Société Européenne pour l'Etude des Civilisations de l'Himalaya et de l'Asie Centrale

Colloquium report

The second international Colloquium of the SEECHAC devoted to the The political and Religious expressions of sovereignty in the Himalaya and Central Asia: rituals, texts, representations institutions has been held at Museo Nazionale d'Arte Orientale “Giuseppe Tucci”, on the 10th and 11th of October 2011. The complete program of the Colloquium and summaries of the presentations will be found below. These documents are sufficient to explain the scientific context and its interest.

I would like to thank our colleagues, Professor Anna Maria Quagliotti, Professor at the University of Naples and Vice- President of SEECHAC and Dr Massimiliano A. Polichetti, Curator at Museo Nazionale d'Arte Orientale “Giuseppe Tucci” to have organized so well this Colloquium. I would also like to thank our friend Michel Colas, Secretary of SEECHAC, who helped them. The staff of the M.N.A.O. “Giuseppe Tucci” was most hospitable and mindful of our needs. Many thanks also to them.

A hundred scholars, Italians, Frenchs, Germans, Americans and Japanese, attended the Colloquium. It gave to many of them the chance to discover the very fine collections of the M.N.A.O. “Giuseppe Tucci”, which were perfectly adapted to the topic of the Colloquium. It gave also the possibility to all the participants, coming from very different countries, to meet and renew scientific and personal ties and, in many cases, to meet for the first time. That is one of the most useful aspects of this type of Colloquium. The scholars working in the Himalaya and Central Asian regions are not numerous and very often are compelled to work in isolation. The Colloquium of SEECHAC enabled many scholars, particularly the young participants, to meet with colleagues working in the same area or on the same topic and to evaluate their competence and their methodology and to exchange pieces of information and addresses. The youngest have started to make themselves known. That is exactly one of the aims of the SEECHAC. A glance at the program shows that the majority of the European research centres concerned were represented in Rome. This delights us.

The next step will consist in enlarging the European and International character of SEECHAC by inviting into the board of the Society more foreign colleagues. After two successful International Colloquiums, we have to think about the third colloquium programmed for 2013. Any suggestions concerning the future place where the Colloquium will be held (preferably outside France in order to stress the European character of the SEECHAC) as well as its theme are welcome.

We also have to thank most sincerely Dr Massimillano A. Polichetti who allowed us to meet in the following day in the Museum, which normally is closed on that day. Around fifty persons were present for the round table Avalokitesvara in India and Central Asia, organized by Professor A.M.Quagliotti. One will find the program below. New documents and new projects have been presented. Each presentation has been followed by long scientific and useful discussions. Thanks also to all the participants: we left the Museum with the feeling of having learned a lot as well as a feeling of gratitude towards our Italian colleagues.

Gérard Fussman
President of SEECHAC

Museo Nazionale d'Arte Orientale

18/11/2011 21:47