The Federation of Balkan American Associations (FEBA), and The Division of Global Affairs, Rutgers University – Newark are hosting the 2009 Annual Balkan Leaders Reception “Challenge of the Third Millennium: Lasting Peace and Prosperity in the Balkans”.
Through the Annual Balkan Leaders Reception, the Federation of Balkan American Associations hopes to achieve its mission of sharing the Balkan’s heritage of tolerance and understanding with the world leaders, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Foreign Affairs Ministers, as well as business and religious leaders, journalists, artists, scholars, and professionals covering a spectrum of fields. The Annual Reception aspires to contribute to creating common goals and ideals toward sustainable peace and prosperity as well as harmonious inter-ethnic relations.
PROGRAM
o Welcome remarks will be offered by Aras Konjhodzic, President of the Federation of Balkan American Associations and Steven J. Diner, Chancellor of Rutgers University–Newark.
o The program will continue with honorary speakers.
o Thereafter, the Keynote Address will be offered by H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister of Turkey.
o Reception will follow.
The Invited distinguished guests include:
H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister of Turkey
H.E. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, Secretary General of the OIC
H.E. Bamir Topi, President of Albania
H.E. Sali Berisha, the Prime Minister of Albania
H.E. Lulzim Basha, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Albania
H.E. Haris Silajdzic, Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
H.E. Sven Alkalaj, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina
H.E. Georgi Parvanov, the President of Bulgaria
H.E. Boyko Borissov, the Prime Minister of Bulgaria
H.E. Rumiana Jeleva, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Bulgaria
H.E. Stjepan Mesic, the President of Croatia
H.E. Jadranka Kosor, the Prime Minister of Croatia
H.E. Gordan Jandrokovic, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Croatia
H.E. Karolos Papoulias, the President of Greece
H.E. Kostas Karamanlis, the Prime Minister of Greece
H.E. Dora Bakoyannis, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Greece
H.E. Fatmir Sejdiu, the President of Kosovo
H.E. Hashim Thaci, the Prime Minister of Kosovo
H.E. Skender Hyseni, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Kosovo
H.E. Gjorgje Ivanov, the President of Macedonia
H.E. Nikola Gruevski, the Prime Minister of Macedonia
H.E. Antonio Milosovski, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Macedonia
H.E. Filip Vujanović, the President of Montenegro
H.E. Milo Djukanovic, the Prime Minister of Montenegro
H.E. Milan Roćen, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Montenegro
H.E Traian Basescu, the President of Romania
H.E. Emil Boc, the Prime Minister of Romania
H.E. Cristian Diaconescu, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Romania
H.E. Boris Tadic, the President of Serbia
H.E. Mirko Cvetkovic, the Prime Minister of Serbia
H.E. Vuk Jeremic, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Serbia
H.E. Ahmet Davutoğlu, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Turkey
Mr. Kemal Karpat, Distinguished Historian and Professor
Chancellor Steven J. Diner, Rutgers University-Newark
About the Federation of Balkan American Associations:
Founded by a group of Balkan Americans whose goal and mission was to promote the Balkan Cultures and Languages in an effort to strengthen the cultural and educational ties between the people of the United States and the Balkans. Federation of Balkan American Associations organizes educational and cultural activities such as Annual Balkan Leaders Reception, International Conferences, Lectures and Seminars, Workshops, Balkan Film Festival, Balkan Food and Culture Festival, Sports Tournaments, Youth Nights, Art Exhibits, Concerts, Movie Screening, Business Network Receptions, Trips to the Balkans, After School Programs, Learning Center, Language Courses, and informational programs about the Balkans and Balkan Culture throughout placing special emphasis on dialogue, and peace.
About the Division of Global Affairs, Rutgers-Newark:
The Division of Global Affairs (DGA) is an inter-disciplinary graduate studies program located in the Graduate School at Rutgers University-Newark. The DGA offers two degree programs, a Master of Science in Global Affairs and a Doctor of Philosophy in Global Affairs in more than ten specializations, drawing students from all over the world. The DGA is renowned as a premier research institute, and is ranked 5th in the nation by The Benchmarking Academic Excellence Survey of Top Universities in Social and Behavioral Sciences Disciplines (2006-2007). The DGA promotes research on Balkan related issues, greater cultural understanding in the region, as well as student exchange, in collaboration with FEBA.
The DGA’s mission is to be a cutting edge inter-disciplinary unit. Its faculty endeavors to address key issues in the 21st Century by providing opportunities for students and faculty to examine large-scale transformations in politics, governance, economics, culture, diplomacy, cooperation and conflict. At the core of the DGA’s concerns is the relationship between international, transnational and local issues, globalization and the dynamic role of governments, multilateral institutions, NGOs, civil society and corporations. The DGA’s research initiatives are housed in the Rutgers Institute for the Study of Emerging Threats in the 21st Century (ET21). ET21’s mission is to address how stakeholders can best respond to ecological, technological, political or resource-driven threats. For more information see http://dga.rutgers.edu/.