We are delighted to announce that the University of Pisa will host the upcoming AWRANA Conference between 9th and 12th of April 2026. This will be the 4th edition of the Association of Use-Wear and Residue Analysts Conference, following successful meetings in Leiden, Nice, and Barcelona. The theme, “Breaking Patterns in Archaeology,” highlights the transformative role that macro- and microscopic approaches to wear and residue analysis play in reshaping archaeological interpretations. The conference welcomes presentations spanning early prehistory to contemporary times, with no chronological boundaries, and embraces all disciplines that examine wear marks and residues. We look forward to welcoming you to Pisa for what promises to be a stimulating and intellectually enriching event.
Conference Organizers’ Statement
The organizers of the conference align with the public statement issued by the University of Pisa on 11 July 2025, to which we are all signatories as members of the Department of Civilizations and Forms of Knowledge. This declaration was made at a moment when wars are proliferating across the world and exacting a heavy toll on civilian populations.
“When human life is disregarded, the principles on which university communities are founded are negated. Instead of having faith in reason, science and culture, darkness sets in — a darkness that marks the dissolution of everything that defines our humanity. Peace cannot be built through violence. […] Recognising the value of peace compels us to take concrete steps to oppose the arms industry and commit not to engage in any activity aimed at developing or improving weapons of war“.
The Statement declared that we are currently witnessing “serious violations of international law and systematic violence carried out by the Israeli government against the civilian population of Gaza. This includes the use of hunger and critical health insecurity as instruments of war, which objectively amounts to a form of ethnic cleansing. For this reason, all existing and future agreements with the Israeli government or Israeli public or private entities must be scrutinised in light of the Statute’s core values of peace, justice, and ethical responsibility.
At the same time, the Senate expresses its support for Israeli colleagues who courageously and determinedly oppose the war and the policies of the current Government of Israel, and extends its solidarity to all those affected by Hamas’s terrorist attacks. The Senate also calls on the Italian government to recognise the State of Palestine and revoke the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Italian Republic and the Government of the State of Israel on military and defence cooperation. The Board of Governors is recommended to confirm and expand funding aimed at opening humanitarian corridors for Palestinian scholars and students, as well as supporting other initiatives designed to safeguard the culture of a people facing annihilation, which is unworthy of any civilised society. Furthermore, the Senate recommends that the Board of Governors suspend the framework agreements with Reichman University and the Hebrew University, based on the documentation submitted for the extraordinary meeting of the Academic Senate held on 14 March 2024. The Senate reserves the right to reassess other ongoing collaborative projects in the future. […]”
The orgaziers and the University as Pisa also “reaffirms that the University of Pisa is a place where freedom of thought and opinion is protected — a place that respects democratic institutions, yet does not submit to power. The exchange of divergent views is considered a sign of cultural and spiritual richness, and safeguarding dissent is of the utmost importance. Any debate conducted in accordance with the rule of law and in a spirit of non-violence, both physical and verbal, will always be protected and defended from all forms of external interference”.
The full declaration of the Statute can be read at the following link: University of Pisa – Gaza Statement.
Call for Candidatures
We REMIND that as we prepare for the upcoming congress, it’s also time to look ahead to the future board of our association. The new AWRANA Board will be elected during the congress, and we are now accepting CANDIDATURES for the following positions:
- President
- Vice-President
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Communications Manager
We warmly encourage you to submit your candidature, including a brief personal profile and your vision or proposals for the future of AWRANA.
Send your candidature at: awrana.international@gmail.com