Royal Holloway lecturer Dr Akil Awan, from the Department of History, was recently invited to speak on issues of humanitarian concern at the Baku IV International Humanitarian Forum, held in Azerbaijan.

The forum, which is now in its fourth year, is a setting for world-leaders and experts to exchange views on a wide range of global issues, and is attended by scientists and government officials from over 60 nations. The forum opened with addresses from speakers including Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme.

The second day of the forum comprised of roundtable discussions. Dr Awan spoke at the roundtable convened on: 'Challenges of Globalization: Between Tradition and Transformation’, during which he addressed the topic of 'Globalization, New Media and Cultural Identity: Between Hegemony and Pastiche'. During his talk, Dr Awan spoke on globalisation and the impact it can have on cultural identity, as well as the role new media can play. 

Following the forum, Dr Awan, along with a host of visiting dignitaries, was invited to visit Azerbaijan's recently completed Genocide Memorial complex in Guba, dedicated to the 1918 Bolshevik genocide.