During the second quarter of this year, the Institute for War and Peace Reporting in Central Asia held the sixth regional Go Viral festival in five countries, organised an interregional internship for experts in Georgia, and announced a call for applications for the Fifth School of Analytics. Here, we present an overview of the second quarter of 2022.
CABAR.asia
This quarter, the CABAR.asia analytical platform focused on a wide range of topics: we covered the issues of comprehensive development of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), Uzbekistan's model of rehabilitation and reintegration of citizens from conflict zones, President Tokayev's reforms in Kazakhstan, the challenges of the transit of power in Turkmenistan, refugees' problem in the Kyrgyz Republic, and the evolution of the Kairylman initiative in the country. Among other things, we also published many pieces on the environmental agenda of the Central Asian countries – the problems of waste management and lack of water.
Of course, the war in Ukraine and its consequences for the economies of the region, socio-political and geopolitical transformations that have affected and will affect us in the future became a throughline in our project activities.
Of course, the war in Ukraine and its consequences for the economies of the region, socio-political and geopolitical transformations that have affected and will affect us in the future became a throughline in our project activities.
Expert Meetings
IWPR aims to create a safe environment for discussing the pressing issues of development in Central Asia. To this end, one of the most important IWPR activities is the engagement of experts, journalists, as well as civil society activists in understanding the problems of the countries of the region.
During the second quarter, we held 3 regional expert meetings online, 1 international meeting, 1 public lecture, and 3 offline country expert meetings with the participation of the region's leading think tanks.
The discussed issues included the development and support of the media in Central Asia, cybersecurity, regional cooperation between Central Asian countries, the prospects for future reforms of President Tokayev in Kazakhstan, as well as the problems and perspectives of the perception of China, one of the global superpowers, by the countries of the region.
During the second quarter, we held 3 regional expert meetings online, 1 international meeting, 1 public lecture, and 3 offline country expert meetings with the participation of the region's leading think tanks.
The discussed issues included the development and support of the media in Central Asia, cybersecurity, regional cooperation between Central Asian countries, the prospects for future reforms of President Tokayev in Kazakhstan, as well as the problems and perspectives of the perception of China, one of the global superpowers, by the countries of the region.
International Internship
The interregional internship program by IWPR Central Asia brings together the expert communities from within and outside Central Asia and is aimed at enhancing the research and analytical writing skills of the CABAR.asia School of Analytics' graduates.
This year, the internship program was implemented on June 12-26, 2022, in partnership with the leading think tank in the South Caucasus region – the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies.
The most active graduates of the Third and Fourth CABAR.asia Schools of Analytics visited think tanks and met with many current and former officials – ministers, members of the parliament, heads of analytical departments of state authorities of Georgia, as well as with independent media representatives and many experts from various analytical fields.
This year, the internship program was implemented on June 12-26, 2022, in partnership with the leading think tank in the South Caucasus region – the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies.
The most active graduates of the Third and Fourth CABAR.asia Schools of Analytics visited think tanks and met with many current and former officials – ministers, members of the parliament, heads of analytical departments of state authorities of Georgia, as well as with independent media representatives and many experts from various analytical fields.
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The striking contrast between the cultures and the development paths that our countries have chosen helps to feel the unique features of our own national identity. During the lectures, I clearly realised that we can follow the example of Georgia, a country under Russian oppression, and build real independence by creating a regional organisation without the participation of major actors, which would discuss the issues of strengthening the sovereignty of each Central Asian country.
The Fifth School of Analytics
The Institute for War and Peace Reporting in Central Asia announced a call for applications for the Fifth CABAR.asia School of Analytics for young researchers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The goal of the School is to improve the skills in creating analytical materials on relevant topics and issues of the Central Asian countries. The special focus of the Fifth School of Analytics – Public Policy in Central Asia.
The goal of the School is to improve the skills in creating analytical materials on relevant topics and issues of the Central Asian countries. The special focus of the Fifth School of Analytics – Public Policy in Central Asia.
The intensive program will cover such topics as:
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How to write convincing analytical materials? - What is predictive analytics and how to develop it?
- What are the features of public policy in Central Asian countries and how can an expert become influential?
- Innovations in analytics: how should an expert keep up with them?
- What are AI and ML and how are they useful for an analyst?
Articles by the School of Analytics' Graduates
GO VIRAL
For two and a half months, the Go Viral festival travelled to the capitals of Central Asian countries and brought together more than 5 thousand enthusiasts, experts, beginners, and future specialists from four sectors: business, media, culture, and technology.
This year's topic is Go Viral 2022: Search. Invent. Solve. The program is built around the idea that creative inspiration is already within us. We just need to find it and translate it into ideas, the best of which are born in interaction with like-minded people. Therefore, Go Viral is all about cooperation, establishing new connections, and networking within the region.
Go Viral festivals have been held since 2017 but the sixth festival became truly regional – it was held in all five Central Asian countries. Each festival was unique and reflected the features of each country's culture.
This year's topic is Go Viral 2022: Search. Invent. Solve. The program is built around the idea that creative inspiration is already within us. We just need to find it and translate it into ideas, the best of which are born in interaction with like-minded people. Therefore, Go Viral is all about cooperation, establishing new connections, and networking within the region.
Go Viral festivals have been held since 2017 but the sixth festival became truly regional – it was held in all five Central Asian countries. Each festival was unique and reflected the features of each country's culture.
What is Go Viral?
Go Viral Festival & Network: Go Viral is a regional initiative inspired by the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, that creates, facilitates, and sustains connections amongst regional influencers, innovators, and creative people to share ideas, help achieve their goals, and solve problems important to them and their communities. Go Viral is both a Festival and a series of events that includes keynote talks, workshops, panel discussions, films, music, and other activities in Media, Business, Culture, and Technology from leading trendsetters from the United States, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe.
Go Viral hosts small events not only in Kazakhstan but also in other Central Asian countries throughout a year. The three-day Go Viral Festival takes place annually in Almaty, Kazakhstan and has been uniting leading thinkers and innovators from Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the United States in the fields of media, culture, business, and technology since 2017. The Go Viral network today consists of more than 5500 people including journalists, entrepreneurs, creative industries workers, civil society activists, and professionals from various fields who want to exchange experiences, ideas, and inspiration and be charged with positive energy for creating new projects and collaborations across the borders.
Go Viral is a project sponsored and supported by the United States Department of State and implemented in partnership with the Institute for War and Peace Reporting Central Asia. It provides people an opportunity to invent, create, promote their content, inform, entertain, and successfully interact with global audiences through social networks and new platforms using new technologies. The festival facilitates networking; inspires innovative ideas and creative collaborative projects; increases the visibility of local entrepreneurs; promotes cooperation across cultures and industries.
CABAR.asia online — other IWPR CA events digests:
