Study Abroad In Lebanon (SAIL/WSF) -Nigeria World History Through the Eyes of Lebanon With an Emphasis on Lebanese-Nigerian Cultural Relations ______________________________________________ A Program of NDU’s Benedict XVI Endowed Chair of Religious, Cultural, and Philosophical Studies in collaboration with The Cedars Institute and The Wole Soyinka Foundation in Nigeria (September 1-12, 2018) Faculty Professor Wole Soyinka: Special Guest & Honorary Faculty Member Wole Soyinka Foundation/Lagos, Nigeria Dr. Edward J. Alam, Professor Dr. Joseph G. Rahme, Associate Professor Notre Dame University-Louaizé (NDU) Notre Dame University-Louaizé (NDU) Program Consultant of the Cedars Institute (CI) President of the Cedars Institute (CI) E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Mobile: +961 3 852037 Mobile: +961 3 238901 Dr. Chady Rahme, Assistant Professor Tony Nasrallah Notre Dame University-Louaizé (NDU) Assistant Professor of Philosophy E-mail: [email protected] Notre Dame University-Louaizé (NDU) E-mail: [email protected] Judge Mohamad Abou Zaid Alia Fares, Archaeologist/Building historian President of Saida Islamic Sunni Court PhD candidate, University of Cologne, Germany E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] “Half a Truth is The Whole Lie.” Yiddish Proverb Course Description This course is co-taught by 3–6 faculty with different specializations: Philosophy, Theology, World and Ottoman History, and Art and Architectural History. It is an intensive ten-day course with over 8 hours of daily contact and interaction with the faculty, guest lecturers, and officially certified tourist guides. The distinguishing feature of this course is that it combines and fuses rigorous academic knowledge with first-hand experience of historical sites of global and regional significance. It will focus on the historical foundation of Lebanon as a geopolitical strategic region that sets the stage for the rise of Phoenician Civilization and will examine its emergence as a hub of international trade of global significance. It will show how Lebanon became a center of trans-national culture and learning, a refuge for religious minorities, as well as a major region of religious pilgrimage. It will introduce participants to the multi-faceted aspects of Lebanese culture, colloquial language, and cuisine. Course Objectives The course has multi-layered objectives, both substantive and methodological. Among the methodological goals are the following: It will enable participants to assess and evaluate historical and philosophical concepts both methodically and critically. It will enable participants to reflect, think critically about their own experiences confronting new cultural contexts. Finally, it will give participants ample opportunities to engage the faculty in critical discussions of all aspects of the course. Among the substantive goals are the following: It will introduce participants to new concepts and will challenge their pre-conceptions of the region. It will allow participants to understand some of the major themes of World History from the unique vantage point of Lebanon. It will complement lectures with first-hand experience of UNESCO world heritage sites and other historically significant areas. It will expose participants to the culture of dialogue and its implementation within Lebanese society. It will enable participants to gain an appreciation of a culture foreign to their own and in the process have a broader and more nuanced perspective of their own culture. Finally, it will provide opportunities for very different expressions of Eastern Christianity to mutually enrich one another. DETAILED PROGRAM Day 1 Saturday, September 1, 2018 Arrivals to Lebanon at 1:35 am MS0713 Airport transfers to Notre Dame University-Louaize, Zouk Mosbeh, Main Highway 12:00-1:00 Brunch at NDU Library 1:00-2:00 Introductory lecture: Regional History in the Context of World History: The Stellae of Nahr el Kalb 2:00-3:00 Visit Nahr el Kalb, The Famous Dog River Valley by Mr. Tony Nasrallah 3:00-4:00 Cultural Visit to Jeita Grotto – UNESCO World Heritage Site 4:00-6:00 Opening Dinner – Jeita Grotto Restaurant 6:00 Return to NDU Dorms Reading: Chapters 1 – 3, The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan Day 2 Sunday, September 2, 2018 Phoenician Template 8:00-9:00 Breakfast – NDU Dorms 9:00 Departure to Byblos – UNESCO World Heritage Site 10:00-11:30 Lecture: What is the ‘Lebanon’? What is the ‘Middle East’? Why is it Important? What Role Did Geography Play in the Rise of Phoenician Civilization? What Kind of Continuity Exists Between the Phoenician Past and Contemporary Lebanon? The Phoenician Template: Political Decentralization, Commercial Competition, Social and Religious Diversity (Lecture by Dr. Joseph G. Rahme) 11:30-1:00 Tour of the Byblos Castle and Saint John Marc’s Maronite Church 1:00-2:00 Lunch – Byblos Restaurant 2:00-4:00 Walking tour of the old city of Byblos: Sweets and Coffee at Abdul Rahman Hallab 5:00 Return to NDU Dorms Reading: Chapters 4 – 6, The Silk Roads 8:00 Dinner – NDU restaurant Day 3 Monday, September 3, 2018 Cedars Institute (4 days and nights) PS: Prepare a small bag for 3 days & nights (include: warm clothes; hiking/walking shoes) 7:30-8:30 Breakfast – NDU Dorms 8:30 Departure to the Cedars Institute via Mgharat Afqa, Akoura, Laqlouq 10:30 Visit the Crusader Church in Tannourine 12:30 Arrival to the Cedars Institute 12:30-1:30 Lunch and introduction to the Cedars Institute 3:00 Walking lecture of the Biblical Cedar Grove, Cedars of Lebanon – UNESCO World Heritage Site (by Dr. Joseph G. Rahme) 7:30 BBQ Dinner – Cedars Institute Reading: Chapters 7 – 9, The Silk Roads and Revision of Chapter 1 Day 4 Tuesday, September 4, 2018 Roman History 8:00 Departure to Baalbek and breakfast en route 10:00-11:00 Lecture: What is the Global Religious Significance of Baalbek? Rome as an Imperial Power. 11:00-1:00 Tour of Baalbek by officially certified tour guide – UNESCO World Heritage Site 1:00-3:00 Lunch in Baalbek 5:00 Arrival to the Cedars Institute 6:00-9:00 Free time and dinner in Bsharri Reading: Chapters 10 – 12, The Silk Roads and Revision of Chapter 3 Day 5 Wednesday, September 5, 2018 Christian Monasticism 8:00 Departure to the Monastery of Saint Antony of the Desert and breakfast en route 10:00-10:30 Brief lecture: The Global Significance of Christian Monasticism (At the Ethiopian Shrine by Dr. Edward J. Alam) 11:00-12:00 Tour of the Monastery of St. Antony of the Desert, Qozhaya (by Dr. Joseph G. Rahme) 12:00-1:00 Lecture: What Are the Origins of the Monastic Tradition? How and by Whom Was it Diffused? (by Dr. Edward J. Alam) 1:00-2:00 Lunch at the Monastery 2:00-6:00 Visit the Monastery of Mar Lishaa in the Qadisha Valley – UNESCO World Heritage Site and Visit the Gibran Khalil Gibran Museum, the Monastery of Mar Sarkis, Bsharri 7:00 Dinner in Bsharri 8:00-8:30 Introductory Lecture: What are the Crusades? (by Dr. Edward J. Alam) Reading: Chapters 13 – 15, The Silk Roads PS: Packing for morning departure from the Cedars Institute back to Notre Dame University Day 6 Thursday, September 6, 2018 The Crusades and Mamluk History 8:00 Departure to Mizyara and breakfast en route 9:30-10:30 Tour of Mizyara Town (Lebanese-Nigerian cultural relations) 10:30-11:30 Lecture: Lebanese Migration to West Africa at the beginning of the 20th Century: the Novels of Mohamad Taan (by Dr. Mohamad Taan) 12:00-1:30 Lunch – Tripoli 2:00-4:00 Lecture: The Aftermath of the Crusades: The Mamluks and Mamluk Architecture (by Ms. Alia Fares, ABD at the Citadel of Raymond de Saint-Gilles, Crusader Fortress - Tripoli) 4:00-5:00 Lecture: What Impact did the Crusades have on World History? (by Dr. Edward J. Alam) 6:00 Return to NDU Dorms Reading: Chapters 16 – 17, The Silk Roads 8:00 Dinner – NDU restaurant Day 7 Friday, September 7, 2018 Alexander the ‘great’ 7:00-7:45 Breakfast – NDU Dorms 7:45 Departure to the Biblical town of Saida 9:00-12:00 Lecture: Christian-Muslim Relations in Lebanon (by Judge Mohamad Abouzaid) Visit the Outreach Leadership Academy – A 17th Century restored Moroccan Villa 12:00-1:00 Lunch – Saida Restaurant 2:00-4:00 Tour of the Biblical town of Tyre – UNESCO World Heritage Site (by tour guide) Lecture: Why Did Alexander ‘The Great’ Conquer Tyre? (by Dr. Joseph G. Rahme) 7:00 Return to NDU Dorms 9:00 Dinner – Dr. Alam’s Residence Reading: Chapters 18 – 19, The Silk Roads Day 8 Saturday, September 8, 2018 NDU DAY 8:00-9:30 Breakfast 10:00-12:00 Lecture and Discussion: Reflections on African Philosophy from a Lebanese Perspective Introducing African Philosophy’s World Conferences (by Dr. Edward J. Alam) Free Afternoon and Evening PLEASE NOTE: If you choose to leave campus in the afternoon, please know that you cannot return to campus between 5-10 pm because the President of the Republic is visiting NDU and there will be very high security Reading: Chapters 20 – 21, The Silk Roads Day 9 Sunday, September 9, 2018 Lebanon: A Land of Dialogue (Professor Wole Soyinka & Mrs. Folake Soyinka Arrive: Time to be determined) 8:00-9:00 Breakfast – NDU Dorms 9:00 Departure to Beirut 10:30-12:00 Lecture: Why is Lebanon a Laboratory of Dialogue? Hospitality and Dialogue in the World of Strangers; What is Dialogue?; What are its Prerequisites? Lebanon: Land of Dialogue: “More than a Country” (John Paul II) (at the Garden of Forgiveness by Dr. Chady Rahme) 12:00-1:00 Tour the National Museum of Beirut (Group Picture at Benedict XVI Garden) 1:00-2:00 Lunch – Beirut 2:00-5:00 Visit the Silk Museum, Bsous 5:00 Departure to Beirut Downtown 6:00-10:00 Nigerian Dinner Night organized by Ms.