"House of Wisdom" The Italian Ambrosiana Library expands the horizons of cultural and knowledge cooperation
Sharjah, April 13 / WAM / The House of Wisdom in Sharjah discussed opportunities to develop cultural and knowledge cooperation with the Ambrosiana Library in the city of Milan, one of the most ancient European libraries whose founding dates back to the beginning of the seventeenth century, in line with the vision of the Emirate of Sharjah and its continuous efforts to consolidate its cultural presence globally, especially in Italy.
This came during a visit by a team from the House of Wisdom to the Italian Library, with the participation of Marwa Obaid Al-Aqroubi, Executive Director, where he met with Monsignor Alberto Rocca, the Library Director. During an introductory tour, the team was briefed on the library’s sections and precious collections, including rare manuscripts and book holdings that represent a legacy of knowledge that extends over centuries and includes thousands of books and manuscripts, including a distinguished collection of Arabic and Islamic manuscripts, in addition to works and holdings related to the most prominent intellectual and artistic icons such as Leonardo da Vinci and Giovanni. Battista Montini.
The two sides discussed opportunities to develop practical partnerships that include exchanging experiences and activating heritage groups, in addition to working to hold joint exhibitions and cultural and knowledge programs that highlight rare Arabic manuscripts, which will contribute to enhancing the presence of this cultural heritage and making it available to a wider audience of researchers and interested people.
This visit comes as an extension of the cooperation process that was launched after the visit of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairwoman of the Sharjah Book Authority, to the Ambrosiana Library in 2024, which resulted in the launch of qualitative projects, most notably the digitization of thousands of rare Arabic and Islamic manuscripts dating back more than 450 years, and making them available digitally for the first time in the world.
The visit also represents a continuation of the institutional communication approach between the two sides, as it was preceded by a series of mutual meetings and visits, including the visit of the Ambrosiana Library administration to the Emirate of Sharjah, which included the “House of Wisdom” and discussed ways to enhance cooperation and develop the partnership towards deeper and more influential horizons.
Marwa Al-Aqroubi said: Italy has always been one of the most important centers that preserved knowledge and accompanied its transformations throughout the ages, from the Middle Ages to the beginnings of the European Renaissance, a process that converged with the contributions of Arab civilization, which played a pivotal role in preserving, developing, and transmitting this legacy. At the House of Wisdom, we look at this extension as a basis for building cultural and knowledge partnerships that reactivate this interconnectedness within contemporary institutional frameworks.
She added that our cooperation with the Ambrosiana Library in this context comes to constitute a practical extension of this common heritage through paths that contribute to re-presenting knowledge and expanding its impact in the contemporary context. Based on the directives of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, we are keen at the House of Wisdom to strengthen international cooperation and develop joint cultural initiatives that contribute to spreading knowledge and enhancing cultural awareness.
For his part, Monsignor Alberto Rocca stressed that cooperation with the House of Wisdom in Sharjah constitutes a strategic platform for developing contemporary models in providing knowledge to keep pace with the transformations of reading and research at the global level, pointing to the library’s abundance of collections of rare Arabic and Islamic manuscripts, including copies of the Holy Qur’an in Kufic script dating back to early times, manuscripts in linguistic sciences such as the Book of Sibawayh, in addition to manuscripts in medicine and literature, in addition to the Vincenzo Binelli collection, which includes hundreds of manuscripts of scientific value. And historical.
He added that his previous visit to the House of Wisdom in Sharjah allowed him to see an advanced model in the management of contemporary cultural institutions, praising its role in linking heritage with modern knowledge and creating an interactive environment that combines research and creativity, stressing that this visit contributed to building a common ground for cooperation and opened the way for developing practical partnerships.
He also expressed his interest in strengthening cooperation through holding mutual exhibitions and joint cultural programs that highlight these rare collections and contribute to their re-presentation within contemporary contexts, and expanding their reach to a wider international audience.
He said that this heritage of knowledge that the library embraces was formed over centuries, and the challenge today lies in reactivating it in a way that makes it more present and relevant to the current generation, which gives this cooperation its strategic dimension.
The visit embodies the joint trend towards building an institutional relationship based on sustainable cooperation and enhancing the role of knowledge as a bridge of communication between peoples, which reflects a firm belief in the importance of culture in consolidating human understanding and creating a more open and integrated future, which is consistent with the vision of the House of Wisdom in expanding bridges of cultural cooperation with international institutions.
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