's symposium, which is entitled "South Asia: Conflict, Culture, Complexity, and Change."
The annual symposium is the culmination of the EPIIC colloquium, a year−long course offered through the Institute for Global Leadership.
EPIIC, which has traditionally focused on more global, general themes, is this year studying the specific region of South Asia, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Maldives.
South Asia is home to three of the world's most populous countries, and two of the nine nations with nuclear weapons. Considering its political instability, poverty, natural disasters and religious, ethnic and cultural clashes, South Asia currently plays a leading role as one of the world's most dangerous and yet promising areas.
IGL Executive Director Sherman Teichman said he and the students responsible for this year's symposium share a strong belief in South Asia's vitality.
"The region is an active theater of warfare," he said. "It is a theater of Mr. Obama's war, which we need to understand in all of its complexities."
IGL Associate Director Heather Barry pointed out that the theme of the symposium has significance for students because "becoming aware of these issues is becoming a more informed citizen."
The EPIIC symposium grants students and community members access to experts in an unusually convenient setting, according to Teichman.
Barry said that panelists will give brief presentations lasting between 12 and 15 minutes, and several of the panelists will also be involved in breakout sessions. Breakout sessions, which are open to the public, allow the experts to elaborate and further discuss their topics after the initial panel session.
Sophomore Cody Valdes, who has taken the EPIIC course twice, described these sessions as "the best part of the symposium."
"They provide a chance to join an intimate discussion group with some of the more particular symposium guests," he said.
One of this year's guests is Keith Fitzgerald, director of the Asian Programme on Negotiation and Conflict Management. Fitzgerald has facilitated negotiations in dozens of hostage and crisis negotiations in over 65 countries worldwide.
In addition to speaking as a panelist, Fitzgerald will during a breakout session discuss his book "Negotiating Hostage Crises with the New Terrorists" (2007), which he co−authored with Adam Dolnik.
Fitzgerald will be arriving from Sri Lanka, and is among a pool of expert speakers and international students who earlier this week traveled directly to Tufts from South Asian countries.
Professors from Boston−area colleges, including Tufts and Harvard University, will also share their work on South Asian conflict and culture.
Professor of History Ayesha Jalal will be among five presenters who will open tonight's first panel, "Burden of Memory, Quest for Identity," at 7 p.m.
Other intellectuals will speak about Afghani issues. These include David Mansfield, a fellow of the Carr Center of Human Rights Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, who will discuss his efforts to reduce Afghanistan's devastating reliance on opium production.
Sarah Chayes, founder of the Arghand Cooperative in Afghanistan, will speak about her project, which buys locally produced soaps and scented products from Afghan farmers in an effort to encourage the growth of agricultural goods other than opium.
Teichman hopes the symposium encourages further student involvement in the region.
"As a teacher, I am hoping there will be a fulcrum for action," Teichman said. "I want my students to become attracted to going to these countries."
The symposium has been under Teichman's direction for the past 24 years, but it's the students' determination that has brought breadth to the variety of individuals speaking at the event, according to Teichman.
"It's pretty student driven," Lauren Milord, a sophomore member of the colloquium, said. "[Teichman] will make suggestions and recommendations, but most of the ideas come from the students; it's who they want to see."
The IGL program Alliance Linking Leaders in Education and the Services (ALLIES), which promotes civilian−military interaction, will also be involved in the symposium.
"ALLIES is a framework that builds understanding between our nation's future civilian and military leaders," junior Arjun Verma, co−chair of ALLIES, said in an e−mail. "This year, we have planned special opportunities for ALLIES to interact with the panelists in the symposium."
