Activities in Bergen

This morning a very important meeting took place in the premises of the Christian Michelsen’s Institute in Bergen: the new Ambassador of Norway to Sudan, Morten Aasland, met with the group of researchers in the University of Bergen who are variously involved with studies relating to Sudan. The meeting was organized successfully by professors Gunnar Sørbø and Anders Bjørkelo and it brought together an impressive list of projects conducted by staff or affiliates to the University of Bergen. These projects concern disciplines as different as medicine and odontology, botanical studies, development issues and assistance to higher education in Sudan, libraries and digitalization of archives, and of course archaeology, where the presentation was opened by professor Randi Haaland and the main talk was by Henriette. She briefed the new Ambassador about the work of the Greek-Norwegian Archaeological Mission in Sudan in general and on Sai in particular. What is important with such meetings is that political and diplomatic authorities lend an ear and open up a dialogue with those who are on the field having the actual contact with the everyday reality of the local people, their needs, and their relation to their culture. We hope that this was just the beginning of a fruitful cooperation!