King Faisal's Vision: A Turning Point for Arabic Manuscripts

   Riyadh, September 28, 2025, SPA -- Saudi Arabia's dedication to Arabic manuscripts is a significant aspect of contemporary Arab cultural heritage. A pivotal moment in this commitment occurred in February 1973, when King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met with a delegation from the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts in Riyadh. This meeting underscored a royal vision recognizing that handwritten manuscripts are vital vessels of knowledge that preserve the nation’s identity and transmit its sciences across generations.
   That same month, King Faisal laid the cornerstone for the King Abdulaziz Library project in Madinah, which features a dedicated hall for manuscripts and rare books, establishing it as a cultural and scholarly hub that supports research and heritage preservation.
   The support from the Kingdom's leadership, particularly King Faisal's reception, marked a turning point in scientific cooperation with the institute. The delegation's impact extended beyond the collection of manuscripts and data, fostering a new phase of academic openness and expertise exchange in heritage preservation.
   This collaboration strengthened Saudi Arabia's role in preserving Arab heritage, further exemplified by the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, founded in 1983. The center prioritizes manuscript care, currently housing around 30,000 original manuscripts and overseeing the restoration of over 330,000 texts and documents.
   -- SPA