Projects to awaken Islamic cultural heritage
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolia News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Aralık 25, 2008 00:00
ISTANBUL - Dr. Halit Eren, general director at the Research Centre for the Islamic History, Art and Culture, or IRCICA, said with new significant projects, the center would awaken the historical and cultural heritage of Islam
The Research Center for the Islamic History, Art and Culture, or IRCICA, within the body of The Organization of the Islamic Conference, or OIC, means to awaken the historical and cultural heritage of the Islamic world with their current projects.
Dr. Halit Eren, general director for the IRCICA, told the Anatolian News Agency that the headquarters, which became operational at Yıldız Palace in Istanbul 28 years ago, had initiated important projects since then.
Dr. Eren said the IRCICA had printed approximately 110 academic publishings, organized more than 60 international congresses and symposiums, as well as many international competitions on calligraphy, architecture and architectural restoration.
The IRCICA houses a library, which is one of the top sources in the world, according to Dr. Eren, who also informed they were working on setting up an electronic library at one of the buildings of Yıldız Palace they have been recently allocated.
The mentioned library holds 65,000 books in 138 languages on Islamic history, culture and civilization; including a large number of important hand-written work, as mentioned by Dr. Eren: "We have started work for opening an electronic library featuring hard to find pieces for the use of researchers and readers at the building allocated to us by the Turkish Government. Our library will be open for service around the beginning of the next year."
The book hospital project
Dr. Eren said one of the most important projects the IRCICA was working on was the "Book Hospital" in the scope of the Süleymaniye Library. Pointing to Süleymaniye Library’s housing of some of the richest handwritten collections in the world, Dr. Eren said: "Süleymaniye Library has a unit for the restoration of these pieces but we wanted it to have an international identity and founded the Süleymaniye Book Hospital project along with UNESCO and the Turkish Government." Dr. Eren added that this book hospital would not only serve Süleymaniye Library but the whole world. "That is, both book restorations will be handled and experts will be trained from libraries domestic and foreign. These people will be taught book restoration in practice." Dr. Eren said.
Dr. Halit Eren said they started the "Mostar 2004" project in 1994, which resulted in works that raised global attention during its decade of execution: "That project was aimed at restoring the historic bridge that had been demolished and also the damaged artifacts, mosques and our cultural heritage. In this scope, we organized a summer school in Mostar every summer which had attendance from students from Universities from all around the world." Dr. Eren explained that they had completed the restorations as planned in 2004 with the help of over 700 students and academics that attended their project and more than 40 master theses were written on Mostar alongside six doctorate theses.
’Jerusalem 2015’
Dr.Eren said they were preparing a new project for Jerusalem based on their experiences from Mostar. The project, titled "Jerusalem 2015," sent academicians from Turkey, Italy and from various place of Europe to Jerusalem with the coordination of the IRCICA. Dr. Eren continued: "Our scientists have practiced field work in the location. Our aim is examining the historical artifacts inside the city walls of old Jerusalem and surveying them for the purpose of restoration." Dr Eren said they would try to find financial supporters for the restoration projects.
The IRCICA has another project in the works, according to Dr. Eren; a databank of Islamic culture heritage. Dr. Eren said they intend to transfer all the architectural artifacts of the Muslim world to this data bank.
Dr. Eren recalled that they had published the Koran of Caliph Osman, the original of which is being kept at Yıldız Palace and they have a follow up project. They will gather all the versions of the Koran that are supposedly from the era of Caliph Osman and study them together with the Cairo version, Dr. Eren said.
Dr. Halit Eren, general director for the IRCICA, told the Anatolian News Agency that the headquarters, which became operational at Yıldız Palace in Istanbul 28 years ago, had initiated important projects since then.
Dr. Eren said the IRCICA had printed approximately 110 academic publishings, organized more than 60 international congresses and symposiums, as well as many international competitions on calligraphy, architecture and architectural restoration.
The IRCICA houses a library, which is one of the top sources in the world, according to Dr. Eren, who also informed they were working on setting up an electronic library at one of the buildings of Yıldız Palace they have been recently allocated.
The mentioned library holds 65,000 books in 138 languages on Islamic history, culture and civilization; including a large number of important hand-written work, as mentioned by Dr. Eren: "We have started work for opening an electronic library featuring hard to find pieces for the use of researchers and readers at the building allocated to us by the Turkish Government. Our library will be open for service around the beginning of the next year."
The book hospital project
Dr. Eren said one of the most important projects the IRCICA was working on was the "Book Hospital" in the scope of the Süleymaniye Library. Pointing to Süleymaniye Library’s housing of some of the richest handwritten collections in the world, Dr. Eren said: "Süleymaniye Library has a unit for the restoration of these pieces but we wanted it to have an international identity and founded the Süleymaniye Book Hospital project along with UNESCO and the Turkish Government." Dr. Eren added that this book hospital would not only serve Süleymaniye Library but the whole world. "That is, both book restorations will be handled and experts will be trained from libraries domestic and foreign. These people will be taught book restoration in practice." Dr. Eren said.
Dr. Halit Eren said they started the "Mostar 2004" project in 1994, which resulted in works that raised global attention during its decade of execution: "That project was aimed at restoring the historic bridge that had been demolished and also the damaged artifacts, mosques and our cultural heritage. In this scope, we organized a summer school in Mostar every summer which had attendance from students from Universities from all around the world." Dr. Eren explained that they had completed the restorations as planned in 2004 with the help of over 700 students and academics that attended their project and more than 40 master theses were written on Mostar alongside six doctorate theses.
’Jerusalem 2015’
Dr.Eren said they were preparing a new project for Jerusalem based on their experiences from Mostar. The project, titled "Jerusalem 2015," sent academicians from Turkey, Italy and from various place of Europe to Jerusalem with the coordination of the IRCICA. Dr. Eren continued: "Our scientists have practiced field work in the location. Our aim is examining the historical artifacts inside the city walls of old Jerusalem and surveying them for the purpose of restoration." Dr Eren said they would try to find financial supporters for the restoration projects.
The IRCICA has another project in the works, according to Dr. Eren; a databank of Islamic culture heritage. Dr. Eren said they intend to transfer all the architectural artifacts of the Muslim world to this data bank.
Dr. Eren recalled that they had published the Koran of Caliph Osman, the original of which is being kept at Yıldız Palace and they have a follow up project. They will gather all the versions of the Koran that are supposedly from the era of Caliph Osman and study them together with the Cairo version, Dr. Eren said.