CAIRO: Dr. Sheikh Sultan Al Qassimi, ruler of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, has pledged that he will restore the Scientific Institute in downtown Cairo that was burned in fiery clashes between protesters and the Egyptian Military on Monday. He also pledged to donate rare manuscripts, maps, and a book titled “Description of Egypt” in his possession, expressing sadness over riots and the subsequent destruction of historic texts and books in the clashes. “The Scientific Complex and the National Archives are monuments that represent the cultural heritage of Egypt. They serve to play an important part not just in chronicling the country's rich history, but also as a rich resource of information for generations to come. It is our responsibility to restore these pillars of knowledge to their former glory,” said the Sheikh in a press statement. “The gesture to rebuild the Scientific Complex and donate original manuscripts from my personal library is in acknowledgement of the relationship Sharjah has shared with Egypt,” he continued. Documents lost in the fire caused by the clashes include an original manuscript of Napoleon's “Description of Egypt,” the original manuscripts of journals printed in 1860, as well as maps from the private collection of Prince Youssef Kamal of the Ottoman dynasty. Protesters and civilians have gathered to save as many of the texts and documents as possible, as the violence continues for the fifth consecutive day in Cairo. “I have authorized a team to draw up a list of books that were destroyed. During the period that the complex is getting restored, I will make sure that these books are sourced from my Grand Library and donated to the Egyptian archives. I have also directed a team to ensure that no books in the archives are exposed to pilferage and are kept in safe hands. Work on the restoration of the Scientific Complex is anticipated to be completed early next year,” pledged the Sheikh. BM
ShortURL: http://goo.gl/XNWIv Tags: Scientific Institute Section: Egypt, Latest News
