The international conference Smyrna as a symbol. From the 19th century to 1922 organised by the Department of Turkish Studies and Modern Asian Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens was held with great success at the central building of the Athens University (30, Panepistimiou Av.) on May 11 – 13.
Thirty-eight (38) academics participated in it, nineteen (19) of whom came from universities of France, USA, Turkey and Sweden. Thus, the conference had an international character, which is apparent in the topics that were discussed. These topics included, among others, the cosmopolitan character of Smyrna and the various aspects of multi-ethnic coexistence, the international ideological references of the Kemalist movement, the position of this movement in the international diplomatic arena, as well as the memory of the multicultural Smyrna and 1922 in contemporary Turkey. All the contributions were original and communicated with the relevant international academic debates.
Contributors and keynote speakers included internationally renowned academics such as Hamit Bozarslan, (Directeur d’Études, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales), Michel Bruneau (Directeur de Recherche Émérite, CNRS), Raymond-Haroutioun Kévorkian (Directeur de Recherche Émérite Université Paris 8 – Saint-Denis) and Arzu Öztürkmen (Professor, Boğaziçi University).
There was also a large public attendance – approximately 170 people – including members of the international academic community, students and journalists.
The Organising Committee
Emilie Themopoulou, PhD, Associate Professor, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Efi Kanner, PhD, Associate Professor, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Hervé Georgelin, PhD, Assistant Professor, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
