07Jul,2021
International Conference
Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University representatives took part in online conference “Trauma of Communism” held on 29th June till 1st July which was organized by Nanovic Institute of European studies of Notre Dame University (USA). The conference was attended by the Catholic Universities Partnership’s (CUP) member universities from Poland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine.
Three days online conference was divided into two parts: Key Note speaker addresses and Panels. Key Note Speakers talked about their personal experiences and during the panel’s university representatives talked about the situation in the post-soviet countries and heavy remains of communism.
First Key Note speaker, Vice Rector of Ukrainian Catholic University, Prof. Myroslav Marynovych, in his address talked about his personal memories and experiences in Ukraine under communism and during and after the transition to democracy.
The second day, professor of sociology of region at Charles University in Prague, Msgr. Tomas Halik, discussed his experience of living a religious life in heart of Europe under communist regime. He was witness of the important event, such 1968 Prague Spring, the occupation of Czechoslovakia, 1989 Velvet Revolution and country’s difficult way from totalitarian communist to democracy.
The third day summed up James McAdams, who was director of Nanovic Institute from 2000-2018 during which time, he spearheaded the creation of Catholic Universities partnership (CUP).
During the panels, partner universities representatives from the post-soviet countries talked about the situation in the countries under the communism and its heavy heritage to our society. A separate panel was devoted to the reviewing the results of the student research project “Faith and Freedom”, where students from post-Soviet countries presented a kind of research report based on interviews with direct eyewitnesses and their impressions.
From Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University, the conference was participated by the rector of the University, prof. Vaja Vardidze, deputy director of Institute of Theology and Philosophy of university, Guram Lursmanashvili and Sabauni MA student of Theology, Tariel Leluashvili.
Conference “Trauma of Communism”is a part of research project “Faith and Freedom” which aims to explore role of faith-based actors, especially the Catholic Church, in sustaining economic, political and religious freedom in Central and Easter Europe after 1989. In this project partner universities from CUP are involved: John Paul II Catholic University in Lublin (Poland), Peter Pazmany Catholic University (Hungary), Catholic University in Ruzomberok (Slovakia), Catholic University of Croatia (Croatia), Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University (Georgia) and Ukrainian Catholic University (Ukraine).
Sulkan-Saba Orbeliani University has a very close cooperation with Notre Dame University and Catholic Universities Partnership. Within this partnership, Sabauni will host an International Conference “Universities Facing New Challenges” on 20th – 21st October of 2021.