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Acknowledgements

Julie Bonnéric, Narmin A. Amin et Barbara Couturaud
p. 9-10

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1This book is the result of numerous discussions between the three editors, discussions that began in November 2018 and led to an international round table in Erbil, on 4 and 5 May 2019, entitled “Christianity in Iraq at the turn of Islam”, organized by the Institut français du Proche-Orient (Ifpo) with the support of the University of Salahaddin-Erbil, where the event took place. This round table was conceived as an initial inventory of the available data, mainly archaeological, about Christianity. An update on Christianity in Iraq seemed necessary after decades of research. Since it was a question of taking stock, the 17 papers given were organized by type of source and then by geographical region rather than by theme. The first session highlighted the wealth of textual sources and thereby the importance of comparing the work of textual historians and archaeologists. The following sessions reviewed the state of archaeological knowledge. The presentations showed the richness of the Iraqi heritage and the fact that religious heritage, whether Christian or Muslim, is often in danger. The question of archaeological data was divided into three sessions defined by geographical criteria and we were able to examine the Christian sites of the al-Ḥīra region and those of Iraqi Kurdistan. The last session was also geographical in a way, with a focus on comparison, devoted to the border regions of Iraq in an attempt to determine the relationships between the Christians of Iraq and their neighbours. Persia was unfortunately missing from this portrait of the regions bordering Iraq.

2This round table marked an important stage in research on Christianity in Iraq, particularly as it brought together researchers from a variety of disciplinary and geographical backgrounds. The conclusions of this event led us to produce a collective publication on the theme, broadening the initial perspectives by developing historical and art historical contributions. We wish to thank all those without whom this scientific event and publication would not have taken place.

3First, our colleagues at Ifpo, in particular Dominique Pieri, director of the Department of Archaeology and History of Antiquity, and Frédéric Imbert, former director of the Department of Arabic, Medieval and Modern Studies, for their unfailing and immediate support and enthusiasm. To these we add thanks to Michel Mouton, director of Ifpo during the organization of the round table, who also supported this event between the two departments of Ifpo with great benevolence, as well as Myriam Catusse, director of Ifpo since September 2021. Many thanks to Pauline Koetschet, director of the Department of Arabic, Medieval and Modern Studies since September 2019, who agreed to publish this volume as a special issue of the Bulletin d’Études Orientales. In Beirut, we would like to give our warm thanks, for their patience and precious advice, to the team of the Presses de l’Ifpo, in particular Sophie Duthion and Lina Khanmé-Sberna. Finally, in Erbil, Farouq Khorsheed and Rebaz Sardar, who ensured the logistics of the event perfectly.

4We would also like to thank the French Embassy in Baghdad, the French Consulate General in Erbil and the Service of Cooperation and Cultural Action and its team, especially Jean-Noël Baléo, Counsellor of Orientation and Cultural Action until August 2019, then Salwa Nacouzi, who also supported us and made this scientific meeting as well as the publication of this work possible. We are also grateful to the CNRS laboratory Ciham (UMR 5648), which has also supported us financially for the production of this book. The Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie and the Tarzeen Company made it possible for us to organize this event in French, Kurdish, Arabic and English by providing funding and translation logistics respectively. Issam Chahadat, Isabelle Ruben and Anne-Lise Thomasson patiently reviewed the arabic, english and french texts of this book, for which we thank them, as well as Marie-Thérèse Elia and Hamid Moein who checked the Syriac and Persian transcriptions.

5We are also very grateful to our dear colleagues at the University of Salahaddin, who supported us in the organization of this event, especially its president, Dr. Ahmad Dezaye, and the dean of the College of Arts, Dr. Qader Hassan, and Dr. Aziz Zebari, president of the Department of Archaeology. We also thank Dr. Zeidan Bradosty, who accompanied us when he was still dean of the College of Arts, during the first months of the preparation of the round table.

6Finally, we would like to thank the team of the General Directorate of Antiquities, its General Director, Dr. Kayfee Ali, for his constant support, and the regional directors, who honoured us with their presence at the round table.

7Lastly, we would like to thank the participants of the round table and the authors who contributed to this book. This publication owes much to the help, support and assistance of many colleagues: Shayma Ali, Amar Aljumail, Mathilde Boudier, Françoise Briquel Chatonnet, Béatrice Caseau, Alice Croq, Muriel Debié, Alain Desreumaux, Rémy Gareil, Jacques Issac, Martina Muller-Wiener, Alastair Northedge, Flavia Ruani, Gazwan Shahara, and St John Simpson.

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Référence papier

Julie Bonnéric, Narmin A. Amin et Barbara Couturaud, « Acknowledgements »Bulletin d’études orientales, LXVIII | 2023, 9-10.

Référence électronique

Julie Bonnéric, Narmin A. Amin et Barbara Couturaud, « Acknowledgements »Bulletin d’études orientales [En ligne], LXVIII | 2023, mis en ligne le 01 juin 2023, consulté le 08 novembre 2024. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/beo/8148 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/beo.8148

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Auteurs

Julie Bonnéric

Institut français du Proche-Orient

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Narmin A. Amin

Salahaddin University

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Barbara Couturaud

Institut français du Proche-Orient

Articles du même auteur

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