Today we discussed the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) with reference to the current conflict erupting in South Kyrgyzstan. The lecture by Dr. Hopmann was enlightening and the following discussion were very lively and evocative.

However, as today was a rather brief day at the symposium, after some self-study of negotiation and other related matters, some colleagues and I decided to take a side-trip to San Luca, on the periphery of medieval Bologna. To our later chagrin, we decided to walk to the church, believing that it would be feasible to travel by foot (seeming that the church was located at the edge of the old city – however this assumption was incorrect.

What was also absent from our awareness was exactly how high (or how many steps would be required) to reach the structure. What we believed to be a rather brief excursion ended up being a five-hour round-trip. For future students of the IPSI symposium I would recommend a few things:

1) bring a good pair of walking shoes

2) Stairs appear to be somewhat popular in Bologna

3) Getting out to explore the city is a great opportunity to digest material with friends and to further one’s experience at the symposium in a quality and familial manner

Nicholas Knowlton, USA