Program Bethlehem

9th of October 2026, at Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem

14:00 Welcome Speech

Dieter Vieweger, Director of the German Protestant Institute (DEI)

Opening Speeches

Hani Al Hayek, Minister of Tourism

Anke Schlimm, Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany

Jehad Yasin, Director of the Archaeological Department

Mitri Raheb, President of Dar al-Kalima University (online)

Academic Exchange

a) Chair: Nuha Khoury, Dar al-Kalima University, Bethlehem

14:50 The Excavation of an Early Christian Church in Armenia, Achim Lichtenberger, University of Münster / Deutscher Palästina Verein

15:10 100 years un Jerusalem and what comes next, Jane Humphris, CBRL Keyon Institute

15:30 Tell Donath: Reflecrions on the Late Bronze and Iron Age Highlands, Ghassan Nagagreh, Dar al-Kalima University

b) Chair: Achim Lichtenberger, University of Münster/ Deutscher Palästina Verein

15:50 Gadara in Hellenistic Times, Brita Jansen, DEI Amman

16:10 Archaeology within Palestinian villages, Issa Sarie, Al Quds University

16:30 Results of recent excavation and restorations at Tell es-Sultan/Jericho by the joint Sapienza-MoTA Expedition: Middle and Late Bronze Stratigraphy on the Spring Hill and in Areas A and E, Lorenzo Nigro, Sapienza Università di Roma

16:50 Discussion

18:00 Reception