The International Centre for
Circassian Studies (ICCS)
Центрым и къалэн нэхъыщхьэр
Mission Statement:
The principal mission of the International Centre for Circassian Studies (ICCS) is the development
and dissemination of Circassian language and culture, and to promote them
world-wide, so that ultimately Circassian culture would find a place amongst
the mainstream world cultures.
Центрым и мурадхэр
Aims and Goals:
- The establishment of the
Centre as a viable academic institution.
- The publication of
materials (books, monographs, journals, etc.) which enhance the development of Circassian culture and literature in all cultural and literary
spheres.
- The dissemination of linguistic, cultural and folkloric materials that showcase Circassian language and culture.
- To establish co-operation ties with peer institutions and individuals across the world.
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To organise and promote the annual Circassian language conference. This would be an on-going international event to consider the status of the Circassian language in the Caucasus and the diaspora and to study the various programmes developed for the development and promotion of the use of the Circassian language in all spheres.
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One of the short-term
objectives is to establish criteria by which the long-term objectives can be achieved.
The ideas and suggestions
of all stakeholders have to be taken into consideration when charting the
course followed by the Centre. Scholars and researchers, cultural workers and
folklorists, writers and literary workers, and consumers and connoisseurs of cultural and
folkloric materials and works are all important players on the stage that we are
endeavouring to build.
Центрым зыгъэзащIэ къалэнхэр
Current ICCS projects:
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Online Circassian language teaching centre has already been made available with full panoply of teaching aids (primers, phrase-books, bi-lingual texts, dictionaries, bibliographies and references, etc.). This facility shall be continuously developed and expanded. Feedback from learners would help us in improving the services provided.
- Publication of a cultural and literary journal. The Centre publishes
a triannual journal 'The Hearth Tree' on cultural, folkloric, linguistic, and
literary issues that should be of interest to a wide spectrum of readers,
including scholars and academicians. All efforts shall be made to maintain the
highest standards expected of a scholarly publication. Circassian and English
shall be amongst the principal languages of publication. The journal is also
available on line (on this website) for easy access. The first (pilot) issue of the journal is available on this website.
- Uploading of seminal books in DjVu and pdf (and other relevant) formats and make them available online. It is realistically possible to upload about 50 books in the first year (taking into account intellectual property rights). The books shall be chosen to represent the whole spectrum of Circassian language and culture. Obvious candidates include Asker Hedeghal’e’s seven-volume collection of the Nart Epos and the music works (ancient songs) of Vladimir Bereghwn (Бэрэгъун Владимир) and Ziramikw Qardenghwsch' (КъардэнгъущI Зырамыку). The process involves scanning and formatting the books. A number of books have already been uploaded on this website.
- Making available of audio-visual materials, including teaching materials, music files, films, and programmes, on line and in more conventional formats. The ICCS website has limitless storage and bandwidth to contain the substantive materials expected to be made available on it.
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Collection of
cultural, folkloric and linguistic materials. Concerted efforts are being made to collect all
kinds of materials on Circassian literature, language, culture, and folklore and to digitize these and convert them into easily
accessible formats. It is the ambition of the ICCS to become the custodian of the most comprehensive collection of Circassian cultural materials.
