 "Photo: Bryan Panhorst")
Four ambassadors from central Asian nations formed a panel discussion in Boston University's Metcalf Hall last night, but drew only a handful of students -- a turnout a student organizer said mirrors the West's disinterest in central Asia.
"We wanted to educate the Boston University community about central Asia," International Student Consortium President Bilal Bilici said. "They are an important but often forgotten region of the world."
The ambassadors, who represented Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, discussed issues related to central Asia's relationship with larger regional and world powers, including the United States, Iran and Russia.
"I am friends with all of these countries, but at different levels," Turkmenistan Ambassador to the United States Meret Orazov told The Daily Free Press.
The ambassadors described varied backgrounds and experiences, but many of the students in attendance were unenthusiastic about the presentations.
"I was surprised by the intense background [all the ambassadors] had in science," School of Education graduate student Adam Cutler said. "However, I was not impressed with their presentation skills."
After the first cultural presentation from Kyrgyzstan Ambassador Zamira Sydykova, the few seats that were filled began to empty. During a refreshment break halfway through the four-hour conference, one ISC representative tried to explain to Sydykova why so few students attended.
Bilici said the poor attendance seemed to highlight one problem facing central Asia: neglect from western countries.
Although only a handful of attendees remained after the break, the ambassadors remained optimistic and enthusiastic as they discussed their countries' future. Their discussion of energy, while highly technical, was upbeat and positive.
"The most important thing is to make sure central Asian countries can access the world markets," Charge d'affaires of Azerbaijan Fikret Pashayev said during his presentation.
Many students said they had an interest in international relations and thought the event might help them better understand their field of study.
"This is all very relevant to my classes," College of Arts and Science sophomore Kevin Chapla said.
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