Past Events: News & Events: Center for Languages of the Central Asian Region: Indiana University Bloomington

Imprisoned Souls: Poems of Uyghur Prisoners in China

Thursday, April 02, 2026, 5 p.m.—Thursday, April 02, 2026, 6 p.m.

On Thursday, April 2, 2026, CeLCAR hosted Uyghur poet Aziz Isa Elkun to discuss the history of Uyghur poetry as well as the release of his new anthology Imprisoned Souls: Poems of Uyghur Prisoners in China (Hertfordshire Press, 2025). Throughout the day, Elkun, a member of English PEN and PEN America and President of the Uyghur PEN Centre, met with both faculty and students of the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies to share important insights into literature, resilience, and cultural expression. The day's schedule of events included a campus tour with a luncheon hosted by Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University, followed by a special dinner hosted by the event sponsor, Marco Polo Eurasian Cuisine (https://marcoandpolo.online/). CeLCAR would like to thank everyone who attended the lecture and helped make this visit possible, with special thanks to Marco Polo for their generous support.

Waiting to Be Arrested at Night by Tahir Hamut Izgil

Thursday, October 02, 2025, 6 p.m.—Thursday, October 02, 2025, 7 p.m.

On Thursday, October 2, 2025, CeLCAR, in collaboration with the Department of Central Eurasian Studies, the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center, and the Center for the Study of the Middle East, hosted Uyghur poet, filmmaker, and activist Tahir Hamut Izgil for a public lecture and discussion of his memoir Waiting to Be Arrested at Night: A Uyghur Poet’s Memoir of China’s Genocide (2023). During the talk, Izgil discussed the events described in his award-winning book, recounting the political, social, and cultural destruction of his homeland Xinjiang and describing how his friends and colleagues gradually disappeared, detained by the Chinese government in internment camps for Muslim minorities. Izgil emphasized that his memoir is both a call for international awareness of the ongoing crisis and a tribute to the friends and fellow Uyghurs whose voices have been silenced.

Azerbaijan's National Youth Day Celebration

Wednesday, February 02, 2022, 8 a.m.—Wednesday, February 02, 2022, 5 p.m.

On February 2, IU will celebrate Azerbaijan’s National Youth Day, a holiday dedicated to recognizing the achievements and contributions of young people in Azerbaijan. The event will highlight the important role youth play in shaping the country’s cultural, educational, and civic life while offering the IU community an opportunity to learn more about Azerbaijani culture and traditions.

Continuing Threats to Uyghur Culture, Language, and Identity

Saturday, October 30, 2021, 2 p.m.—Saturday, October 30, 2021, 4:30 p.m.

This upcoming lecture examines the ongoing crisis facing Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang region, where widespread detentions, restrictions on religious and cultural practices, and the closure of Uyghur-medium schools have raised serious international concern. The talk will explore how these policies threaten Uyghur language, culture, and identity, and discuss the broader implications for human rights and cultural preservation. Indiana University’s long-standing expertise in the study of Islam, Central Asia, and Uyghur culture provides an important context for this timely discussion.

Independent Uzbekistan at 30: An Insider Perspective

Wednesday, October 13, 2021, 4 p.m.—Wednesday, October 13, 2021, 5 p.m.

This talk is an assessment of the social, economic, and political situation in Uzbekistan on the eve of independence (1991) and the early years. Speaker will review the policies (domestic and foreign) of Islam Karimov era (ending in 2016), and the election of Shavkat Mirziyoyev as President and foreign policy shifts with educational reforms, with a focus on higher education.

4th Conference on Central Asian Languages and Linguistics (ConCALL-4)

Friday, April 09, 2021, 8 a.m.—Sunday, April 11, 2021, 6 p.m.

CeLCAR will be hosting the 4th Conference of Central Asian Language and Linguistics (ConCALL-4) at Indiana University from April 9-11, 2021.

Enroll for intensive language courses this Summer 2021.

Wednesday, March 31, 2021, 5 p.m.—Wednesday, March 31, 2021, 5 p.m.

The Language Work at Indiana University is taking enrollments for its intensive courses in Summer 2021!

CeLCAR's Second Annual Reception

Friday, April 17, 2020, 6 p.m.—Friday, April 17, 2020, 9 p.m.

The Center for Languages of the Central Asian Region invites you to our second annual reception. Please join us for a celebration of the languages, peoples, and cultures of Central Asia.

The Summer Language Workshop 2019

Sunday, March 31, 2019, 12 p.m.—Sunday, March 31, 2019, 5 p.m.

The Language Work at Indiana University is taking enrollments for its intensive courses in the Summer of 2019!

CeLCAR's First Annual Reception

Thursday, March 07, 2019, 5:30 p.m.—Thursday, March 07, 2019, 8:30 p.m.

The Center for Languages of the Central Asian Region invites you to the inaugural event of our annual reception. Please join us for a celebration of the languages, peoples, and cultures of Central Asia.

2018 Annual Convention and World Languages Expo

Friday, November 16, 2018, 8 a.m.—Sunday, November 18, 2018, 6 p.m.

Stop by our booth at ACTFL 2018!

IU Online Conference 2018

Friday, November 09, 2018, 8 a.m.—Saturday, November 10, 2018, 6 p.m.

CeLCAR will be attending the IU Online Conference.

3rd Conference on Central Asian Languages and Linguistics (ConCALL-3)

Friday, March 02, 2018, 8 a.m.—Sunday, March 04, 2018, 6 p.m.

This spring, the Center for Languages of the Central Asian Region (CeLCAR) will be hosting the 3rd Conference on Central Asian Languages and Linguistics (ConCALL-3) at Indiana University from March 2-4, 2018.

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