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 The
South and Southeast Asian Association for the Study of Religion (SSEASR)
Regional Conference, co-hosted by IAHR and in collaboration with
Somaiya Centre of Buddhist Studies (Mumbai), convened from January
27-30 at the India International Centre (IIC), a large compound
operating since 1962 and located by Lodi Gardens in New Delhi. The
conference theme was titled: Cultural and Religious Mosaic of South
and Southeast Asia: Conflict and Consensus through the Ages. The
inauguration ceremony entailed a lamp-lighting ritual by Dr. Amarjiva
Lochan, the SSEASR convenor, and guests of honour. A welcome address
by Dr. Lochan followed. Eminent addresses were later delivered by
guests such as the Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs for
the Govt. of India, H.E. Mehrotra; Executive Director for the Asian
Scholarship Foundation, Dr. L. Salvador; Patron of SSEASR, Shanti
Somaiya; and Senior Minister for Education Youth and Sports of
Cambodia, H.E. Dr. Kol Pheng.
The opening
of the Plenary session featured an instructive and inspiring
audio-visual presentation on Cambodian Contemporary Arts by Prof.
Norton (Providence College, USA). It was followed by: a) an
educational discussion on the Zoroastrian community in India by Dr.
Dhalla (World Zarathusti Cultural Foundation, Mumbai); b) an affable
presentation with captivating photos of exquisite Mahāyāna
Buddhist art found in the caves of Ajanta, by art historian and
film-maker, Mr. Behl; and c) a stirring ethnographic documentary on
the Tibetan refugee community in Nepal entitled A Journey Within,
by visual archivist for India, Nepal, and the Himalayas, and recent
ELINEPA member, Mr. Marco Barile (University of Calgary). 24
English-speaking medium Panels covered a wide range of specialist and
general research topics mostly concerned with the culturally and
religiously diverse regions of South and Southeast Asia. The Panels
were arranged by themes such as: Epigraphy and Iconography; Languages
and Literature; Art and Architecture; Religion, Human Rights & Law;
Religion, Polity and Politics; Economics and Religion; Gender in Asian
Religions; Buddhism and Hinduism in South and South East Asia, etc.
The academic programme of SSEASR was international in scope admitting
speakers from China, Taiwan, Mongolia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand,
Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore, Brunei, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal,
Australia, Mexico, USA, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Sweden, Denmark,
England, Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Hungary,
Poland, Italy, Portugal, Macedonia, and Greece.
Noticeable
was the Greek participation in this historical event that marked the
foundation of SSEASR. The presentations of three Greek speakers
included: Religious Identities in Late Modernity: Conflict or
Reconciliation? for the RELIGIOUS CONFLICT Panel, by Dr. Niki
Papageorgiou (Faculty of Theology, Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki); A Double-Helix Relation: Religion, Science and
Politics for the special Session ON SCIENCE AND RELIGION, by Dr.
Byron Kaldis’
(School of Humanities, The Hellenic Open University); The Violence
of Ego: Buddhist Healing Paradigms in Traditional Tibetan Medicine
for the MEDICINE AND HEALTH PRACTICE Panel, by D.Phil. Research Fellow
Georgios Halkias (Oriental Institute, University of Oxford).
The SSEASR congress was well provided in terms of facilities,
assistance, and pleasant buffet lunches with Indian and continental
cuisine for all participants. Most important, it was an inspiring and
successful forum for scholars to meet each other, exchange knowledge
and perspectives, and present their latest research. The presenters
received a Certificate for their contributions and were invited to
vote for the implementation of the SSEASR constitution, effective, for
the most part, as of January 30, 2005. The Asia Research Institute (www.ari.nus.edu.sg)
of the National University of Singapore (NUS) has proposed to host the
next SSEASR regional conference. SSEASR is expected to be voted a
regional member of the International Association for the History of
Religions (IAHR) during the upcoming (March 24-30) 19th IAHR Congress
in Tokyo, Japan.
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