The theme cannot be ignored due to the world-wide celebration of the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of Origin of Species. Especially in the Western world and the former Soviet Union, there will be many conferences, publications, documentaries, and events celebrating Darwin and some of the consequences of his ideas. Many of these will present Darwinism as one of the greatest contributions to science and to human progress in all history.
As is usual in the media, it is not likely that there will be careful attention given to definitions of key terms such as "evolution," "Darwinism," "intelligent design," or "creationism" - or to distinctions necessary to understanding controversial issues related to these terms. Even Christians in the media often do not clarify terms; thus, what it is that they are affirming and what it is that they are denying. We are not likely to see or hear anything in the secular media about the negative impact of the consequences of Darwinian ideas.
In just five days you can make a significant impact in this part of the post-communism world, where the ideology of Darwinism caused enormous damage on society, but still popular and treated as the only right worldview.
Together we will participate in this discussion and academic debate through university lectures in Crimea and a one-day students' conference in Simferopol. These outreach events will be followed by the conference, The Ideology of Darwinism and its Impact on the Sciences, Education and Society, on the Black Sea coast, the result of which will be a book with the same title published in Russian
Here is the plan:• Sunday afternoon (October 11): Orientation; meet your translator; Q&A; etc. • Monday & Tuesday (October 12 & 13): University lectures. We invite our Western participants to present university lectures on topics of their choice. We get the list of topics from you and present them to the professors and chairs who choose what they would like to have their students or professors hear. This is a rare open door into the university classroom. • Wednesday (October 14): One-day conference. We invite Western participants and Russian and Ukrainian professors to present papers or abstracts to their peers in sections according to their discipline. Papers may address some aspect of either the broad theme of "Man and the Christian Worldview" or the theme of the year, "The Ideology of Darwinism and its Impact on the Sciences, Education and Society." There will be some plenary papers by established scholars, but we are especially seeking young scholars and graduate students in Russia and Ukraine to present abstracts and join us in the discussion of worldview ideas and their consequences. These presentations will be published in Russian. (Russian is the language of the conference, but translators are provided.) • Thursday through Saturday (October 15-17): Three-day conference. Invited participants and observers will be taken to a venue on the Black Sea coast. Only major papers accepted for publication on the sub-theme will be presented and discussed at this event.
You may participate in one or more parts of the three part event, but we encourage your participation in all of the events of the week.
You are invited to attend one of the churches in Simferopol on Sunday October 11 and 18; let us know if you would like to preach or give a short talk - guest preachers are usually very welcome.
If you would like to see some of the famous historical sites (ruins of ancient and medieval cities, sites of Florence Nightingale ministry and of the Charge of the Light Brigade, "Yalta Conference" venue, Stalin's nuclear submarines underground shelter, modern Russian Black Sea Fleet base, etc.) and sights of beauty of Crimea, plan to come before or remain after the week of events. We can make arrangements for you if you plan ahead.
If you wish to participate, here is what we need to receive from you at conf@ciu.org.ua :• An email stating that you (tentatively or definitely) plan to participate, and if you would like to participate in all three of the events. • Your CV and picture. • By April 1:Your paper title • By April 15: Your proposal or abstract • By June 1: Your publishable abstract and paper • By August 15: Your topics for university lectures • By September 14: Your travel dates (and if you want us to plan some sightseeing for you; this date is especially important if you want us to make internal flight bookings for you, such as between Kiev and Simferopol) • By October 1: Your outlines (or manuscripts or PowerPoints) for university lectures • Any special considerations we should be aware of (health, mobility, housing; we usually lodge guests with Ukrainian families during the Simferopol events; we are at a 'rest house' or hotel for the three-day conference)
What would it cost you, besides time?
For other information (paper length, visas, local expenses, etc), please see http://crimea.conference.googlepages.com/ -- we are still updating information for October 2009, but there is a wealth of applicable information posted, so please take the time to review these pages. Thank you.• The cost mostly depends on airfare ($800-1200) but $1,500 is usually a sufficient budget. • Lodging and meals currently run $18/day with a national host in Simferopol; $40/day in hotels when on the coast (meals included). • Overnight train travel between Kiev and Simferopol runs around $18 one way per bed in a compartment for four; it is possible to purchase all four beds to insure greater privacy. • Flights between Kiev and Simferopol run between $80 and $100 each way. If you book an afternoon flight out of Kiev for the West, you can catch a morning flight from Simferopol and save an overnight at the airport hotel, which is sometimes necessary if you book a morning international flight out of Kiev. See travel guide and check with us for details and current information. • Donation for translation requested: $100 per person per event. Costs are greater than this, of course. All the major conference papers written in Russian are translated into English and are available to you upon arrival so you can preview them. You will also have these with you to read while you listen to the Russian speaker present his/her paper. The interpreters will also provide oral interpretation during the conference and pre- or post- conference lectures. The English papers are translated into Russian and prepared for publication. • No conference registration fee for Westerners. (FYI-Members of the CIS pay a registration fee ca. $20 but do not pay for their accommodations and meals for the three-day conference.)