On 28 March 2023, the OSCE Academy held a launch of the book "Foreign Fighters and International Peace: Joining Global Jihad and Marching Back Home" by Cholpon Orozobekova, Director of the Bulan Institute for Peace Innovations, and Associate Research Fellow at the OSCE Academy.
Dr. Indira Satarkulova, Acting Director of the OSCE Academy, welcomed the participants and wished a productive discussion. Ms. Orozobekova introduced her book and highlighted the main arguments, and findings of her research. "This book is not just an analysis of the phenomenon of foreign fighters. This book contains real-life experiences and hardships of individuals, particularly women and children, who joined global jihadist groups," noted Ms. Orozobekova.
Dr. Emilbek Joroev, Teaching Fellow at the OSCE Academy, provided insightful comments on the book, followed by a Q&A session moderated by Dr. Elena Zhirukhina, Senior Lecturer at the OSCE Academy. Participants asked a range of questions, including the impact of foreign fighters on international peace, bringing back fighters to their home countries, ways to prevent the recruitment of fighters and their families, and also the author's personal motivation for researching this subject.
The OSCE Academy in Kyrgyzstan continues to promote research and dialogue on important issues related to conflict resolution, security, and peacebuilding in Central Asia and beyond.