On Sunday, October 27, 2024, Professor Dr. Osama Talaat, Chairman of the National Library and Archives, received Professor Dr. Anas Atia Al-Faqi, Director of the Center for Editing Arab Heritage and Editor-in-Chief of the Misr University Journal for Humanities, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the National Library and the Arab Heritage Center at the university, especially in the areas of training, joint publishing, scholarly verification, combating extremist thought, and enhancing collaboration across various cultural fields.
During the meeting, the Chairman of the National Library and Archives expressed his welcome for the establishment of relations and cooperation between the National Library and the Center for Editing Arab Heritage of Misr University for Science and Technology, noting the regular annual collaborations between the two institutions. These include the celebration of Arab Manuscript Day and the university’s well-known annual participation in the Cairo International Book Fair.
For his part, the Director of the Arab Heritage Center presented a draft framework for cooperation in joint publishing and knowledge exchange. He highlighted the center and the university’s achievements, including several prestigious national and regional awards: the Arabic Language Academy Award for Heritage Verification, the Cairo International Book Fair Award in 2019 for verified publications, and the 2023 ALECSO Award for Best Book in Heritage Research.
Professor Dr. Anas Atiya Al-Faqi also expressed his delight at the meeting, praising the strong relationship between the National Library and Misr University for Science and Technology, represented by the Arab Heritage Center, and expressing his eagerness to develop cooperation between the center and the National Library and Archives.
“We are keen to benefit from the treasures of the National Library, which include rare manuscripts, ancient documents, and first editions. These represent invaluable materials and great treasures that must be highlighted optimally through active participation from all national institutions committed to preserving, verifying, publishing, and making Arab cultural heritage accessible to the contemporary reader,” he stated.
The Director of the Arab Heritage Center also provided an overview of the center’s various achievements, emphasizing the importance of bolstering cooperation to preserve and promote the extensive Arab-Islamic heritage, a task that no single institution can accomplish alone. The meeting was attended by Dr. Ashraf Qadous, General Director of the Scientific Centers at the National Library, and Mr. Sherif Saleh, General Director of Financial Affairs at the National Library