The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) took part in the workshop organized by the House of Manuscripts in Istanbul, Turkiye, on June 12-13, 2025, under the title: “Reviving Aleppo’s Manuscripts and Awqaf Library.” The event brought together prominent experts and researchers in Arab and Islamic heritage.

Addressing the workshop, H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of ALECSO, underlined the importance of safeguarding the Arab cultural heritage. He highlighted the significance of the workshop which focuses on the city of Aleppo and its Awqaf library. He noted that Aleppo is a city with a deep-rooted history spanning thousands of years, and with a prominent place in human civilization. The city has long been one of the key hubs of science and culture in the Arab and Islamic worlds, serving as a crossroads of civilizations and a beacon of knowledge, and housing a vast wealth of valuable manuscripts across various fields of knowledge since the time of Sayf al-Dawla al-Hamdani. 

The Director-General expressed ALECSO’s full readiness to contribute to the training of staff working in Aleppo’s manuscript centers and Awqaf libraries, as well as to provide scholarships in manuscript sciences at the postgraduate diploma and master’s levels, and to offer all possible technical assistance to preserve this scholarly heritage.

The Director-General stressed that the pilot project presented during the workshop is a pioneering step toward reviving educational and cultural Awqaf institutions and enhancing their role in preserving manuscripts and enabling scientific research. He commended, in this regard, the role of Awqaf libraries as centers of intellectual and cultural enlightenment in Arab-Islamic history.

ALECSO’s participation in this event came as part of its continued support for initiatives aimed at preserving Arab-Islamic heritage and leveraging it within the broader context of cultural and scientific advancement, while also strengthening partnerships with relevant institutions to achieve common goals in the fields of culture, education, and scientific research.