Love and Scholarship for Jerusalem Unite Historians at Landmark Conference in Amman

“My love for Jerusalem has only deepened, seeing this gathering of historians, archaeologists, and thinkers come together for my city, expressing their devotion through their conversations and writings,”1 said Dr. Hani Nour El-Din, professor of archaeology at Al-Quds University.

Demonstrating his deep commitment, Prince Hassan attended all eight sessions of the conference and actively participated in discussions. He challenged attendees to look ahead to the future, stating, “It is time to talk about what comes next, Jerusalem today is a global humanitarian issue—not an ethnic or political one.”

He emphasized the need to define Jerusalem spatially and spiritually, underscoring the importance of the “Jerusalem in the Conscience” project, which was initiated two decades ago under the Arab Thought Forum (ATF). The core of the project is the Arab and Palestinian Jerusalemites who endure the city’s ongoing crises and embody its future.

Highlighting the relevance of Eastern cultures, Prince Hassan stressed the value of shared human conscience and universal values, calling for a shift from “a culture of disconnection to one of connection,” and from passive reflection to visionary initiative. He advocated turning ideas into strategies to confront violence and safeguard Jerusalem’s place in public consciousness.

Dr. Antonino Pellitteri from the University of Palermo, a vocal advocate for Palestine, praised the depth of questions raised by Prince Hassan, though he admitted they were difficult to answer. Dr. Pellitteri shared his hope of one day visiting Jerusalem and meeting its Arab Christian and Muslim residents, although he currently can’t travel to Palestine due to his writings on the Gaza war.

Throughout the conference, participants presented extensive research that spanned from the Umayyad, Mamluk, and Crusader periods to the Ottoman era and the present. Dr. Omar Abd Rabbo, head of the Department of Humanities at Bethlehem University, revealed that the event was “a rare opportunity”3 for collaboration, but stressed the need for a unified research methodology rather than isolated efforts.

This call was echoed by Prince Hassan in his proposal to establish a Levantine Heritage Foundation that aims to counter colonial biblical narratives often advanced by foreign scholars. Dr. Amer Al-Hafi, an academic advisor to the Amman-based Royal Institute for Inter-faith Studies, supported this idea and emphasized the need for critical scholarship that liberates Arab thought from Western epistemological dominance.

Dr. Mohammed Ghosheh, a Jerusalem historian and board member of the Royal Institute for Inter-faith Studies, noted that the bond between Amman and Jerusalem goes beyond geography—it is a shared destiny. “From Amman, eyes have always turned to Jerusalem with love and responsibility. The two cities are linked not only by land and sky but by memory, narrative, and spirit,”4 he said.

Other speakers, some by Zoom, are listed in the box below.

The conference concluded with a call for stronger collaboration among historians and archaeologists, urging the development of joint academic projects that elevate the Jerusalem narrative into the world’s leading research institutions and libraries.