Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) established a manuscript digitization laboratory at the Raqqada National Museum of Islamic Art in Tunisia.

Tunisian Minister of Cultural Affairs, Dr. Hayet Ketat-Guermazi; Türkiye’s Ambassador to Tunisia, Çağlar Fahri Çakıralp; TİKA’s Vice President, Rahman Nurdun; TİKA’s Coordinator to Tunisia; Ali Fuat Cebaci and local administrators attended the opening ceremony which was held at the National Laboratory for the Preservation and Conservation of Parchment and Manuscripts, affiliated to the Raqqada National Museum of Islamic Art in Kairouan, Tunisia.

Vedi Misavi, who is in charge of the laboratory, said,

“Some of the manuscripts preserved in the Raqqada National Museum of Islamic Art date back to the 2nd Hijri century. The majority of these works are among the rare manuscripts of the Islamic world, written in Kufic and Maghribi scripts. Many Qur’ans are also present among these manuscripts. Additionally, there are Fiqh books belonging to the Maliki school.”

Stating that they aim to digitize manuscripts without damage in the laboratory which was established and equipped with modern, high-end devices by TİKA, Misavi said, “The system we are to use will enable the rapid digitization of the manuscripts and also prevent these works from being damaged.”

“Our objective is to preserve our cultural heritage and pass it on to the next generations”

Pointing out that preserving cultural heritage and passing it on to the next generations are among TİKA’s objectives, TİKA’s Coordinator in Tunisia, Cebeci, said, “Türkiye and Tunisia share a long-standing, common history and culture. Within the scope of our collaboration with the Raqqada National Laboratory for the Preservation and Conservation of Parchment and Manuscripts, we have implemented the digitization project of works, including the very rare manuscripts such as Mushaf al-Hadina and Mushaf al-Azraq.”

Cebeci also expressed that in the forthcoming days, they will carry out activities, including personnel training, for mutual experience sharing.

TİKA, which started its activities in the country in 2012, has carried out more than 200 projects and activities, especially in education field, with a total value of over 50 million dollars.