As part of the cooperation agreement recently signed between the Juma Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage in Dubai and Hamdard University in India, the Center participated the in the inauguration of the Manuscript Digitization Project at Jamia Hamdard in New Delhi.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Chancellor Hammad Ahmad, President of Jamia Hamdard; Professor Mohammad Afshar Alam, Vice President; Dr. Sarfaraz Ahsan; Dr. Akhtar Parwez, Chief Librarian; Dr. Ezzeddine Ben Zaghba, Head of the Studies and International Affairs Department at the Juma Al Majid Center; along with a number of college deans from the university.
The ceremony commenced with a speech by Professor Mohammad Afshar Alam, Vice President of the university, who praised the Juma Al Majid Center’s commitment to fulfilling the terms of the agreement by providing the university with state-of-the-art imaging equipment. This equipment will contribute to the digitization of approximately 3,800 original manuscripts. He emphasized that the project marks a strategic step in preserving cultural heritage and strengthening the university’s academic identity.
On behalf of the Juma Al Majid Center, Dr. Ezzeddine Ben Zaghba expressed his appreciation for the collaboration with Jamia Hamdard, reaffirming the Center’s commitment to providing technical and technological support, in addition to cooperating in the exchange of books and journals and organizing joint training programs and academic conferences.
Following the speeches, the attendees visited the Digital Imaging Laboratory and inspected the operations of the Manuscript Digitization Unit. Dr. Akhtar Parwez, Chief Librarian, explained that the unit is now equipped with specialized personnel and advanced technology. He projected that the project would be completed by mid-2026.
