Knowledge Day.
The first Algerian university established “Knowledge Day” with the researcher Boumediene Bouzid, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Islamic Assembly, lecturing at the University of El Oued.
The “Knowledge Day” committee at the University of El Oued hosted its first event since its establishment recently on December 27, 2022. The event featured a lecture by the researcher Professor Boumediene Bouzid, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Islamic Assembly, titled “Identity and Narratives of Memory – Immunity and Civilizational Interaction.” This was part of its monthly intellectual seminar program.
The University of El Oued is the first Algerian university to initiate the establishment of “Knowledge Day” following a directive from the university’s rector, in accordance with the decree of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research No. 1936 issued on December 27, 2022.
The honorary rector presided the Congress of the “Knowledge Day” committee, Professor Omar Ferhati, along with the committee’s chairman, Dr. Khalifa Gaid, and its members, Dr. Abdullah Raguig, Dr. Abdelkader Azam Aouadi, and Dr. Radjaa Adaeika, supervised the seminar, which was attended by university celebrities, professors, intellectuals, journalists, and students.
The university rector welcomed the “Knowledge Day” guest, describing him as a prominent researcher celebrity who contributes to knowledge production, focusing on historical issues, national memory, and identity. He encouraged attendees, especially students, to benefit from his expertise.
The committee outlined the objectives of establishing “Knowledge Day” as envisioned by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. According to the director, “Knowledge Day” committee aims to enhance the interaction between higher education institutions and public, promoting scientific, technological, and cultural radiance by inviting academic and cultural celebrities from all over the country to lead lectures and discussions in the university environment at least once a month. The initiative aims to empower Algerian universities to play a leading role in public discourse by attracting reputable academicians, embracing constructive ideas, and sharing pioneering cultural and artistic experiences, thereby involving dynamism into university life.
The committee introduced its members, including Dr. Abdullah Raguig Dr. Abdelkader Azam Aouadi from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Dr. Radjaa Adaeika from the French Department at the Faculty of Arts and Languages, and Dr. Shaib Al-Abid from the Faculty of Technology. Dr. Abdullah Raguig provided a brief biography of the congress’ guest, chaired by Dr. Abdelkader Azam Aouadi.
Boumediene Bouzid raised several issues related to identity, memory, and history, which are currently significant intellectual and cultural concerns for many. He argued that Algerian identity historically formed from various elements, including Arab-Berber assimilation, which embraced shared values within its Islamic dimension. He also highlighted the conflicting dualities that hindered creativity and prevented the reinterpretation of historical events to solve crises proactively.
Boumediene Bouzid’s proposal to overcoming and managing crises revolves around comprehensive knowledge integration to understand identity, history, and memory issues. He emphasized two factors that influenced the thoughts of Algerian Collective Identity and Memory: defending community unity and defending borders against external aggression. He stressed that the reconfiguration of Algerian memory occurred during the 19th-century jihadist period within Sufi institutions and during the national movement and liberation revolution. Boumediene Bouzid shed light on many obscure points and opened up historical national memory records, exploring their relationship with identity and human liberation influenced by Western liberalism in a productive interaction with a new era.
Following the presentation, the audience posed several qualitative questions and comments that addressed various aspects of the valuable lecture.
At the conclusion of the intellectual Congress, the “Knowledge Day” committee honored its guest with the “Knowledge Medal,” the first medal awarded to an influential intellectual celebrities who produces ideas and reinterprets national historical events to shape national identity and memory.
Source:https://www.univ-eloued.dz/ueba/
