SIBF showcases Sharjah’s identity, passion for readers and books: Sheikh Sultan

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, received, on Thursday morning, in the presence of Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), a delegation of scholars and experts in archiving and documentation from Portugal and India.

The delegation comprised Dr Luís Filipe Santos, Director-General for Books, Archives and Libraries at the Portuguese National Archives; Dr Balaji Shinoy, Director of the Archives Department of the Government of Goa, India; Dr Albano Figueiredo, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Coimbra; Dr José Pedro de Matos Paiva, Professor of History and Deputy Director of the Department of History, European Studies, Archaeology and Arts at the University of Coimbra; and Dr Rui Carina, an archaeology specialist.

At the start of the meeting, Sheikh Sultan welcomed the fair’s guests, highlighting Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening cultural and intellectual exchange and to fruitful cooperation with scientific and academic institutions worldwide.

He noted that such engagement helps develop expertise across various fields.

Sheikh Sultan affirmed that the Sharjah International Book Fair serves as an annual cultural and intellectual platform that brings the world together in Sharjah, supports the book and publishing industry, and showcases Sharjah’s identity and its passion for readers and books.

The Ruler of Sharjah praised the distinguished relations between Sharjah and several specialised documentation and archiving institutions worldwide.

He highlighted the fruitful cooperation between Sharjah and a number of universities and scientific institutions, which has contributed to pioneering intellectual projects, particularly in the fields of manuscript verification, authorship and writing.

This cooperation has also enriched Arab and international libraries with rare and important publications documenting history.

The meeting discussed the importance of scientific cooperation between research and documentation centres worldwide in the field of historical manuscripts and rare documents, which help advance knowledge and provide researchers with valuable resources.

Such cooperation also encourages scientific research through writing, rigorous analysis and the documentation of historical events in chronological order. The meeting also highlighted the role of archiving and documentation in preserving the history of nations and peoples, enabling researchers and scholars to explore historical accounts, exchange knowledge and ensure that historical records are accurately preserved for future generations without distortion or alteration.

Dr Albano Figueiredo delivered a speech on behalf of the visiting delegation, expressing gratitude to the Ruler of Sharjah for the warm welcome and for the continued cooperation between the Emirate of Sharjah and the University of Coimbra across numerous research and scientific projects.

He also praised Sheikh Sultan’s commitment to fostering communication and cooperation with academic institutions worldwide, which has established Sharjah as an academic beacon and a leading centre for science, knowledge and books.

Figueiredo praised the continued success of the Sharjah International Book Fair, which grows from strength to strength each year.

He noted that the significant efforts of the Ruler of Sharjah in the fields of knowledge, scientific research, authorship and writing, together with Sheikh Sultan’s visionary approach to human development and to building society through science and knowledge, serve as an inspiration and a model for the world to follow.

At the end of his speech, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Coimbra outlined the progress of work at the university’s Centre for Arabic Studies, inaugurated under the generous patronage and unwavering support of the Ruler of Sharjah.

He provided a detailed overview of the centre’s activities and its success in launching numerous initiatives focused on the Arabic language and its teaching and learning.

These include lectures, conferences, exhibitions, film screenings, poetry readings and other activities that promote the presence and dissemination of Arab culture in Portugal.

Prior to the meeting, the Ruler of Sharjah accompanied the visiting delegation on a tour of the various sections of the Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre, where they explored its collection of rare historical and scientific artefacts.

The delegation toured the library’s Arabic and foreign-language sections, the documents and photographs section, and the geographical maps illustrating the region’s history.

They were introduced to the various services the centre provides to researchers and scholars, drawing on its valuable references, books, documents and rare maps, which shed light on the history of the region and the world.

The Ruler of Sharjah provided the delegation with a detailed account of the document’s journey, from Old Portuguese to modern Portuguese, followed by historical verification and translation into English.

The document then undergoes two further stages: verification and annotation in Arabic, after which it is ready for publication. The example presented by Sheikh Sultan included several important observations drawn from his extensive expertise in documentation, historical research and manuscript verification.

Sheikh Sultan also explained the complete manuscript of the Portuguese officer Duarte Barbosa, which had been missing from libraries for nearly 100 years.

Sheikh Sultan acquired it in 2012, verified and published it in 2017 under the title A Journey of Great Importance, in Arabic, English and Portuguese.

The book was published by Al Qasimi Publications in Sharjah.

During the tour, the Ruler of Sharjah showcased rare examples of Portuguese documents from the original Portuguese archives. By verifying these documents, Sheikh Sultan has filled historical gaps between events and connected accounts across different historical periods.

The Ruler of Sharjah drew on sources from Portuguese historians who witnessed the events, providing researchers and scholars worldwide with a comprehensive, authenticated archive.

This has contributed to rigorous historical scholarship on the Portuguese presence in the region and around the world.

At the end of the meeting, Sheikh Sultan received a selection of books and reference works on archiving, history and documentation, published by the University of Coimbra in Portugal.

WAM