The diaspora of Arab Christians came into existence over a century and a half ago. A wide range of historical, social and economic causes began with the decline of the Ottoman Empire, leading to their exile. Christians from the Near East left behind their homelands driven by economic impoverishment and religious conflicts. They emigrated to Europe, the Americas and Australia in search of a better future, attracted by the values which they were offered by the modern world. In their works, writers like Lebanon’s Mikhail Nayma reflected the spiritual alienation they felt after leaving their native lands. Descendants of these first emigrants live amongst us today, in a Europe where they have kept their ecclesiastic organization intact as they also attempt to remain integrated.

On this day of events, which Casa Árabe is devoting to Christian Arabs, we will get the chance to hear three presentations dedicated to the following subjects:

-”The emigration of Eastern Christians,” given by Francisco del Río Sánchez, a tenured professor at the University of Barcelona in the Department of Semitic Philology.

-”Mikhail Nayma, an Arab writer and émigré,” given by Iria Santás de Arcos, a professor of Arabic at the Universidad Eclesiástica San Dámaso, Madrid.

-”Arab Christians’ present in the European diaspora,” given by Mar Saad Sirop Hanna, apostolic representative of the Chaldean Church in Europe (pending confirmation).