Juma Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage concluded a training course in document and manuscript preservation and restoration on Wednesday, August 21, 2024. The course, which began on August 19, lasted for three days. Dr. Bassam Dagstani, Head of the Preservation, Processing, and Restoration Department at the center, supervised the course, which included participation from several employees of the Urban Heritage Administration and the Historical Documents Center affiliated with Dubai Municipality.
The center aimed to enhance collaborative efforts between itself and the Urban Heritage Administration by training several of its employees in the processes of document and manuscript preservation, processing, and restoration.
The course, led by Dr. Bassam Dagstani, covered both theoretical and practical aspects. In the theoretical part, Dr. Dagstani discussed preventive preservation plans focused on protecting all paper materials from potential pests and damage, as well as remedial preservation plans for existing damage to these paper materials, whether biological, chemical, or natural. The practical part focused on manual restoration techniques and the creation of preservation boxes.
At the end of the training course, participants praised the content presented. Among them was Mr. Abdul Aziz Saleh Al Shuhhi, Head of the Historical Documents Center at Dubai Municipality, who said: “The restoration course is one of the important courses concerning the preservation and maintenance of manuscripts and documents. We at the Dubai Historical Documents Center are keen to participate in such courses, especially when offered by specialized centers like the Jumaa Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage in Dubai, which has global expertise in this field. We have been trained in the modern techniques used by the center in preserving and restoring documents and manuscripts.”