III Astana Economic Forum to be held on july 1-2, 2010 
Patrick Ryan's Account of Our Tennessee Visit
Following is the account of our Tennessee visit by Patrick Ryan, President of the Tennessee World Affairs Council.
The Tennessee World Affairs Council hosted the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Erlan Idrissov, as part of its distinguished visiting speaker program, September 17-20, 2009. The Ambassador was invited to speak with high school and university students, business people, and community groups in Memphis, Nashville, and Cookeville as part of the Council’s program to increase global awareness education in Tennessee.
The trip began with a tour of FedEx Express’ global headquarters and operations at its Memphis airport hub. I accompanied Ambassador Idrissov during a visit to the Global Operations Command Center as the evening’s “hub operations” were beginning. We toured the expansive headquarters used for controlling the worldwide logistics, observed the air operations of the company’s hundreds of aircraft, and were briefed by the ground controller on the flights in and out of Kazakhstan.
The tour led us through a number of other places, including the aircrew briefing facility, aircraft ramps, the state-of-the-art document handling facility, and the legacy handling facility that sorts and distributes packages for outbound trips. Additionally, we were able to see first-hand the logistics that go into handling and delivering packages and FedEx’s control tower that overlooks its massive hub operation: landings and takeoffs of almost 150 aircraft during the overnight hours.
Reinforced through the work of a global business like FedEx, the major link between Tennessee and Kazakhstan illustrates the interconnectedness of the global community and the bridges that connect their people.
Friday morning, we joined Second Secretary of the Kazakhstan Embassy, Zhanbolat Ussenov, for a day of school visits in Nashville. Belmont University, the site of the 2008 Presidential debate between Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain, was our first stop. We were informed that 5,700 students attend school on this vibrantly beautiful campus known for its international business program.
As planned, Belmont Provost Marcia McDonald escorted us to the standing-room only student convocation she was hosting in the Vince Gill Room at the Curb Event Facility. In her address, Dr. McDonald welcomed the Ambassador and discussed the school’s mission statement, focusing on the University’s specific goal to provide “an academically challenging education that empowers men and women of diverse backgrounds to engage and transform the world.” After emphasizing the importance of hosting international visitors for the first-hand, global experiences they provide, she proceeded to applaud the students for their enthusiastic turnout.
Ambassador Idrissov followed Dr. McDonald and addressed the convocation on a number of issues. The Ambassador’s sense of humor was readily apparent as he immediately referenced “Borat,” the movie that introduced Kazakhstan to the millions of people who had never before heard of it. Though he expressed his gratitude for the amount of press Kazakhstan received as a result of Borat’s popularity, he indicated that his goal is to now correct the movie’s many inaccuracies.
Ambassador Idrissov then proceeded to provide the audience with an expansive view of Kazakhstan’s history, highlighting the importance of Central Asia’s “Silk Road” for the advancement of civilization. He emphasized the challenges of rebuilding a suppressed country and was quite candid about the amount of work still needed to ensure the stability of Kazakhstan’s nubile democracy. The Ambassador concluded his speech by answering questions posed by the attending students.
Following the address to Belmont students, we, along with Dr. McDonald, attended a luncheon hosted by the Dean of the College of Business Administration, Patrick Raines. During the meal, we discussed the status of Kazakh-U.S. relations and associated international issues with the faculty members who were invited.
We had only visited one school; however, I was extremely pleased with the knowledgeable staff and engaged students that had already made our experience so constructive.
The next stop on our schedule was the Martin Luther King, Jr., Magnet High School (MLK), an inner city school recognized as a center of excellence in the Metropolitan Nashville Public School System. In fact, before they attended an orientation briefing at the Kazakh Embassy in Washington, D.C., MLK’s Academic Team won the World Quest championship.
Catherine Kelly, the World Geography teacher who organized the visit, and MLK principal Dr. Schunn Turner escorted Ambassador Idrissov and me to the school auditorium where the Ambassador presented his remarks to an audience of 150 energetic and well-prepared students. The students seemed to appreciate the Ambassador’s use of visuals, including a selection of maps, photos, and briefing slides displayed on a large screen, and asked the Ambassador a myriad of thoughtful questions related to Kazakhstan’s future.
The remainder of the afternoon was spent at Nashville’s Centennial Park, home to a replica of the ancient Parthenon. We embarked on a tour of the park and were shown the historical marker that listed all of the 101 international diplomats who visited the city in 1976. Next, we were able to take in the downtown sights of interest: the country music venues, the Cumberland River, and the Fisk Museum.
Later that evening, the Ambassador seemed to really enjoy his experience at the Grand Old Opry, home of America’s country music. In addition to watching the star-studded show, the Ambassador was invited backstage to meet the performers, including Opry legends Jean Shepherd, John Anderson, and Little Jimmy Dickens. Ambassador Idrissov, however, was most excited to meet the namesake for the Belmont University room in which he had delivered his speech earlier that day—country music superstar Vince Gill. All of the musicians were extremely pleased that the Ambassador had decided to visit, but they were also interested in the reason for the excursion. He then articulated his goal of promoting global awareness among the people of Tennessee.
The original agenda for Saturday included the Rotary Golf Classic in Cookeville, a fundraiser that supports youth in crisis and in excellence. Due to unusually heavy rain, though, the tournament was postponed, and a secondary plan was put into action. Between the intermittent showers, Ambassador Idrissov, along with Cookeville High School student Bill Ryan, golfed against locals Ed and Britt Jared.
That afternoon, Dr. Chuck Womack, the Tennessee World Affairs Council Vice President and Chairman of the Tennessee Greenways Foundation, brought Ambassador Idrissov to nearby Burgess Falls State Park to experience the area’s impressive natural features, including a personal tour of the lower Burgess Falls, courtesy of Tennessee Park Ranger Bill Summers.
Ambassador Idrissov and Mr. Ussenov travelled to Cookeville later that evening to attend a reception hosted by the Tennessee World Affairs Council. As it was open to the public, the Ambassador spent a majority of his time conversing with guests about Kazakhstan, its relationship with the United States and neighboring countries in Central Asia, and his experiences at other Tennessee locations. The evening was filled with insightful exchanges, those that will lead to lasting friendships and prospective cooperative ventures. As parting gifts, Ambassador Idrissov and Mr. Ussenov received Vince Gill music CDs, and they presented a collection of books on Kazakhstan to the Tennessee World Affairs Council library.
I cannot put a price tag on the value of this visit. Ambassador Idrissov not only made new friends for Kazakhstan, but he also created a realization among Tennesseans that the world is a very interesting place and that they cannot rely on misinformation and stereotypes to try to navigate it. He inspired many to learn about Kazakhstan and become more involved in foreign affairs—not only those whom he personally met, but also those who will read and hear about it in years to come. For this service, as well as for acknowledging the needs of our communities and students, we thank him. His efforts in the past four days have truly helped to form new bridges of friendship and understanding.
