The second phase of the Bibliothèques d’Orient project is coming to an end. The National Library of France (BnF) and the Bibliothèques d’Orient network organized three study days dedicated to the challenges of digitization from June 18 to 20. Supported by the Mellon Foundation and ALIPH, the goal was to unveil the documentary treasures of the Middle East through collaboration with prestigious libraries and institutions. This partnership with fourteen establishments across Egypt, Jerusalem, Lebanon, Iraq, and Turkey, in collaboration with Gallica—the BnF’s free-access digital library—has already enabled the digitization of some remarkable works, offering a window into the cultural history of the Middle East.
Guided by curators and expert researchers from the BnF, participants explored various collections, including those of the IDEO library, a partner since the project’s inception in 2016. Mr. Magdi Azab, Mrs. Engy Elgammal, and Mateus Domingues da Silva, OP represented our library and graced the event with their presence.
It should be reiterated that the IDEO library has significantly contributed to the identification and enhancement of essential documentary collections of Islamic heritage in Arabic, and we assure the BnF of our commitment to continue participating in this remarkable initiative.
Lectures and talks
On June 13ᵗʰ, Jean Jacques Pérennès, OP gave a lecture in Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) on the topic of “Eastern Christians in a Middle East in Crisis: Situation and Perspectives”.
From June 24ᵗʰ to 26ᵗʰ, Claudio Monge, OP with Father Christophe Roucou, led a working group entitled “Islamo-Christian dialogue and paths to reconciliation”, during the conference organized by the Mediterranean Theological Network, in Palermo.
LRM-CS
On June 13ᵗʰ, Emmanuel Pisani, OP, Jean Druel, OP and René-Vincent du Grandlaunay, OP participated in the General Assembly of the LRM-CS association.
Scientific Council
On June 21ˢᵗ, Emmanuel Pisani, OP participated in the Scientific Council of the Bibliothèques d’Orient website.
Framework agreement
On June 6ᵗʰ, IDEO signed a framework agreement with the Center for education, training, and documentation on Islamo-Christian dialogue and integral development (CEFDICDI) in Dakar, founded by Pierre-Marie Niang, OP.
Invitation
On June 12ᵗʰ, Emmanuel Pisani, OP was invited by the Egyptian Geographical Society (EGS) to their event, “Promoting Ethnographic and Geographic Cultures through the Eye of the Egyptian Geographical Society and its Ethnographic Museum”, held at the Ethnographic Museum of Cairo.
Library
During the Bibliothèques d’Orient days organized by the National Library of France (BnF), from June 18ᵗʰ to 20ᵗʰ, the management of the IDEO library, made up of its director Mateus Domingues da Silva, OP and his two assistants Mrs. Engy Elgammal and Mr. Magdi Azab were invited to Paris. During these days, on June 20ᵗʰ, Mateus Domingues da Silva, OP gave a talk entitled “Les ouvrages de turāṯ dans les collections de l’Idéo. [Turāṯ’s works in the IDEO collections]”.
Podcast
On July 1ˢᵗ, the Oasis Foundation released a podcast presenting the IDEO: “Un convento nel cuore del Cairo. I domenicani che studiano l’Islam. [A convent in the heart of Cairo. The Dominicans who study Islam]”. The podcast is available in Italian…
Visits
On June 11ᵗʰ, we welcomed Mr. Éric Chevallier, Ambassador of France to Egypt. He was accompanied by Ms. Camille Thiébaut, Political Counselor of the French Embassy, in charge of religious affairs.
Scholars’ House
In June, we had the pleasure of welcoming at the Scholars’ House Mr. Nadir Boudjellal, a PhD student in medieval and modern Arabic studies; Mr. Gregory Vandamme, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Chester (United Kingdom) and beneficiary of the IFI-IDEO-IFAO scholarship; and Ms. Eszter Csontos, a PhD student at the Avicenna Institute for Middle Eastern Studies in Piliscsaba, Hungary.
Publications
- Claudio Monge, Strangers with God: A Theology of Hospitality in the Three Abrahamic Religions, ATF Press, Brompton, Australia, 2024.
- Claudio Monge, Per una Teologia dell’ospitalità, Terra Santa, Mi, 2024
- Claudio Monge, en collaboration avec Giuseppina De Simone, La misura mediterranea dell’umano, Castelvecchi, Roma, 2024.
- Claudio Monge, I trappisti di Tibhirine e la svolta di una “chiesa della relazione”, in “Cristianesimo nella storia, Ricerche storiche, esegetiche, teologiche” 2/2023, pp. 483-502.