On June 12 to 15, 2011, Dr S.A. Frantsouzoff was in Italy, being invited by the University of Pisa (Universita degli studi di Pisa) founded in 1343, as a participant of the project Digital Archive for the Study of Pre-Islamic Arabian Inscriptions (DASI) granted by the European Academic Council.

On June 14, the 1st Workshop, Best approaches to the analysis and digitization of pre-Islamic Arabian inscriptions, was held at the rector's office of the University of Pisa. Prof Alessandra Avanzini chaired the meeting.

Apart from Serge A. Frantsouzoff who represented Russia and St Petersburg, there were a number of other participants from various academic centers such as Giovanni Mazzini, Pisa; Alessia Prioletta, Pisa; Romolo Loreto, Naples; Christian J. Robin, Paris; François Bron, Paris; Laïla Nehmé, Paris; Iwona Gajda, Paris; Mounir Arbach, Paris; Michael Marx, Berlin; John Healey, Manchester; Michael Macdonald, Oxford; G. del Olmo Lete, Barcelona; A. Zaborski, Cracow; Hani Hayajneh, Irbid, Jordan; Said Al-Said, al-Riyadh; Yusuf Abdallah, Sanaa; etc. 

At the meeting various issues were discussed such as thouse concerning web publishing of photos, transliterated texts, annotated translations of ancient Yemenite inscriptions as well as various indices of anthroponyms, thoponyms, glossaries, etc.

PHOTOS

The monument to Nicola Pisano, the great pre-Renaissance sculptor

The wagоn of G. Garibaldi kept at the municipality of Pisa

Embankments of the Arno river

The monument to G. Garibaldi

The rector's office of the University of Pisa

Santa Maria della Spina Church located near the Arno river

Palazzo Reale, the ex-residence of the Great Dukes of Tuskany, holding now the National Museum

The monument to the Grand Duke of Tuskany, Ferdinand I de' Medici

The Cathedral of Pisa and the Baptistry

The left side of the bronze doors of the Cathedral of Pisa

Inside the Cathedral

The belfry of the Cathedral of Pisa known as the Leaning Tower

One of the bells of the Leaning Tower

View of Pisa from the Leaning Tower

At the official dinner, on June 13: left to right - A.Avanzini, R. Loreto, A. Prioletta and M. Arbach

At the official dinner, on June 13: left to right - S. Frantsouzoff, F. Bron, M. Marx, I. Gajda

Participants of the workshop, A. Zaborski and Ch. Robin

Participants of the workshop, H. Hayajneh and G. Mazzini