Under the kind patronage of H.E. Dr. Ahmed Fakkak Al Badrani, Iraqi Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, and H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of ALECSO, the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts, a subsidiary institution of ALECSO, concluded this year’s celebration of the “” in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
In his opening remarks, the Iraqi Minister highlighted the role of the Arabic manuscript in shaping the Nation’s present and future as well as in promoting the evolution of societies. He indicated that Iraq boasts a rich and diverse manuscript heritage, and expressed hope for increased cooperation between the Ministry, represented by the Iraqi Manuscripts House, and the Institute of Arab Manuscripts, to publicize and promote this heritage.
Speaking on behalf of ALECSO’s Director-General, the Director of the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts, Dr. Mourad Rifi, thanked the Government and people of Iraq for their generous hospitality and for kindly hosting the closing celebration of the Arabic Manuscripts Day. He noted that the Institute’s choice of “Ethics of Science and Knowledge-seeking” as a theme for the 11th edition of the Arabic Manuscript Day brings to mind the fact that the Arab civilization has never separated the quest for knowledge from the ethics associated with it.
Dr. Rifi pointed out that this year’s celebration of the Arabic Manuscript Day coincides with the celebration of the 53rd anniversary of the founding of ALECSO. This Organization, he added, has granted the Nation’s heritage, both tangible and intangible, a central place in its plans and reference documents, and set the revival of the Arab heritage, including the manuscript heritage, as one of the priorities of its Action Plan 2023-2028.
In the evening, the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts (Director and staff) and its guests from outside Iraq responded to the kind invitation from H.E. Dr. Abdul Latif Rashid, President of the Republic of Iraq, to visit the Presidential Palace in Baghdad.
Dr. Rifi conveyed to the Iraqi President the greetings of H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar. He expressed his sincere appreciation for the constructive cooperation and generous hospitality extended to the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts by the Iraqi Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, and looked forward to further cooperation in the close future.
