Paris: His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, oversaw the signing of a $6 million grant agreement between the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) and UNESCO in Paris.
This significant event took place on Wednesday at UNESCO’s headquarters, and was attended by Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, and Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO.
The agreement was officially signed by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the SBA, and Jennifer Linkins, Assistant Director-General for Administration and Management at UNESCO.
The agreement outlines a five-year project to digitise UNESCO’s vast global archive, aiming to preserve essential documents and make them digitally accessible to researchers, scholars, and the broader public.
This initiative, driven by the directives of Sheikh Sultan, will involve the digital conversion of books, manuscripts, photographs, audio recordings, documentaries, and various other materials that reflect nearly eight decades of global cultural, educational, and diplomatic history.
During his visit, Sheikh Sultan toured the UNESCO Library and Archive, where he reviewed rare and aging historical documents, many of which are in fragile condition. The visit underscored the urgency and importance of safeguarding these assets through digitisation.
UNESCO’s archive is considered one of the world’s most significant institutional collections, comprising more than 2.5 million pages of documents, 165,000 rare photographs, and thousands of hours of audiovisual materials.
Despite its immense historical value, only about 5 percent of the archive has been digitised, hindered by logistical, technical, and financial constraints.
The Sharjah-funded initiative represents a pivotal step in accelerating the digitisation process and protecting this critical global heritage from further deterioration.
Sheikha Bodour emphasised that the grant reflects Sharjah’s enduring commitment to the preservation of global human heritage, intellectual memory, and fair access to knowledge. She stressed that safeguarding human memory is essential to fostering creativity, learning from the past, and promoting sustainable development.
The initiative also embodies Sharjah’s broader cultural vision of inclusive knowledge sharing and international cooperation.
This milestone agreement strengthens Sharjah’s reputation as a leader in cultural diplomacy and knowledge-driven humanitarian projects. Under the guidance of Sheikh Sultan, the emirate continues to play a vital role in protecting world heritage and promoting Arab engagement in international intellectual and scientific institutions.
