The Opening of the International Conference on the Protection of Written Heritage

The Gazi Husrev Beg Library was founded in 1537 by an Ottoman governor in Bosnia, the Gazi Husrev Beg. The library is one of the largest in the world when it comes to collecting Islamic manuscripts from different time periods.

Photo above: Transcript of Qur'an. Endowment of Mehmed Pasha SokoloviÄ‡, 16th-century / Photo Courtesy of Gazi Husrev Beg Library

The International Conference on the Protection of Written Heritage is being held in Sarajevo on September 16 and 17, 2019. This is the first conference of its kind not only in Bosnia and Herzegovina but also in the Balkans. The conference was organized by the Gazi Husrev Beg Library, supported by the office of Bosnian President Sefik Dzaferovic and numerous other partners.

At the opening ceremony the audience was addressed by M. Sc. Osman LaviÄ‡, Director of Gazi Husrev Beg Library; Dr. Husein KavazoviÄ‡, Reisu-l-ulema of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Dr. Rifat Å krijelj, Rector of the University of Sarajevo; Lejla Hrelj, UNESCO Representative in Sarajevo; and Amel SuljoviÄ‡, Adviser for the Culture at the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina

M.Sc. Osman LaviÄ‡, Director of Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Dr. Husein KavazoviÄ‡, Reisu-l-ulema of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Dr. Rifat Å krijelj, Rector of the University of Sarajevo / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Lejla Hrelj, UNESCO Representative in Sarajevo / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Amel SuljoviÄ‡, Adviser for the Culture at the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

At the opening, attendees could also see parts of a documentary film produced by BBC "The Love of Books: A Sarajevo Story" which talks about salvation of the library's manuscript treasure during the 1992-1995 war and aggression in BiH.

The second day of the conference is scheduled for lectures by eminent experts from Europe and BiH who will talk about their experiences and modern methods of protecting handwritten treasures.