MEDITERRANEAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION

NEWSLETTER 1.1

Dear MSA Colleagues,

I hope you all have experienced a healthy, productive and enjoyable summer, which will soon turn to autumn. We are underway working on the 22nd Annual MSA Congress at the University of Crete Rethymnon May 29 – June 1, 2019. The Call for Papers was sent out last week and we have already received many proposals for the Congress. In addition to the Call for Papers, I have additional information to share with you.

CONGRESS EDUCATIONAL POST TOUR

Following the Post Tour last June, Louise and I seriously considered discontinuing future tours. Over the past few months we have received many requests and inquiries about a 2019 post tour indicating many of our colleagues consider the post tour an intrinsic component of the Annual Congress. As a result, we have decided to offer a 2019 post tour. Because organizing the tour was a recent decision, I am very far behind in getting the tour presentation on the MSA website. I have a preliminary itinerary and await confirmation of some details like chartering a boat to visit the Roman archaeological site at Lissos.

The itinerary will also include:

·The Minoan Palace sites at Knossos, Phaistos and Malia

·Visits to Chania and Heraklion

·Samaria National Park and Gorge

·Visit the abandoned island of Spinalonga

·The famous Psychro Cave, the mythological birthplace of Zeus

It will be two weeks or more before I am able to get the complete presentation on the MSA website, but it is possible to register at any time, we in fact have already received registrations. You will find the Registration Form on the MSA website (www.mediterraneanstudies.org), click onMSA Payment Centerto register. I urge, if it is your intention to register, do it sooner rather than later, we only have 20 hotel rooms.

HOTELS

You will find three quality hotels on the website that are holding rooms for the conference. We are in the process of trying to find some less expensive hotels and there are many Airbnb’s in Rethymnon. None of the hotels are within walking distance of the University, which is located several miles from the city center. We have chartered a coach that will be available on a first come basis making pick-ups and returns to the Aquila, Kriti Beach and Kyma Suites hotels. There is a public bus that can be taken for 1.5 Euros, or a taxi for 7 Euros that can be shared by 4 people.

HISTORIC WALKING TOUR OF RETHYMNON

There will be a historic walking tour of Rethymnon with a professional guide and headsets on Wednesday morning, May 29. Full details are available on the MSA website atwww.mediterraneanstudies.org

Very best wishes,

Dr.Benjamin F. Taggie

Executive Director

Mediterranean Studies Association