- Hammurabi and the Iraqi Manuscript House involved in a qualitative work to protect Christian manuscripts.
- Launching the training workshop to preserve and protect Christian manuscripts and books
- Hammurabi Human Rights Organization is in charge of implementing the mechanisms of the workshop
- The workshop is conducted in cooperation and coordination with the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage – Iraqi Manuscript House-
- Two experts from the Iraqi Manuscript House will held lectures at the workshop
On Sunday, November 19, 2023 the workshop for preserving and protecting Christian manuscripts and books was launched in Baghdad.
On its first day , Mrs. Pascale Warda, Head of Hammurabi Human Rights Organization, opened the workshop with a welcoming speech, appreciating the Ministry of Culture–Iraqi Manuscript House, the two experts, the General Director, and the participants pointing out the importance of scientific professional activities to preserve heritage as one of the most important requirements for preserving identities and intellectual treasures as a human right. Indeed, it is the right of a country that gives a person the opportunity to be proud of his roots through what remains of the generations of cultural heritage that helps the moral side of the person.
In his speech, Mr. William Warda, Director of Public Relations at Hammurabi Organization and the Project Manager said that this workshop was an essential part of a major multi-mission project undertaken by Hammurabi Human Rights Organization led by the Pope John Paul II Foundation in coordination with Caritas and funded by the Italian Development Agency.
Mr. Warda praised the cooperation of the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage – Iraqi Manuscript House – and the General Director Dr. Ahmed Aleyawi, , and the church leaders for nominating number of persons interested in the workshop.
He also appreciated the role of His Eminence the Bishop Eliya Ishaq for the facilities provided including a place to hold the workshop and samples of manuscripts for studying, affirming that the workshop, with its goals and implementation mechanisms, represents one of the basic tasks of protecting Iraqi history, that is, protecting the cultural heritage, representing the moral asset that cannot be neglected being an essential part of the Iraqi national identity.
Mr. Warda also pointed to the logistical challenges that Hammurabi faced to carry out the workshop.
Then, the two experts, Rana Abdul Hasib Rezik and Suhair Zeki Mohammad Hussein, took charge of preserving and protecting the assets of the heritage which represent the historical wealth of nations.
Expert Rana discussed the importance of maintenance and its methods of implementation, reviewing the stages of heritage conservation throughout history, while expert Suhair addressed protection and methods of implementation through steps that must include thoroughly cleaning the manuscript using thin brushes for fear of scratching the manuscript, then to be stored them in bags and boxes free of any acids that damaged the manuscripts as well as ensuring temperatures to be 18-20 and humidity rate of 60-55, representing an ideal storage environment, indicating to the need for periodic cleaning of manuscripts.
Within deliberations in the workshop[ the two experts gave answers on number of questions.
On its first day, the workshop lasted four hours, with the participation of fifteen men and women. Its sessions will continue for ten days, ending on November 30, 2023.
