BLACKCSR is on the way to realize the 4th of the Black Sea International Symposiums.

The symposium of this year, 2011, will be based on the theme of “conflict & resolution”. In spite of thenon-static, restless political and economic structure of the Black Sea basin, existing disagreements, conflicts and tensions remain on a period that we meet the second decade of the 21st century. However, within the same region, steps taken for cooperation in the fields that extend from defense to energy, from trade to customs are increasing day by day.

Giresun University has opened a new page to be called as “Giresun initiative” by doing its own part through gathering scholars of the region on the regions issues. The basic motivation with this motto is Giresun’s and BLACKCSR’s function at bringing academic representatives of conflicting parties together.

4th Black Sea International Symposium seems to take place in a period in which, extremely critical developments have been taking place in the sense of adjacent basins to the Black Sea basin. Anti-government mass civil movements those started in Tunisia and effected throughout the Mediterranean basin and conceivably to spread in Arab geography is occurring in a neighboring area to the Black Sea. The financial crisis affecting several EU countries more deeply has been having serious reflections on Black Sea countries particularly on Greece which is a BSEC member. Forecasts concerning to the so called frozen conflicts have been cueing revivals. 

We are observing that the regional reflections of global developments, and even just the opposite of that; the regional developments’ global reflections are being realized so rapidly. Thesis focused on “communication and flow of knowledge” which have been very popular to urge for international system, during 90’s and the beginning of 2000’s, are somehow becoming concrete in this age.

Perhaps the political view of the wider Black Sea region will be shaped in the coming decade. Or, maybe the frozen problems and climate of indistinctness will be more durable than our predictions.

We would like to search for the answer of this question with such a broad title as “Conflict & Cooperation”.

Hope to be together at the 4th Black Sea International Symposiums