Summer greetings!

Summer is here and most of us at the UCRS will soon go on vacation.

The spring term has been a highly productive period for us at the UCRS. During the spring semester has UCRS in cooperation with Tartu University and Kent University initiated a three-year "Twinning" project under the EU's "Horizon 2020" program. The project was named "Uptake" (Upsala-Tartu-Kent) and aims at enhancing research productivity and excellence at Tartu, and promoting the international visibility and integration of all three partners in the field of Russian and East European Studies. We have also arranged an international conference on human trafficking and human rights. The conference under the title "Human Trafficking in the 21st Century" gathered researchers, practitioners, journalists and representatives of international organizations like the UN and the Council of Europe. Several prominent guests attended the conference including Her Majesty Queen Silvia, Chancellor of Justice Anna Skarhed and the Chief Inspector of the National Police and the National Rapporteur on trafficking Kajsa Wahlberg. During the last semester, several guest researchers from Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, the US, Russia, the Netherlands and Ukraine have visited the Centre. Finally, we have had an exciting and varied seminar programme with researchers and practitioners who have held presentations around various issues - from digital intelligentsia in Russia to homophobia in Latvia.

Autumn seminar programme begins on September 6 with Alexander Golts, who will talk about the growing militarism in Russia. A complete seminar programme will be posted on our website in August.

We at the Centre would like to thank everyone who in various ways has been involved in Centre’s activities and want to wish you a great summer!