As part of the initiative of the Archaeological Museum of USEK (MAU), the first museology seminar entitled "Museology: History, Theories, and Techniques" was organized from March 6th until March 15th , 2013, in collaboration with the Mediterranean Pole at University Paris 8 Vincennes - Saint Denis, and Paris West University Nanterre La Défense, and with the participation of the Directorate General of Antiquities in Lebanon (DGA), the American University of Beirut (AUB), Saint Joseph University (USJ) along with the support of the Francophone University Agency (AUF).

The seminar was opened by a speech from Reverend Father Georges Hobeika, Vice President for International Affairs at USEK, emphasizing on the importance of preserving cultural heritage in Lebanon. 

The words of welcome from various speakers were delivered by Dr. Grace Homsy-Gottwalles, Conservator in chief of the MAU and moderator of the seminar. Many contributions took place over four days, and the event was drawn to close by visits from the Beirut National Museum and the Museum of Lebanese Prehistory at the University of Saint Joseph.

The different presentations focused on topics related to museology and various issues raised by this relatively new discipline. It is in this context that Bernadette Dufrene, Professor at the University Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis and Mr. Rémi Labrusse, Professor at the Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, addressed the questions of the history of museums and the development of their concept through the centuries in a workshop entitled "Museum and Digital Mediation". 


The question of categorizing museums was addressed by Ms. Suzy Hakimian, Head of Museum of Minerals (MIM) at Saint-Joseph’s University, who reported on the existing differences between national museums, public museums and private museums, analyzing the situation of each of these categories and explaining the advantages and disadvantages of such institutions.

The Museum of Lebanese Prehistory of Saint Joseph’s University was represented by Dr. Maya Haidar-Boustani, Scientific Officer, and Miss Nelly Abboud, cultural mediator, who respectively talked about the tools exposed in the museum and its distribution and the role of mediation among the general public and school children.




This was followed by an address by Dr. Nada Kallas, Head of the Department of Archaeology at the UL, who spoke about the idea of opening a museum at the Lebanese University in the future.
This seminar will remain one of the resolutions taken to revive the Lebanese heritage in order to ensure its perpetuity for future generations because "a country without a memory is a country without a soul."