The Library offers nearly 200,000 digital publications and 6,000 print books, and houses rare manuscripts

Rabat: 9 April 2026

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) will inaugurate the Sultan Qaboos Library at its headquarters in Rabat on Thursday, 16 April 2026. This initiative reflects the Organization’s commitment to promoting knowledge, expanding cultural and scientific spaces, supporting research, and facilitating access to knowledge resources.

The establishment of this knowledge landmark comes as a result of cooperation between ICESCO and the Sultanate of Oman, which contributed to supporting the project that bears the name of Sultan Qaboos—may Allah rest his soul in peace—in recognition of his contributions to the support of culture and science, as well as the role of the Sultanate of Oman in promoting cultural initiatives across the Islamic world. This Library is part of ICESCO’s knowledge work system, under the management of the Translation and Publishing Center.

The Library inauguration ceremony will be accompanied by a symposium organized in cooperation with the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science. The symposium will address the role of libraries in transferring knowledge and promoting translation and publishing, as well as highlighting the contributions of cultural diplomacy and cooperation relations between cultural institutions in both the Islamic and international spheres.

The Library offers a modern space for reading and research, combining print and digital resources to provide researchers, students, and those interested in cultural and scientific issues with access to knowledge sources. In its initial phase, the Library houses over 6,000 print titles, along with a digital collection offering nearly 200,000 titles available through ICESCO’s digital platform. This collection is part of an initial phase that will be further developed through the integration of the digital library with broader knowledge systems and databases.

It also includes rare documentary treasures, including a copy of the Holy Quran written in the handwriting of Ibn al-Bawwab, the Kairouan parchments, which are historical manuscripts, as well as a deluxe edition of the book “Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa” in a limited release.

Moreover, the Library provides a dedicated space for children, aimed at fostering a love of reading and enhancing their cultural awareness by linking knowledge with human values and sustainable development issues, in line with ICESCO’s approach to building early knowledge awareness among future generations.

For more details:
ICESCO Digital Library:
https://library.icesco.org/en

Contact:
PLD@icesco.org