Jabra conference in Bethlehem
Bethlehem University hosted a conference on the renowned Bethlehemite intellectual and literary figure Jabra Ibrahim Jabra (1920 - 1994) between August 28 and 29, 2004. Jabra was a novelist, poet, short story
writer, painter, literary and art critic and translator.
Eighteen specialists from the West Bank gave
presentations on Jabra's works. His excellency Yahia
Yakhlef, the Minister of Culture, delivered the
conference keynote speech. Br. Vincent Malham (BU
President-Vice Chancellor) and Mr. Hanna Naser
(Mayor of Bethlehem) welcomed the participants and
Dr. Aziz Khalil, the Conference Coordinator, talked
about the work done by the Organizing Committee (Br.
Cyril, Dr. Jeanne Kattan, Mrs. Tania Tamari Naser and
Dr. Aziz Khalil). The opening session was attended by
102 participants.
On Sunday morning, Mr. Hanna Naser
named a street after Jabra near one of the houses in
which Jabra lived and Mr. Majdi Shomali conducted a
tour for the participants, which covered the places
mentioned by Jabra in his biographical novel The First
Well.
The papers presented will be published in
proceedings of the conference. The conference was
funded by the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and
Development, the Palestinian Ministry of Culture and
the Shoman Foundation in Jordan.
Aziz Khalil,
Conference Coordinator
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