U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem Sponsors American Studies Symposium at An-Najah University

September 30, 2009

Jerusalem, Nablus: The US Consulate General in Jerusalem and An-Najah National University hosted a symposium entitled "Mapping American Studies in Palestine" on September 30 in Nablus. The symposium created a forum for dialogue about the status of American studies at Palestinian universities in general and at An-Najah National University in particular. The US Consulate General supports American Studies in Palestinian universities and aims to give it a platform on which to grow and a position in Palestinian higher education that can allow for an increased professional interest in American history, politics, and culture.

This year, the U.S. Consulate General provided grants to An-Najah University in support of their efforts to provide an American Studies curriculum. The grants have been used to purchase books and computers, and to fund the "Mapping American Studies in Palestine" conference. At the opening of the symposium, Cultural Affairs Officer Cynthia Harvey said, "This collaboration reflects the genuine friendship that exists between Palestinians and Americans. During my time here, I have been profoundly impressed by how many Palestinians take an interest in American society. I also assure you that there are many Americans who feel a bond with the Palestinian people and who are keenly aware of their rich history and their efforts to create an independent Palestinian state."

Dr. Nabil Alawi, coordinator of the symposium and a member of the English department at An-Najah University, said "This Symposium aims at mapping American studies in Palestine so that we can identify a baseline of what we have and create a vision of what we like to do in the foreseeable future. Whereas we have different courses in different departments dedicated to American studies, I feel that efforts need to be channeled towards improving cross cultural communication and mutual understanding. Following the symposium, an American resources center will be established at An-Najah. The proposed center will offer different services to students including access to information on American studies, lectures, video conferences and other academic activities.

As part of its sponsorship of the symposium, the U.S. Consulate General funded the attendance of keynote speaker Dr. Phil Hosay from New York University, an expert in US public diplomacy, the study of the United States in other countries, international educational and cultural exchange. During his stay in Nablus, Dr. Hosay will advise An-Najah University on next steps toward building an American Studies curriculum at the university.

For more information please contact the U.S. Consulate’s Press Office at 02-622-6908 or 02-622-6909 or Assistant Information Officer Mindy Masonis at 054-678-8501 or Hassna Dajani at 054-6620257.