Mediterranean
Studies Association
Mediterranean Studies Association
Gibraltar Conference Update
February 2021 Newsletter
Mediterranean Studies Association 2021 Conference Update
Dear MSA Colleagues,
This is a follow up to the January Newsletter to remind you of changes being made in the 2021 MSA Annual Congress format engendered by the pandemic:
23rd ANNUAL CONGRESS UNIVERSITY OF GIBRALTAR
MAY 26-29, 2021
1. This year’s Congress will be a hybrid. We will have the traditional on-site Congress at the University of Gibraltar for those able to attend. For those unable to travel, you can present your paper virtually online. APRIL 15 is the deadline to decide if your presentation will be in person or virtual.
2. The deadline for Congress presentation proposals for single papers and full sessions has also been extended to APRIL 15.
3. Because the hybrid format will have presenters in many different time-zones, there will only be two sessions a day: 2:00 – 4:00 (14:00-16:00) and 4:30 – 6:30 (16:30 – 18:30) Gibraltar time.
4. In order to accommodate all sessions with the reduction from three to two daily sessions, there will also be sessions held on Wednesday, May 26th.
5. Registrations (for those that did not request a refund) from the 2020 Congress have automatically been applied to 2021; you will only need to pay your 2021 Membership.
6. Because of travel uncertainties caused by the pandemic, the Early Registration Period has been extended from February 1 to April 1.
7. February 1, 2021 was the deadline for requesting a refund for carryover 2020 Registrations.
MOROCCO POST TOUR
The majority of those registered for the 2020 Morocco Post Tour remain registered for the tour. It is our hope to conduct the post tour in June following the Annual Congress. In a recent conversation with our agent in Morocco, we discovered Morocco is open for tourists. To enter Morocco, one needs a negative Covid test in the past three days or a Covid vaccination card. That does not mean we would take the post tour to Morocco given current pandemic circumstances. Much will depend on getting everyone vaccinated and worldwide success in compressing the number of new Covid infections. We will monitor pandemic developments in the Mediterranean in general and Morocco in particular and make a final decision in April. If the tour is cancelled, we would make a full refund and develop a policy for those wishing to withdraw if we proceed with the tour.
GIBRALTAR WALKING TOUR
It is unlikely we will have the traditional walking tour, given current circumstances. However, Jennifer Ballentine and her talented colleagues are preparing an excellent virtual tour of historic Gibraltar. We hope that given the current difficult circumstances and serious financial exigencies of the MSA you will accept this virtual substitute for the traditional walking tour.
Everyone be safe, get vaccinated as soon as possible and let us get through this crisis together,
Ben Taggie
President/Executive Director