This two-day conference celebrates the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Joanneum Museum in Graz by Archduke John of Austria (1782–1859). Thanks to Graz Orientalist and translator Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall (1774-1856) the Joanneum was able to obtain old Oriental collection items early on. The most important parts of Hammer-Purgstall’s works were his translations. These days, translating in all its aspects has become a necessity for survival, especially when the people concerned have a migratory background. ‘Translating cultures’ thus comes across as the basis for a real reciprocal expansion of the horizon of cultural experience.
The conference moderators are historian Gerhard M. Dienes (Joanneum Universal Museum) and orientalist Hannes D. Galter (Österreichische Urania für Steiermark).
