UCF Hosts Conference on Kurdish Studies 

Attendees from all over the world gather to share insights and collaborate on Kurdish studies. 

By: Emily Dougherty | April 29, 2025

The Kurdish Political Studies Program at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs held its conference on Kurdish studies entitled, “Kurds on the Global Stage: Clashing Identities, Interests, and Perspectives.” 

The two-day conference, supported by co-sponsors the Serbest Foundation, the Washington Kurdish Institute, and Alan Baran, welcomed global and national guests including faculty members from other academic institutions, former diplomats, and US Army Generals. 

The event was opened by the Dean of the College of Sciences and Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives, Maggy Tomova. She says the program strengthens ties between UCF and Kurdish universities.  

“The Kurdish Political Studies Program is committed to advancing scholarly research and public awareness of Kurdish politics and organizing events—like today—that address contemporary issues impacting the Kurdish community,” Tomova says. “The program also works to build relationships with partners and communities, fostering collaboration between UCF and Kurdish universities. We are focused on student success and community and culture in the College of Sciences and the Kurdish Political Studies Program actively advances that work by developing a specialized curriculum centered on themes relevant to the Kurdish experience.” 

Day one of the conference, entitled The Kurds & the World, featured a talk from Peter Galbraith, Former US Ambassador to Croatia, called, “Kurdish-American Partnership and the Future of Syria”. He says that it’s important to highlight the role Kurds play in Syrian politics. 

“Comprised of more than forty million people, the Kurds are a key player in the Middle East and yet are only superficially known in policy circles and largely unstudied in Western academic institutions,” Galbraith says. “I was honored to speak about how the revolution in Syria affects the country’s Kurdish-run Northeast.” 

He says the event also gave him the opportunity to gain new knowledge and perspective. 

“This conference sponsored by UCF’s Kurdish Studies Program provided a rare opportunity for scholars and practitioners to consider the rapidly evolving role of the Kurds in the region and beyond,” Galbraith says. “Even after following the Kurds professionally for more than 40 years, I gained new insights from my fellow participants.” 

On the second day, titled The Kurds & Their States, featured David Romano, Thomas G. Strong Professor of Middle East Politics at Missouri State University, who presented his talk, “The Iraqi Opening and the KRG Model.” Romano says he enjoyed connecting and collaborating with attendees. 

“The connections made with other academics and old colleagues were really valuable,” he says. “I especially enjoyed the second day of the conference, where we were all able to discuss difficult issues related to Kurdistan in a very collegial and professional way in a small group of respectful and curious academics and former policy makers.” 

Ayşe Betül Çelik, Professor of Political Science at Sabanci University in Istanbul, Turkey, attended the event and shares his experience.  

“The conference highlighted the complexities of Kurdish identity, Kurds’ relations with their respective states, and their increasing importance in regional and global politics,” Çelik says. “Engaging in discussions with experts and fellow researchers expanded my knowledge and sparked new ideas, making the experience intellectually stimulating and meaningful.”