The International Organisation for the Study of the Old Testament (IOSOT) had its triennial congress at Stellenbosch University (SU) during the first week of September. This was a historic occasion, since it was the first time in the more than 60 years of the organisation's existence that it convened on the African continent. Some sister organisations, such as the International Organisation for Septuagint and Cognate Studies (IOSCS), the International Organisation for Targum Studies (IOTS), and the International Syriac Language Project (ISLP) had their congresses in collaboration with the IOSOT. The president of the IOSOT for the period 2013-2016, Prof Johann Cook (local emeritus associate professor in the Department of Ancient Studies), as well as the congress secretary, Prof Louis Jonker (professor in the Department Old & New Testament), describe the congress as a huge success. More than 350 participants from 40 countries (inter alia from 13 African countries), with almost 280 different presentations, made a significant impact on the study of the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament and Ancient Near East locally, but also internationally. Fifteen keynote speakers presented cutting-edge research in various subfields, while seminars and short paper sessions presented participants from different contexts the opportunity to interact.

Prof Nico Koopman, Deputy Vice-Rector: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel of SU opened the Congress, while the presidents of two South African scholarly organizations (the Old Testament Society of South Africa and the Southern African Society for Near Eastern studies who acted as co-hosts) also spoke words of welcome to the international audience. Prof Johann Cook delivered his presidential address on the topic "Interpreting the Septuagint" at the same occasion on Sunday 4 September. In recognition of his scholarly work and academic career, a Festschrift (published by Brill, Leiden) was presented to Prof Cook.

Photo:

From left to right (back): Prof Louis Jonker; Prof Jan Joosten (Oxford University, and secretary of the IOSOT); Prof Gert Steyn (UP, and co-editor of the Festschrift); Dr Gideon Kotzé (Dept Ancient Studies, and co-editor of the Festschrift).

From left to right (front): Prof Nico Koopman; Prof Izak Spangenberg (UNISA, and president of the OTSSA); Prof Cynthia Miller-Naudé (UFS, and president of SASNES); Prof Johann Cook; Ms Marié Cook; Ms Suzanne Mekking (Brill, Leiden).