Please find below details of the Centre of Contemporary Central Asia and the Caucasus presentation of the project:
"Circassiada 2012” - World Circassian Olympic Games in 2012”
Speakers: Dr Sufian Zhemukhov* & Alexey Bekshokov*
Dr Sufian Zhemukhov: A Member of PONARS Eurasia Program and Former Fulbright Scholar
Alexey Bekshokov: Chairman of the Union of Abkhaz War Veterans of the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, RF
Date: 14 April 2010
Venue: G51, Main Building, SOAS
Time: 17.00
For further information on Circassiada 2012: www.circassiada.com
Centre’s Website: http://www.soas.ac.uk/cccac/
All are welcome but please register early as there is limited seating available.
Centres & Programmes Office Email: js64@soas.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4892 /3
or contact Zeynel A Besleney by e-mail at zabesleney@soas.ac.uk.
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS),
University of London, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H OXG
"Circassiada 2012” - World Circassian Olympic Games in 2012”
Described by
President Medvedev as a Russian National Project, the choice of Sochi
as venue for the Winter Olympics in 2014 has posed challenges as well
as opportunities for the Circassians, who are the titular nations in
the republics of Adyghea, Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria in
the Northwest Caucasus in the Russian Federation, and who also consider
Sochi as part of their historical heritage.
Some Circassian
organisations, including some of those in the large diaspora, are
entirely opposed the idea, considering it an insult to Circassians, as
Sochi was the last stronghold of the Circassians in the Russo-Caucasian
Wars of the 19th Century. On the other hand,
there are also those who do support the Games albeit with increased
Circassian participation, similar to that of the Australian Aborigines
and Native Americans in Sydney and Vancouver Olympics, respectively.
One other group,
however, has developed the tactic of using the run up to the 2014 Games
to publicise the Circassian case without opposing them directly. Circassiada - World Circassian Olympics, their brainchild, is a sporting project modelled on Maccabiah (Jewish Olympic Games) and Pan- Armenian Games. It
aims to bring Circassians, scattered both in their homeland and their
diaspora-communities, together in 2012 in Circassian Games after the
Olympic Games are held in London. It is designed to take place every
four years in different parts of the Circassian world in 12 branches of
sport in 12 days. The symbolism of the number 12 is in reference to the
number of stars in the Circassian flag.
SOAS - Centre of
Caucasian and Central Asian Studies would like to invite you to a
presentation on the project "Circassiada- Circassian Olympics” by Dr
Sufian Zhemukhov* and Alexey Bekshokov on Wednesday 14th of April at 5PM in Room G51 in SOAS Main Building in Russell Square.
