The City in Literature History and Society Conference at Beirut Arab University

The French Department at the Faculty of Arts, Beirut Arab University, organized its second interdisciplinary conference entitled “The City in Literature: History and Society”. The event was held on 25th and 26th November 2014 in three languages: Arabic, French and English. The opening session was attended by M. Hervé Sabourin, Director of the Middle East Office of AUF, Mrs. Sylvie Devigne of the Agence Universitaire Francophonie, and Mathieu Weeger, the Cultural Attaché of the Institut Français. The opening was also attended by Vice-President of the Islamic University, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Hattet, Advisor to the President of the Islamic University for Francophone Affairs, Dr. Ilham Selim Hattet, Secretary General of the Lebanese National Committee of UNESCO, Prof. Dr. Zahida Darwiche, BAU President Prof. Dr. Amr Galal El Adawi, BAU Vice-President Prof. Dr. Essam Osman, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof. Dr. Mayssah El Nayal, Prof. Dr. Nadia Iskandarani, head of the French Department at BAU and the coordinator of the conference, deans of faculties, Director of Public Relations, Mrs. Zina Ariss, BAU directors and administrators, in addition to the staff-members and students of the Faculty. The conference sessions were attended by staff-members and students from the Lebanese University, Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik, and the Islamic University, in addition to staff-members from the Departments of French, English, Arabic and History at the Faculty of Arts at Beirut Arab University.

It is worth noting that two PhD students at the French Department, Faculty of Arts, BAU participated in the panels. There was also a session for the Junior Researcher Teams, which included students from the French and English Departments. 

The Closing Session was jointly conducted by Prof. Dr. Nadia Iskandarani, Head of the French Department, and Prof. Dr. Sophie Salloum, Professor of French Literature at the French Department. The closing speeches highlighted the importance of the conference, its main themes, conclusions and recommendations.