During this forum, held under the theme "The Routes of Ink in Algeria: Civilization and Heritage," organized at Abdelatif-Rahal International Conference Center under the high patronage of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Arab researchers emphasized the historical importance of Algerian manuscripts, which testify to Algeria’s deep civilizational and historical roots and its contribution to the production of knowledge and sciences throughout different eras.

In this regard, researcher Madian Hamed Abdelhadi (Egypt) highlighted the great cultural richness of Algeria, which contains an important human heritage encompassing Islamic and experimental sciences.

He also commended the efforts of Algerian institutions, including the National Library, in restoring and safeguarding manuscripts as an integral part of the Arab-Islamic identity.

He also hailed Algeria’s role in preserving manuscripts through the organization of specialized international forums.

For his part, academic Ali Alaimi (Tunisia) discussed the historical and scientific importance of Algerian manuscripts preserved in Tunisia, noting that these rare documents, estimated at more than 1,000 manuscripts, cover various fields such as astronomy, medicine and Islamic sciences, reflecting the diversity of the intellectual heritage of Algerian scholars.

He noted that these manuscripts have been subject of study and research at the Zitouna Mosque and Tunisian zawiyas, emphasizing that Algerian intellectual contributions were not limited to a narrow geographical space but extended across the entire Maghreb region and the world.

In turn, Palestinian researcher Ibrahim Bajis Abdelmadjid Al-Maqdisi highlighted the historical importance of scientific manuscripts written by Algerian scholars and currently safeguarded in international libraries as well as in religious centers, particularly in Mecca and Al-Quds.

The researcher in heritage and history and author of the book "History of Algerians in Al-Quds and Palestine", Bajis said that Algerian scholars have effectively contributed to the dissemination of knowledge across Arab countries and the world, making their intellectual output a valuable civilizational heritage, and called for the cataloguing and documentation of this heritage in order to facilitate access for academics and researchers.

Egyptian researcher Hassan Abid emphasized the importance of this meeting in promoting and safeguarding manuscript heritage, stressing the need to explore scientific manuscripts in fields such as physics, chemistry and astronomy, considering them a treasure of knowledge requiring deeper research and study.

The proceedings of the International Forum on Manuscript Heritage will continue on Tuesday with the participation of Algerian and foreign researchers and academics, through presentations focusing in particular on modern strategies for conservation and restoration, as well as the use of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in archiving manuscript heritage.

The program also includes sessions dedicated to the history of manuscript production and their cataloguing in libraries, in order to ensure their protection from disappearance.

International Forum on Manuscript Heritage highlights Algerian manuscripts' scientific, historical importance