Conference of Bilad Al-Sham at the Ottoman Era, Opening

Under the Patronage of President Bashar al-Assad, Bilad al-Sham In Ottoman Era Conference is due to open tomorrow in Ummayad hall at Sham Hotel in Damascus.

Bilad al-Sham is the Arabic name for the Arab states of Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine which are viewed as geographically, culturally and historically having been a united entity that was separated by the colonial powers.

The four-day conference will discuss axes on writing of Bilad al-Sham history during the ottoman period, sources of studying history of the Ottoman period, the society and the relation with the state and the financial administration as well as the administrative systems, courts, endowments, and the economic life in the late Ottoman period and the European effect at the end of the Ottoman period.

The participants will discuss the modernization movement at the late Ottoman period, the intellectual and cultural life, the infrastructures and cities, the structure, the residential buildings and its ornaments.

The participants will take part in touring the most important Ottoman milestones and some historic sites in Damascus like the Ummayad mosque, al-Azem palace, the national museum, Suleimania hospice and Khan As'ad Pasha al-Azem.

The conference was organized by Ministry of Culture and Research Center of History, Arts and Islamic Culture in Istanbul.