In the podcast chair this week is Fuad Akhundov, famed in Baku for his engagingly eccentric walking tours packed with human-interest stories and lavishly illustrated with archive photos from the early 20th-century oil boom era. Talking soon after March 8th, International Women’s Day, he focuses here on Azerbaijan’s early milestones in suffrage, looks at developments in education for girls before WWI, and concludes with a very personal take on feminism. As ever your comments are very much welcomed.

Episode 3 | Fuad Akhundov speaks on trailblazers, empowerment & education for girls in 1900s Baku.

With Mark Elliott this week is Gela Bezhuashvili who, amongst many extraordinary accomplishments, was Minister of Foreign Affairs for Georgia in the thrilling years of that nation’s great revival (2004-2008). Mark and Gela compare their personal memories of that era of transition, then Gela muses on the power of possibilities to empower people. In a memorable climax he sketches out a vision for a peaceful, harmonious Caucasus by the mid-21st century.

Episode 4 | Gela Bezhuashvili - Georgia's ex foreign minister on positive change & Caucasian harmony

Today Mark is in conversation with Ian Peart - a UK-born writer and educator who's lived in Baku for over 20 years. With passion and insight, Ian talks about Saadet (Happiness),  how Mugam made sense after hearing Alim Gasimov, and how important it is to think about the victims and survivors of the 1992 Khojaly massacre - with humanity and hope.

Episode 4 | Gela Bezhuashvili - Georgia's ex foreign minister on positive change & Caucasian harmony

Caspian Podcast

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