CONVENTION ON JEWISH SOCIAL & CULTURAL HISTORY OPENS IN DUBROVNIK

( Editorial: --> 6014 ) DUBROVNIK, Aug 26 (Hina) - A three-day international convention on the social and cultural history of Jews on the eastern Adriatic coast in the 16th century began in the southern Croatian port of Dubrovnik on Wednesday. The convention gathers about 60 participants from Croatia, Israel, Spain, Italy, France, the United States, Bulgaria, Germany and Austria. It will also feature several accompanying cultural manifestations. The academic convention is organised by the International Centre of Croatian Universities, in cooperation with the Coordination of Jewish Municipalities in Croatia and the Jewish Municipality in Dubrovnik, the Croatian Ministry of Culture, the Croatian Commission for Cooperation with the UNESCO, the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb, the Italian Culture Institute in Zagreb, and the Cultura dei Amari, an association gathering Mediterranean towns with the aim to strengthen their cultural and scientific cooperation. The convention is the continuation of an international conference on Jewish history held in Dubrovnik two years ago, said Ivana Burdjelez, director of the International Centre of Croatian Universities in Dubrovnik. She emphasised Dubrovnik is the home of one of the oldest synagogues in Europe, and that the Dubrovnik Historical Archives contain documents on Dubrovnik Jews, as well as on Jews who lived in the area since the 15th century. For the first time historians will be shown previously unavailable Jewish sources, Burdjelez said. Croatia's Ambassador to Israel Svjetlan Berkovic emphasised this year's convention was an important step towards strengthening the relations between Croatia and Israel. "Since establishing diplomatic relations in September last year, we have developed a significant cooperation in all fields, and the numerous similarities between the two countries should further bring Croatian and Israel closer", said Berkovic. The participants in the convention were addressed by the president of the Jewish Municipality Dubrovnik Bruno Horovic and Jerusalem Deputy Mayor David Cassuto. Welcomes were also given by Branka Sulc on behalf of the Croatian Culture Ministry, Zdenko Kovac on behalf of the University of Zagreb, Dubrovnik Mayor Vido Bogdanovic, and Croatia's Ambassador at the UNESCO Vesna Girardi-Jurkic. (hina) ha 261415 MET aug 98