11- 13 December 2012

Conference Hall, SQU

Organized by: Omani Studies Center

Aims:
· Identify the political, social economic aspects of the Omani presence in East Africa.
· Display the geographical factors that supported the Omani presence.
· Study the Arabic and Swahili linguistic and literary works in East Africa.
· Highlight prevailing social frameworks such as costume, traditions and lifestyle in Oman and East Africa (displaying the influence of both cultures).
· Shed light on Omani journalism and its cultural and educational impact.
· Identify the status of manuscripts, documents and archaeologies; pertaining to the Omani historical presence in East Africa.

Themes of the Symposium:
Theme1: History.
· Historical Omani migrations and their influence on external and internal levels.
· Role of Ya'robis in expulsing the Portuguese and strengthening Omani rule in East Africa.
· Role of Albusaidis in the establishment of Omani Empire and later political and historical developments.
· Role of Omani people in spreading culture and Islam in the coast and land of Africa.
· Role of Omani scholars in intellectual, scientific and knowledge fields.
· Cultural indicators of the Omani presence in East Africa (commercial, economic, social, political and cultural).

Theme2: Geography.
· Geographic, natural and human factors; and their influence in the Omani migration to East Africa.
· Features of population movement and patterns of architectural between Oman and East Africa.

Theme3: Language and Literature:
· The influence of Arabic on Swahili language.
· Arab effects on Swahili literature ( Standard and colloquial)
· Arab poetry in East Africa in the modern age (Albusaidis).
· Trends of prose discourse in East Africa in the 20^th century.

Theme4: Social Aspects:
· Omanis' social and economic conditions in East Africa in the past and present.
· Forms of social communications between Omani people in East Africa and Oman.
· Values of Omani people in East Africa.
· The portray of the Omani personality in Zanzibar literature.

Theme5: Media and journalism.
· History of press and journalism in Zanzibar and East Africa.
· Components, styles and trends of Omani journalism.
· Oman in East Africa press.
· Contributions of Omani journalists pioneers in East Africa.
· Omani press and its role in highlighting Omani cultural discourse.

Theme 6: Documents, Manuscripts and Monuments.
· Architectural and archeological evidence of Omani presence in East Africa.
· Historical Omani manuscripts and documents in different centers in East Africa (their existence and preservation methods)
· Archives and documentary files related to Omani archive (Zanzibar, British, American and German archives).