The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts paid tribute to Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, Deputy Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), on the occasion of receiving the Arab World Heritage Book of the Year Award 2024 for his book, “Ad-Diwan Al-Kabir”. The ceremony was held as part of the official celebration of Arabic Manuscripts Day, held under the theme “Our Written Heritage and the Elements of Civilizational Communication”, under the patronage of Dr. Mohamed Ould Ammar, ALECSO DG.

The event brought together a host of high-level guests, notably Mr. Mohamed El Mahdi Ben Said, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, and several diplomats, scholars and cultural figures from the Kingdom of Morocco.

Held on Friday (April 19, 2024), at the National Library in Rabat, the ceremony honored prominent figures and institutions from the countries of Morocco, Palestine, Egypt and Mauritania, for their research and practical efforts in preserving and casting light on the Arab manuscript heritage. The Institute stressed that Dr. Benarfa’s book was able to conduct a conscious investigation into one of the key works of the heritage of the Great Sheikh, which holds great significance in the intellectual heritage of the Arab world and Muslim Ummah.

Following the opening ceremony, ICESCO’s Deputy DG took part in a seminar on “The Elements of Civilizational Communication in Arabic Manuscript Heritage,” where he discussed the highlights of his book, “Ad-Diwan Al-Kabir”.

The seminar was followed by exhibitions on manuscript heritage and the elements of civilizational communication, and the Institute’s scientific publications.