Recordings from the 60th Anniversary of Khartoum-Bergen collaboration

Wednesday 18th

Welcome greetings by Espen Villanger, director of Chr. Michelsen Institute.

Introduction by Munzoul Assal.

Thursday 20th 

Opening speech by Margareth Hagen, Rector, UiB.

Introduction by Munzoul Assal.

Opening speech by Endre Stiansen, Ambassador, Royal Norwegian Embassy in Sudan.

Professor Abdullahi Ahmed An'Naim is Charles Howard Candler Professor of Law, Associated Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences of Emory University, Emeritus. An-Na‘im is the author of: Decolonizing Human Rights (2021); What is an American Muslim (2014); Muslims and Global Justice (2011); Islam and the Secular State (2008); African Constitutionalism and the Role of Islam (2006); and Toward an Islamic Reformation: Civil liberties, human rights and international law (1990).  His edited books include Human Rights under African Constitutions (2003); Islamic Family Law in a Changing World: A Global Resource Book (2002); and Human Rights in Cross-Cultural Perspectives: Quest for consensus (1992).

The website of Prof. An'Naim's project on the Evolution of Sharia.

Dr. Hengameh Ziai is a Lecturer in the History of the Middle East and Africa, SOAS, University of London. Her research lies at the intersection of political theory, critical political economy, and Islamic studies, with a focus on formations of the colonial and the emergence of modern political subjectivity in Sudan during the long nineteenth century.

Panelists

Samah Khallafallah, Universität Bayreuth

Reem Abbas, feminist activist, journalist, and researcher

Sara Abbas, researcher, Open Society Foundation

Raga Makawi, democracy activist, editor and researcher

Liv Tønnessen, Chr. Michelsen Institute

Chair: Mari Norbakk, Chr. Michelsen Institute

Panelists

Leif Manger, Professor Emeritus, Department of Social Anthropology, University Bergen

Abdallah Onour, University of Urbino Carlo Bo

Munzoul Assal, Department of Social Anthropology, UofK, Department of Social Anthropology, UiB, Scholar at risk, CMI

Sarah Tobin, Chr. Michelsen Institute

Felicity Atieno Okoth, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Bergen 

Chair: Synnøve Bendixsen, Department of Social anthropology, University of Bergen

Panelists

Akram Ali Eltoum, former Federal Minister of Health in Sudan, currently serving as Senior Global Health Advisor.

Mohamed Ali Eltoum, Ahfad University for Women and a consultant physician endocrinologist.

Ahmed Elliethi, Consultant physician in the UK, and president of the Sudanese Doctor’s Union in the UK.

Chair: Anne Christine Johannessen, Professor Emerita, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen

Presentations available

Dr Ahmed Elleithi: The role of Diaspora in supporting health system in Sudan (pdf)

Dr. Akram Ali Eltom: Strategic Health Sector Priorities for Post-War Recovery & Reform in Sudan (pdf)

Professor Mohamed Ali Eltom: Health Diplomacy and Academic Institutes: Possible Bergen-Khartoum Model in Peace Building (pdf)

Panelists

Randi Håland, Professor Emerita, AHKR, University of Bergen.

Anders Bjørkelo, Professor Emeritus, AHKR, University of Bergen.

Leif Ole Manger, Professor Emeritus, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Bergen.

Sharif Harir, Alumni, UofK and UiB.

Knut Krzywinski, Professor Emeritus at the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen.

Howaida Faisal Abdel Rahman, Senior Executive Officer, UiB, Administrative Coordinator, BSRS, University of Bergen.

Bjørn Einar Aas, University of Bergen.

Anne Christine Johannessen, Professor Emerita, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen

Chair: Gunnar Sørbø, Emeritus, Chr. Michelsen Institute

Panelists

Justin Willis, Department of History, Durham University, UK

Sharif Harir, former Associate Professor UofK and University of Bergen

Salma Abdalla, Senior Researcher, Raad Peace Research Institute

Raga Makawi, democracy activist, editor and researcher

Chair: Munzoul Assal, Department of Social Anthropology, UofK, Department of Social Anthropology, UiB, Scholar at risk, CMI.

Panelists

Mohamed Babiker, The Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Norway

Julien Cooper, Archaeologist and Egyptologist at Macquarie University, Australia

Knut Krzywinski, Professor Emeritus, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen

Chair: Gidske L. Andersen, Department of geography, University of Bergen

Panelists

Khalifa Omar, Department of History, University of Khartoum

Hanaa Abdelgabar Ibrahim Adam, University of Naples "L'Orientale", Department of Asian, African and Mediterranean studies. 

Alexandros Tsakos, Bergen University Library

Henriette Hafsaas, Volda University College

Chair: Anne Bang, Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion, University of Bergen and Chr. Michelsen Institute

Presentation available

Hanaa Abdelgabar Ibrahim Adam: Risk of the cultural heritage in the Sudan, Sennnar and Al-Khandaq case study (pdf)

Panelists

Susanne Jaspers, SOAS Food Studies Centre, UK

Ahmed Abbas Abusham, Ahfad University, Sudan and a member of the Executive Board representing the Sudanese Medical Association, UK.

Trygve Augestad, Norwegian People's Aid

Sara Abdelgalil, Shabaka, Sudan Crisis Coordination Unit (@sarajalilo)

Will Carter, Norwegian Refugee Council

Edle Hamre, The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Sudan

Chair: Lovise Aalen, Chr. Michelsen Institute

In cooperation with Bergen International Film Festival (BIFF) we screened Goodbye Julia, a 2023 Sudanese drama film directed by Mohamed Kordofani.

Since the director was unable to come to Bergen for the screening, Ibrahim Mursal conducted an interview with Mohamed Kordofani and it is published in full lenght here.

In this meeting, Leila Aboulela is discussing her life’s work exploring the themes of gender, Muslim migration, identity, religion, East meets West and decolonization.

Leila is joined by Dr. Munzoul Asal, Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Khartoum, and Tijana Przulj, PhD Candidate in the Department of Foreign Languages at UiB.

The talk is moderated by Dr. Sarah A. Tobin, Research Director and Research Professor at CMI.

Thumbnail photo: Vaida V Nairn, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Here you find the timeline of the Bergen-Sudan cooperation.

#6 with prof. Leif Manger & prof. Munzoul Assal on the history of the collaborationhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/7dYSJLdgSxNZYaO4LDjQV4?si=5e5fae99a5a64834

#7 with prof. Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im on Human Rights, Islam, Secularism & Sudan

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Tb0Iev34rnUixHZjGHnv5...

Available now on your preferable platform!

Link to Facebook-post on Anthropology on Air: https://www.facebook.com/anthropologyonair?locale=nb_NO

The film captures a conversation about 60 years of collaboration between Sudan and Bergen, Norway, which started in 1963 at the University of Bergen. Many of the initiators from the beginning were present in the talk, taking place on the 8th of March 2023, at the Department of Social Anthropology, University of Bergen, Norway.