MESM'2005, International Middle Eastern Multiconference on Modelling and Simulation, September 5-7, 2005, Conference Venue

MESM'2005

September 5-7, 2005, Monastir, Tunisia

Conference Venue

UKRI-SPC

Conference Venue

This year's conference will be held in Monastir a harbor city on the Tunisian East Coast. Not much is known about this historic city, apart from its ancient name : Ruspina (Rous Penna). Since most of the flights out of Europe arrive at the international airport Habib Bourguiba at Monastir-Skanès, tourists often visit Monastir as their first stop on their way to a further discovery of Tunisia.

Monastir, like many harbors in Tunisia, was founded by the Phoenicians who called it Rous. After the Romans defeated the Carthaginians (Phoenician colonists) they renamed it Ruspina. The Byzantines fortified it, in the late 7th century, and finally the Arabs built the Ribat in the 8th century. The Arabs used this as a base to harass the Christians in the North and defend themselves from the hostile Berbers of the interior. The city was originally built around the Ribat. This massive, square building was founded in 796 AD by Harthema ibn Aiyan by order of Caliph Haroun ar-Rachid. This Baghdad Caliph believed that every man, garrisoned in the city for 3 days, should be allowed to enter the gates of Paradise. The modern name is based on the word monasterium, which means convent.

The Tunisians have genuinely venerated Monastir over the last 30 years as the place of birth of the former President Habib Bourguiba. the father of modern Tunisia,.His massive mausoleum dominates the town.
As a harbor city the town is still dominated by the marina area, which is no longer a safe haven for Barbary raiders but for pleasure boats. The following maps give you an idea of the general area of the city.

To get a feel for the city. I have enclosed some snapshots of the city's places of interest

About Tunisia

Since the sixties, this small North African country, with its hospitable people and its wide diversity of landscapes, has been a favorite holiday destination for millions of tourists from all over the world.

Tunisia has made enormous efforts these last few years in order to improve the quality of its tourist accommodations. These improvements as well as Tunisia's considerable economical and social progress attest to this country's ambition to reach the same level of development as its European counterparts.

However, the heat of the ever present African sun, miles and miles of fine sandy beaches, the magnificent scenery and the excellent hospitality of its people give Tunisia in many ways a serious headstart.

It is a charming country where every City has kept its own proper identity, throughout its monuments. These witnesses of a rich and long History invite the tourist to an unforgettable journey.

Its own particular geography, a magnificent composition of fine sandy beaches, fertile grounds as well as mountains or desert regions, allows one to admire a wide variety of scenery.

The hotels in Tunisia are, generally speaking, of an impeccable quality. They propose an international cuisine as well as local Tunisian specialities, thus assuring that all tastes are catered for.

Whether you visit Tunisia during your holidays or for business purposes, some information and/or addresses might come in handy. Do not forget to take them along on your next visit, you never know you might need them.

See also a surprising panoramic view of the 7 November Place in Tunis (requires the Live Picture Viewer plugin 1MB)

A little bit of music or optimized for SoundBlaster AWE32 (Wavetable).
The Tunisian National Anthem. (A different window will be opened to save the music).