Bethlehem University Held the Second Arab Literature Conference

Organized by the Department of Arabic at Bethlehem University, the Second Conference on Palestinian Literature entitled “Palestinian Literature in the Diaspora was concluded on Friday June 15, 2007. The Conference started on Thursday 14 June 2007, and was attended by many writers from Palestinian universities and Galilee and a large number of people interested in literature. One of the goals of the Conference was to honor the renowned author Salma al-Khadra al-Jayyusi and Dr. Salman abu Setteh the author of the Atlas of Palestine 1948. 

The Conference was officially opened at 10:00 am with the Palestinian National Anthem followed by a speech by Dr. Moein Halloun, Chairperson of the Department of Arabic, in which he welcomed the audience and stressed the importance of holding this Conference in conserving the Palestinian identity. Dr. Halloun announced that next year at this time, a conference on the Palestinian Women Literature, will be held.

Brother Daniel Casey, Vice Chancellor, welcomed the audience and expressed his happiness for holding this Conference at Bethlehem University . Later Brother Daniel presented Dr. Salma Jayyusi with a special Medal as recognition of Bethlehem University to her contribution to the Palestinian literature and the translation of Arabic Literature into English (PROTA Project). A similar Medal was presented to Dr. Salman abu Setteh who was not able to attend and addressed the conference via a DVD.

The opening ceremony was followed by a reception. Later 24 professors from different Palestinian universities and institutions presented their papers in five different sessions in which they tackled three main literary genres: poetry, fiction, drama and the literary trends in the Palestinian Literature in the Diaspora.