I can hardly believe that it has already been two months since the 16th International Conference for Nubian Studies took place in Munich! More than 300 participants gathered for a week of inspiring presentations, lively discussions and encounters, with many more colleagues joining us online.

One particularly special highlight was the participation of the official NCAM delegation from Sudan, which included 20 colleagues. It was an immense joy to welcome so many of our Sudanese friends and colleagues to Munich, especially given the extremely difficult circumstances in Sudan, where peace remains elusive. Having them with us in person made the conference all the more meaningful.

As organisers, we thoroughly enjoyed the conference, both scientifically and socially. It was a wonderful opportunity to share research, engage in stimulating discussions, exchange ideas and enjoy many thought-provoking conversations – and, of course, to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.

And it was not all about academic discussions! One of the highlights of the social programme was undoubtedly our wonderful DJane Jasmin, who kept us on the dance floor with an excellent selection of music, including fantastic Sudanese tunes. There was plenty of dancing, laughter and a wonderful atmosphere!

Here are a few impressions from the conference. You can find many more photographs in the conference photo gallery.

Thank you once again to everyone who contributed to making this conference such a memorable and successful event. We very much hope to meet many of you again soon – in Sudan or elsewhere!

Last but certainly not least, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all my co-organisers, our dedicated volunteers and, above all, the wonderful DiverseNile team. The conference also marked the official closing event of my ERC project, DiverseNile. We are now busy preparing publications and bringing the results of these years of research together. What a fantastic way to conclude such an ambitious and rewarding project! I am incredibly grateful to my team for their dedication, enthusiasm and outstanding work throughout these years.

Thank you all for being part of this journey!