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Dubai, UAE, 9 October 2025: The Mohammed Bin Rashid Library's Restoration Centre participated in the fourth Abu Dhabi Manuscripts Conference and Exhibition, which was held at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi, under the theme: Visual Arts in Arabic and Islamic Manuscripts: Artistic Heritage and Contemporary Influence.
The conference serves as a leading scholarly platform, bringing together experts and researchers from around the world in art history, manuscript studies, cultural heritage preservation, and digital humanities. It aims to explore the aesthetic, cultural, and historical elements of visual arts in manuscripts, and to examine their influence on contemporary creativity.
During its participation, the Restoration Centre presented a number of applied studies related to manuscript conservation efforts. This included a research paper titled Visual Arts in a Qur'an Scroll by Asmaa Al Hamli, a restoration specialist. The study focused on a rare Qur'an scroll from the Qajar period (1280 AH / 1863 AD), currently preserved in the Treasures of the Library Exhibition at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library.
Furthermore, restoration specialist Reem Al Dhaheri also presented the Centre's experience in restoring a Qur'an manuscript from West Africa, part of the library's collection. Al Dhaheri outlined the various stages of the restoration process—from condition assessment and treatment planning to examination techniques and final outcomes—highlighting the manuscript's artistic and historical significance.
The Centre also reviewed the latest technologies and tools used in restoration and conservation processes. These included microscopy devices, humidity and temperature measuring tools, dry and wet cleaning equipment, and advanced paper treatment systems.
This participation reflects the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library's commitment to promoting knowledge and culture, and to highlighting its role in preserving the heritage of the Arab and Islamic world.
Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the Restoration Centre supports the Library's efforts to preserve cultural heritage, manuscripts, and rare artifacts. The Centre has successfully restored more than 600 items to date.
The Treasures of the Library Exhibition houses a collection of rare and old books, atlases, and manuscripts, some of which date back to the 13th century. Among the rare exhibits is the first edition of Atlas Maior of Blaeu, the crowning achievement of the famous 17th century Dutch cartographer Johannes Blaeu, containing nearly 600 maps. The exhibition also includes the first edition of Napoleon's Description de l'Égypte, rare Arabic periodicals, a fine collection of autographs by world personalities, and traditional tools for calligraphy, bookbinding.
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