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Preserving Africa’s Ancient Manuscripts
17 - 19 December 2010, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This conference will set itself the task of analyzing the most salient issues raised by Africa’s ancient written treasures and historical records.
The International Conference on Preserving Ancient Manuscripts in Africa will bring together African and international senior librarians/information sciences managers, researchers, private and public managers of ancient manuscripts, knowledge industries, decision takers, civil society, and international organizations. This wide array of expertise will set itself the task of analyzing the most salient issues raised by Africa’s ancient written treasures and historical records. In addition, it will suggest concrete solutions and set up mechanisms aimed at building professional and financial capacities of private libraries and closed family circles who are the keepers of most of the continent’s ancient manuscripts.
Africa’s written treasures kept in adverse conditions are at present in great danger of being lost forever if bold action is not undertaken now to preserve ancient manuscripts, offer manuscript keepers sustainable ways for generating income from their cultural treasures, take appropriate legal steps to protect this cultural heritage, and promote innovative ways for involving private and philanthropic institutions as well as the international community of donors and States.
The program will be comprised of three parallel sessions: a) research related to ancient manuscripts’ content and historical significance; b) preservation, cataloguing, digitization, and restoration issues; and c) knowledge management and financial capacity building.
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Selected authors will be informed and will receive information on the editorial format they will be using. Deadline for paper submission will be March 30, 2010. Commissioned papers will cover research expenses and honoraria. All papers will be peer reviewed and published in a book format that will be available prior to the International Conference.
For complete details about the conference, please visit: http://www.africanmanuscripts.org/
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It’s so wise this conference is taking place in Ethiopia, where thousands of old and ancient manscuripts are kept in the ancient Monasteries, Churches and Mosques. Writng and Book Making has a long histroy in Ethiopia, and Priests, Monks and Muslim Clerics are/were not only producers of these manscuripts but they are also preservers. I do hope that this conference will invite these important people and acknowledge their efforts.