The first Muslim Fatih of Islamicjerusalem in the year 16AH / 637CE was an event both remarkable and long-lasting in its effects. It may be viewed as a fundamental landmark, not merely in the history of the region, nor even in Muslim history, but as an event which reshaped relations between peoples of diverse faiths who inhabited the region. This historical juncture contrasted significantly with the destruction, killing, and displacement that had characterised the region's history until then. The arrival of Umar Ibn al-Khattab, the highest political and religious authority and reference in the Muslim establishment, during the early summer of year 16 AH/ 637 CE in Aelia marked the beginning of a new and distinguished phase in the relations between followers of the three great Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Indeed, the foundations for future relations between the three faiths were firmly established during that historical visit in the form of what is known in history as AI-'Uhda al-Umariyya or Umar's Assurance of Safety to the people of Aelia. In this context, Islamicjerusalem has been argued by Professor Abd Al-Fattah El-Awaisi as a model for multiculturalism. This year’s Conference will be looking into these issues amongst others. Researchers are invited to submit paper contributions particularly for the following themes and other related topics:

• Islamicjerusalem as a Model for Multiculturalism: Theory and Practice
• Byzantine and Persian policies towards “others” prior to the Muslim rule
• The attitude and reaction of the local population to the new Muslim rule
• Umar's Assurance of Safety to the people of Aelia
• Managing and administering diversity in Islamicjerusalem
• The readmission of the Jews to Islamicjerusalem
• Cross-Religious and Inter-Cultural relations; e.g. Christian-Muslim and Christian-Jewish relationships
• Theoretical framework of the Muslim understandings of plurality and diversity.

Submission of Abstracts
Participants who wish to present a paper at the Conference should submit a 150-word abstract along with their full contact details. They should be submitted to the Conference Committee at the Centre for Islamicjerusalem Studies by 4 December 2007. All papers accepted to be presented at the Conference must reach the Centre by 15 January 2008.

Venue
Shaikh Rashid Conference Hall, Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Dundee, Scotland.

Registration Fees
Al-Maktoum Institute Students £10
Students/unwaged £20
Others £50