Officials from the Ministry of Information and Culture participated in an online scientific meeting organised by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), focused on the preservation of Islamic manuscripts.

Obaidullah Hanif, Director of the National Archive, and Mohammad Shafiq Ahmadzai, Head of Foreign Relations and Cultural Attachés at the ministry, joined the session held by ICESCO’s Centre for Calligraphy and Manuscripts under the theme “Islamic Manuscripts in the World.”

The meeting examined the condition of Islamic manuscripts in Mali and discussed strategies for their preservation and protection as part of global cultural heritage.

ICESCO representatives highlighted that Mali’s extensive collection of hundreds of thousands of historical manuscripts represents one of the most significant repositories of Islamic civilisation and intellectual history in West Africa.

Participants underscored the importance of safeguarding these documents, noting that the focus on Mali reflects the manuscripts’ unique cultural and historical value.

ICESCO is an intergovernmental organization specializing in the fields of education, science and culture.