The 18th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies is being held outside of the capital Addis Ababa in Dire Dawa for the first time. The conference will be held from the 29th of October to the 2nd of November under the theme of ‘Movements in Ethiopia/Ethiopia in Movement.’
Dire Dawa and co-host Harrar were chosen to host this years conference because the two are crossroads in the trade and migration networks and have retained their cultural and religious traditions without sacrificing modernity.
The conference was organized as a collaborative effort by the Institute of Ethiopian Studies and the French Center of Ethiopian Studies and is primarily sponsored by the French Embassy in Ethiopia.
It is expected that the conference will attract an estimated 300 domestic and international scholars some of whom will be presenting research findings. Papers to be presented at the conference will include research conducted in areas such as ancient history, archeology, the relationship between the Ethiopian state and the Ottoman Empire in the 16th to the 19th centuries, and the history and social dynamics of contemporary religious movements.The conference will also offer the opportunity for discussion on the past and present of Ethiopia it was said.
The conference will address the ongoing development of the country while paying heed to long term historical dynamics and the various cultural, economic and social factors that have contributed and are still contributing towards making up the diversity and unity of the country.
Source: Capital
