Vía Egnatia is an ancient Roman road from Adriatic Sea to Istanbul symbolizing West-East permanent interrelations. Just in this symbolic sense Via Egnatia is used as title of regular conferences held by international network of the same designation. Scholars and scientists from many countries are already involved it this network. To be involved in this scientific network means: permanent interrelations between scholars, exchanging of ideas, launching of joint scientific projects, exchanging doctoral and master students, collaborating in making of study programs, collaborating in publication of joint works.
All these activities usually are crowned by holding of regular scientific conferences. Just the conferences create the most favorable atmosphere for collaboration and personal contacts. Thus, scientific network and regular conferences are the most effective form of scientific collaboration and intercultural dialogue.
The first two conferences of the Via Egnatia network were held in Skopja by St Cyril and Methodius University and in Turkey by Istanbul Bilgi University. The 3rd conference had taken place in Italy by the aegis of La Sapienza University of Rome. Just in Italy was decided to organize the next Via Egnatia meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia.
The Via Egnatia conferences cover Black Sea and Mediterranean areas, Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia: the states, peoples, their cultural, political, socio-economic developments in the past and today. These are multidisciplinary (history, economics, cultural studies, sociology, cultural anthropology, political sciences) conferences covering great span of time from antiquity to nowadays. Usually the contributors are representatives of different field of humanities and social sciences affiliated to internationally sound research and educational centers. Different approaches and different research methods used, wide scope of topics of the conference presentations ensure creating fertile environment for exchanging of ideas, stimulate comparativistic multidisciplinary investigations and preparing joint research and educational projects.
The 4th Via Egnatia Conference will continue the traditions of previous meetings. The papers focused on history and current developments of West-East cultural, political, economical interrelations will be welcomed.
From Photo Album of 3rd Via Egnatia Conference Lunch-time
From Photo Album of 3rd Via Egnatia Conference Working Session:
Professor Mariam Chkhartishvili (Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University)
Dr Daniel Pommier (Sapienza University of Rome) (right)
Dr Andrea Carteny (University of Teramo) (left)
