A conference organised by Sussex graduate students and faculty will celebrate the life and work of Professor Edward Said, arguably the greatest champion in the West of the Palestinian cause.

The one-day conference, to be held on campus on 14 May, will pay tribute to the intellectual legacy and political involvement of the author, critic, academic and political activist, who died last year. It will also address the growing importance of postcolonial thought on academic life.

The idea for the conference arose after Said spoke at last year's Brighton Festival and following the Social and Political Thought (SPT) graduate conference held at Sussex in the same month.

One of the conference organisers, Gurminder K. Bhambra, says: "Said's works rests on the crossing of boundaries and, as such, Sussex's commitment to progressive, cross-cultural academic engagement makes it an ideal location for the examination of his thought and politics."

Said was also a great champion of culture, primarily classical music. To celebrate this aspect of Said's life, the conference will include a performance by Samadana, a five-piece band that plays a fusion of Arabic/Israeli/Western music.

There will also be a photo exhibition documenting projects that promote co-existence in the Middle East.