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Azerbaijan: At the Crossroads of the Continents with Dr. Nina Wieda
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One of the oldest continuously inhabited areas of the planet, today's Azerbaijan is a modern metropolis and a major player in the oil industry. Nestled on the warm Caspian Sea between Iran and Russia, this nation with a rich cultural history is a geopolitical hotspot and a best-kept secret between Russia, Asia, and the Middle East.
Nestled on the Caspian Sea coast between Iran and Russia, Azerbaijan is a nation that developed under the complex influence of several powerful empires wrestling for influence over the region. Its cultural history began at the beginning of human civilization: Gobustan Rock Carvings – one of the earliest records of human activity – is located in Azerbaijan. Dating between 5,000 and 20,000 years, the carvings tell the story of human society and ecological changes in the region.
Located at the crossroads of the continents of Asia and Europe, Azerbaijan’s capital Baku served as an important stop on the Silk Road leading from China to Constantinople. Today, Baku is a modern city that combines exotic skyscrapers with lively bazaars and Turkish baths. The Caspian Sea coast is studded with mud volcanoes – a rare natural phenomenon and a popular spa destination.
Led by an expert on Azerbaijan, Nina Wieda, this interactive seminar will bring Azerbaijan to life for its participants. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased appreciation for this unique and historical corner of the world.
This conversation is part of a four-part series on Eurasian Culture with Nina Wieda. Each session is designed as a stand-alone seminar as well as part of a four-week series.
Armenia: Exploring The Cultural Heritage of Eurasia with Nina Wieda
Azerbaijan: At the Crossroads of the Continents with Nina Wieda
The Baltics: An Introduction to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with Nina Wieda
Georgia: A Nation of Legends with Nina Wieda
Nina Wieda is a native of the Caucasus living in Chicago, USA. She holds a Ph.D. in Slavic from Northwestern University and an MA in Nationalism Studies from Central European University. Nina also has experience in journalism, advertising, and consumer research – her writing has been published in three languages. She wrote her Master's thesis about the Northern Caucasus region. Dr. Wieda currently teaches at Northwestern University near Chicago.
This conversation is suitable for all ages.
90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.
Highly recommended. Very informative and interesting.
For many of us all we know about Azerbaijan is it's a country somewhere out there. Dr. Wieda gracefully educates the viewer about the background of the people and, as a separate matter, the background of the country. If you don't remember anything else, you'll remember where the country is.
Excellent presentation, as is usual for Dr.Weide’s webinars. They are very informative, interesting and well-presented, valuable even for those, like me, that have some knowledge of the area. Full of great insight and never boring.
We have had the opportunity to travel a lot over the years but never came close to Azerbaijan and, as a result, knew little about the country. Dr. Wieda solved that problem with an interesting and thorough discussion of the history, people, and culture of the country and fascinating sites to visit. Time well spent.
It's hard to decide which feature of Dr. Nina Wieda's presentations is the most excellent, her profound knowledge of the subject matter, her great enthusiasm, or the care she gives to preparing the program! This program on Azerbaijan was a great mix of history, culture including musical interludes, ancient and very modern architecture, and natural beauty. The visuals were plentiful and beautiful. Azerbaijan is certainly a fascinating country.