The official opening of the Annual Interdisciplinary School of Ancient Greek, Egyptology, and Oriental Languages took place in Potsdam on September 16, 2025, at the campus of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, a partner to the Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization and the University of Bucharest in organizing the fifth edition.
This year, for the first time, the School also featured in-person attendance, in Berlin and Potsdam, in addition to its well-known online component.
The Romanian delegation, consisting of Dr. Ana-Maria Răducan and Maxim Onofrei (Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization) and five meritorious students from the Department of Classical Philology of the University of Bucharest - Cristiana Murariu, Emilian Gică, Răzvan Pindic, Robert Secrieru and Andrei Popa - arrived in Potsdam, Germany, where they were welcomed by the Director General of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, Mark Donfried, as well as by Mr. Iulian Costache, Minister Counselor at the Romanian Embassy in Berlin.
The inaugural session was moderated by Mark Donfried, who highlighted the importance of this initiative for the study of classical languages and cultures in strengthening the principles of cultural diplomacy, an evident positive consequence of the ongoing partnership between the the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy and the Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization.
In his warm address, President Emil Constantinescu gave a brief history of the School's history, while also detailing the evolution of concepts such as "truth" and "lie" in classical and contemporary society and highlighting the role played by the German nation in the development of classical language studies and of the archaeology of Antiquity. His Excellency also drew parallels between the status of intellectuals during the communist period, who were deprived of their means of expression, and that of intellectuals today, in the current context of a free society.
On behalf of the Romanian Embassy in Berlin, Minister Counselor Iulian Costache expressed his delight that Romanian students can benefit from the opportunity to study in Berlin, as a result of the close diplomatic relations between Romania and Germany.
The Director General of the Levant Institute, Cătălin-Ștefan Popa, highlighted the importance of these initiatives to study source languages in the intellectual development of young specialists who, through direct contact with some of the oldest vestiges of Antiquity, are joining the efforts of cultural diplomacy.
In closing, the Scientific Director of the Annual School of Ancient Greek, Egyptology and Oriental Languages, Associate Professor Maria Luiza Oancea (University of Bucharest) presented the evolution of the Greek concept of "aletheia", "truth", over the course of Greek civilization.
Message from President Emil Constantinescu
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished colleagues, dear participants,
It is a great joy for me to open today the fifth edition of the Annual Interdisciplinary School of Ancient Greek, Egyptology and Oriental Languages, organized by the Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization, in partnership with the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin and the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures of the University of Bucharest.
For five years, this program has brought together researchers, professors and students from all over the world, offering not only a high-level academic setting, but also a vibrant community of intercultural dialogue and exchange of ideas. In the previous editions, we have explored fundamental themes – from “Life and Death in Antiquity”, “Cosmogonies and Creation Myths”, to reflections on “Time and Space” and “Vice and Virtue” in Antiquity. Each of these themes has opened new perspectives on the way in which Antiquity continues to shape our understanding of the present.
The School was initiated in 2020, during the pandemic, thanks to the sustained effort and passion of professors Renata Tatomir (Hyperion University of Bucharest), Maria Luiza Oancea (Faculty of Classical Languages of the University of Bucharest) and Joanna Popielska Gribowska (Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of Sciences). This year, with great effort and enthusiasm, we managed to hold a physical component of the School in Berlin and Potsdam, thanks to the continued effort of our partners, the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin, represented by its Director General Mark Donfried, whom I would like to greet on this occasion. The German civilization has preserved the heritage of Egyptian, Greek and Roman Antiquity in very good condition, to show to all humanity: if it were not for a Schliemann who tirelessly dreamed of discovering Troy, today we would only have a beautiful legend, indeed, if it were not for the brave German scientists and archaeologists, humanity would be much poorer today.
The German historian Wolfgang Reinhard, who coined the concept of the Society of Lies, formulated two theses. The first concerns the unprecedented expansion of lies in contemporary society, in which "untruth proves to be not only usual and necessary, but even friendly to man." The second regards the complicity in lies of those who lie and those who are lied to, according to which the political lies of those who have the power are only a part of the lie that encompasses everyone. Reinhard also offered a personal way out of the Society of Lies that has created so many unexpected complicities: "When no one can tell us what the truth is, we can at least find out what it is not." In this situation, all we have to do is present ourselves with a clear conscience, as witnesses to reality.
I am very happy that the most deserving students of the Classics Department of the University of Bucharest are able to benefit from this wonderful opportunity to be in Berlin and Potsdam during this period. In my youth, this would have been almost impossible. Living in a communist country, access was very limited, and intellectuals who managed to travel abroad and complete their academic training, benefitting from Western bibliography and contact with their counterparts, were subjected to pressure from the communist state to make moral compromises, which were used against them after the fall of communism. It is a personal drama, of an entire generation, which had repercussions at the national level. I would like you to know this dark side of intellectual history.
In addition, there was no internet, no freedom of expression or travel, nor the communication facilities that we value and take for granted today. However, we had no shortage of wonderful Romanian scholars formed during that era: Iancu Fischer, Zoe Petre, Dan Slușanschi, Eugen Cizek, Gabriela and Petru Creția, who knew how to compensate for those terrible times with love, devotion and spiritual nobility, and in so doing carry forward the beautiful but often-neglected field of classical and oriental languages. It is essential that this legacy be passed on, so that the flame of knowledge may burn forever.
I am also very impressed by the fact that this school has continuously expanded: we have three professors, very good specialists in their field, from France, from the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations in Paris: Francesco Chiabotti, Mădălina Vârtejanu-Joubert and also Jean Guillaume Olette-Pelletier, from the Catholic Institute from Paris. I also warmly greet Professor So Miwagawa from the University of Tsukuba, Japan and Lecturer Mona Sawy from the University of Assiut, Egypt. I am equally grateful to our old collaborators from the University of Bucharest for exemplifying their patience and devotion in remaining at our side this year: Associated Professor Maria Luiza Oancea, the scientific director of our event this year, Andra Stoiculescu, Andreea Ștefan, Ștefan Zară, Andra Midache Cicarma from the "Ovidius" University of Constanța, Antonio Pio di Cosmo from the University of Modena and Cristian Crăciun, alumnus of Freie Berlin University. I am also grateful to my young collaborators from the Levant Institute: General Director Cătălin Ștefan Popa, Dr. Ana Maria Răducan and Ovidiu Achim, for fuelling their passion for these ancient languages in a society increasingly marked by consumerism and by a lack of values.
I hope that this week of study will be not only an exercise in erudition, but also an experience of shared reflection, open dialogue and a return to the original period sources. In a world where the line between truth and falsehood often seems fragile, our research into Antiquity can offer us wisdom and balance.
I hereby open the fifth edition of the Annual School of Ancient Greek, Egyptology and Oriental Languages and wish you all a great amount of success, inspiration and joy in your discoveries.
Message from Mark Donfried, general director of Institute for Cultural Diplomacy
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Distinguished Scholars, Students, and Guests,
Welcome to the 5th edition of the Annual Interdisciplinary School of Ancient Greek, Egyptology, and Oriental Studies, taking place from September 16th to 21st, here in Potsdam, Berlin, and online.
This year, our theme — "Truth and Lie in Antiquity" — invites us to explore one of the most enduring tensions in human history. Across cultures and centuries, the pursuit of truth and the power of deception have shaped laws, religions, politics, literature, and personal lives.
As Plato once wrote in The Republic:
"Falsehood, generally speaking, is useless to the gods, but useful to men as a form of medicine."
This paradox captures the spirit of our discussions — the idea that lies, far from being mere distortions, often served complex and even necessary roles in the ancient world.
Over the coming days, we will journey through the intellectual landscapes of Ancient Greece, Egypt, and the Near East, examining how truth was defined, who had the authority to speak it, and how lies were woven into myths, diplomacy, and daily life.
We are proud to host such a diverse and dynamic community of scholars and students — both in person and online — and we look forward to the conversations, debates, and discoveries ahead.
Thank you for joining us, and let us now begin.
Message from assoc. professor Maria Luiza Oancea, representing the University of Bucharest
Mr. President of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture and Civilization of the Levant,
Mr. General Director of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy,
Dear representatives of the Romanian Embassy in the Federal Republic of Germany,
Distinguished professors, researchers,
Dear colleagues and participants,
It is a true honor for me to open the fifth edition of the Annual Interdisciplinary School of Ancient Greek, Egyptology, and Oriental Studies, an edition that brings us together this year in Potsdam and Berlin for some, but also in the less geographical, equally vibrant space of online meetings.
The theme of this year – "Truth and Lie" – is deeply rooted, and for me, as a classical philologist specialized in the language and culture of ancient Greece, it constitutes an invitation to an intellectual exploration that goes beyond the limits of a simple binary opposition.
Since the archaic period, the Greeks understood that truth – ἀλήθεια – was not merely an observation of reality, but an act of "non-concealment," a revelation of what is, of immediate reality. Homer, in his epics, already describes a world in which gods lie, heroes deceive, and truth is negotiated between honor, fate, and rhetoric. In the classical era, Socrates, who preferred to die rather than renounce the truth, teaches us that truth is more than a possession – it is a quest, a lifetime lived in constant reflection. But let us not forget that, in the same century, the sophists, masters of logos, turned lying into an art of persuasion, demonstrating how thin the line between conviction and deception can be.
The Hellenistic and Roman period brings a reevaluation of the relationship between truth, language, and authority. In this vast, multilingual, and multicultural world, truth becomes increasingly relative, and philosophical discourse meets religious discourse. It is in this context that the texts of the New Testament, written in common Greek (koinè), are part of a tradition where truth becomes a Person – « Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀλήθεια », says Christ in the Gospel of John. Truth is no longer merely conceptual, but embodied, lived, and often, martyrized. In the Byzantine era, the Church Fathers – from Gregory of Nazianzus to Maximus the Confessor – develop a theology of truth that does not ignore the Greek philosophical heritage, but the Logos becomes divine reason, and the lie, an ontological sin, not only moral. Thus, the classical Greek tradition and Greek Christianity intertwine in a unified discourse that will profoundly influence Eastern Europe, but also Western Europe. After the fall of Constantinople, Greek manuscripts flew to the West with their scholars, nourishing the Renaissance. From Ficino to Erasmus, ancient truth – filtered through the Greek of the Gospels and the comments of the Fathers – returns to the heart of European thought. This is how what can be called European consciousness is born: a consciousness that is always constructed between the desire for truth and the temptation of ideological lies, between reason and manipulation, between the Logos and sophistry.
Today, on the occasion of this anniversary edition, we find ourselves at the intersection of these traditions – Greek, Egyptian, Eastern, modern – to discuss, analyze, and contemplate what truth and lies have meant and still mean in the cultures that have shaped us. I thank you all for being here – whether in Potsdam or connected from anywhere in the world – and I wish you a lively school, rich in dialogues, revelations, and above all, fruitful quests. Truth is not a destination, but a form of friendship among those who question, think, and listen together.
So, welcome to the fifth edition of the Interdisciplinary School!
