The Romanian Institute for Europe-Asia Studies (IRSEA)attended the International Convention of Asian Scholars (ICAS) event themed “Beyond Media Outlines: Perspectives on the Current Situation in Afghanistan”, scheduled on August 27.

As the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan became a matter of huge concern for the future of culture and academia in the country, the roundtable presented insights about the immediate situation as well as different perspectives that may help understand what could happen in Afghanistan and, finally, ways to support endangered colleagues in the Academia. The roundtable was chaired by Dr. Philippe Peycam, Director of the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) and reunited reputed European and Asian scholars on the matter.

All participants agreed that academics worldwide need to support their endangered colleagues in Afghanistan. While discussing several of the programmes that render assistance to scholars at risk, the scholars agreed mobilization is necessary to find real academic jobs for the Afghan colleagues.

The event has been organised as an initiative of the International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS), a global immersive platform enabling individuals and institutions from all over the world to come together to exchange views on a variety of issues pertaining to Asia. Its Secretariat is hosted by the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS)in Leiden, Netherlands.

IIAS is also a member of the European Alliance for Asian Studies (EAAS), a community of institutions sharing a desire for transparency, collegiality and solidarity beyond national, institutional or disciplinary boundaries. It encourages collaborations, synergies and intellectual emulation among European academic institutions involved in Asian studies and in collaboration with partners from Asia and the rest of the world.

IRSEA has been a member of EAAS since 2009, as the first Central and Eastern European think-tank, at that moment, to have joined the Alliance.