Call for Papers: Seminar on Harar (Ethiopia), 11/00

Seminar on Harar (Ethiopia). November 13-14 2000. Call for participation and papers

A Documentation and Research Centre on Harar has been recently established in the "Rimbaud House" (February 2000). We think that the International Conference on Ethiopian Studies, and the coming in Ethiopia of many scholars, is a good opportunity to hold a meeting in Harar, to gather the people working on the history and cultures of the town and of its region. So we plan, with the agreement of Dr Baye Yiman, Director of the IES, to have a meeting in Harar, just after the conferncee. During these two days (13-14 November), we could:

1) have a scientific syposium on Harar Studies (that is the town itself but also the region), which will be held in the Rimbaud House, with the support of the Harari authorities. Of course the presentation in this seminar should be different from that of the International Conference to avoid duplication of effort. Knowing that we are late, and the time short now to prepare long and detailed contributions, the papers could be also some reflexions on Harar studies, presentation of recent research, discussions. We expect an abstract of your contribution for mid-october.

2) establish a network among old and new researchers working in this field, reactivating the Friends for Harar. It is pertinent to recall that the first seminar (History and Culture of the peoples of Harar Province Seminar) was organized by the late prof. Richard Caulk in 1975. For those of us who were present, it was a seminal beginning of a Regional History in Ethiopia. We heard that lately a similar meeting focussing on Harar was held in USA. It is an encouraging sign to revive the old tradition.

3) develop common scientific and cultural projects for the coming years in cooperation with the staff of the Documentation and Research Centre in Harar and the local authorities.

Please inform us, as soon as possible, your wish to attend and your suggestions, and diffuse this message to your colleagues. We will try to help participants for their transportation from Addis to Harar and for their accomodation.

Contact us at the following addresses:

Ahmed Zakarya, Curator, IES

(ies@telecom.net.et, ethiopica@telecom.net.et)

Bertrand Hirsch, Director, CFEE

(cfee@telecom.net.et)