IAH faculty discusses Arab/Israeli cooperation in the Fifth World Water Forum (Turkey 2009)

Supported by IAH travel funds, Dr. Rosina Hassoun (IAH 210: The Middle East and the World and IAH 211C: Arab Americans) attended and presented a paper at the Fifth World Water Forum in Istanbul, Turkey in March 16-22, 2009. The panel in which she presented was sponsored by UNESCO and attended by 30,000 people.

The World Water Conference is the largest international conference in which diplomatic delegations, heads of state, academics, and activists all mingle in this forum to discuss global water issues. The panel, in which Dr. Hassoun presented her work, was entitled "Water and Culture" and examined the importance of culture in water usage and conflicts over water. Dr. Hassoun's paper, "Droplets of Hope: Searching for Sustainability and Common Ground through Traditional Water Attitudes and Knowledge in the Arab/Israeli Conflict" attempted to focus on hope for future cooperation. Her central hypothesis proposes that despite the enormity of the Arab/Israeli conflict, the current water situation and potential global warming require cooperation and recognition of traditional attitudes and practices of both peoples in working towards a sustainable future.

In the week preceding the conference, during Spring Break, Dr. Hassoun toured Turkey, specifically several archaeological and historical sites in Southwest Turkey. Her visit included one of the oldest archaeological sites in the word at Catalhoyuk (a 8,000 year old settlement); Ephesus where St. Paul delivered his sermon to the Ephesians; the ancient Greek city of Troy, the Aya Sofya or the Haggia Sophia; the Topkapi Palace of the Ottoman empire and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

In Dr. Hassoun's own words: "I was struck by the natural beauty of the Taurus Mountains and the sea coastline. In a span of the few days, I traveled from the Mediterranean, to the Aegean, to the Sea of Marmara, and to the Bosphorus in site of the Black Sea. Istanbul is indisputably one of the world's great cities. We often fail to realize the diversity of Turkey's history that includes the early Greek cities along the Aegean, Christian Byzantium, the Seljuk and Ottoman Muslim Empires, and now Turkey's modern era. In two weeks, I feel I have gained a new perspective and appreciation of the history and culture of Turkey."