The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) concluded the Fifth Arab Forum on Manuscript Heritage Management, held in Cairo in cooperation with the Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO) from 1 to 3 September 2026 under the theme “From the Memory of the Past to Artificial Intelligence Technologies.” The Forum brought together a distinguished group of international experts, researchers, and specialists in the field of heritage management.

In his address during the opening session, Dr. Idham Hanash, Director of the Calligraphy and Manuscripts Center at ICESCO, emphasized that the Forum reflects the Organization’s commitment to safeguarding manuscript heritage as an integral component of civilizational memory and a renewed source of knowledge.

He explained that the theme of this edition calls for rethinking the philosophy of manuscript heritage management and moving beyond traditional preservation methods toward digital engineering approaches. This, he noted, requires integrating archaeology and manuscript studies with data science, computer science, artificial intelligence, information systems, and engineering in ways that enhance sustainability, ensure transmission to future generations, and maximize the benefits of their knowledge content.

The Forum featured six scientific sessions, during which 15 papers were presented by researchers from seven Arab and foreign countries. Dr. Ahmed Abdelbasset, ICESCO Manuscripts Expert, chaired the closing session, during which participants’ recommendations were presented.

The recommendations called for the harmonization of manuscript cataloging and digital transformation standards among Arab and Islamic institutions and libraries, the development of a unified reference model, and the establishment of a digital governance framework to regulate the work of manuscript repositories. They also stressed the importance of employing artificial intelligence in the structured processing of data to prevent the generation of unreliable information, as well as creating an international register of endangered manuscripts and mobilizing international support for their protection.