Qatar National Archives marks Arab Document Day on Oct 16

Doha: Qatar National Archives (NAQ) is set to observe Arab Document Day on Thursday. The event will feature a host of specialists, experts, and rep...

Doha: Qatar National Archives (NAQ) is set to observe Arab Document Day on Thursday. The event will feature a host of specialists, experts, and representatives of Arab national institutions, academics, and those interested in the field of documentation. A special event will be organized to mark this occasion as part of ongoing efforts to boost Arab cooperation in the fields of documentation and documentary heritage preservation, building on its leadership role, represented by Secretary-General of NAQ, Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Al Buainain, as Chair of the Memory of the World Committee for the Arab Region, NAQ highlighted in a statement. It added that the move underscores Qatar's efforts in preserving national memory and supporting documentary heritage projects with Arab and regional dimensions. Al Buainain said that NAQ celebrates this event, which reflects the nation's commitment to national memory and its unwavering support for documentary initiatives with Arab dimensions. Marking this event comes as an affirmation of the importance of the document as a source of knowledge, a tool for safeguarding identity, and a means of documenting the path of development, as well as an opportunity to exchange expertise and strengthen cooperation among Arab documentary institutions, Al Buainain said. He added that, through this event, NAQ is committed to spotlighting its role in advancing archival work, transferring expertise, and enhancing the integration of Arab efforts in the fields of preservation, access, and digitization, thereby contributing to building an enduring knowledge environment that maintains the nation's memory and serves its present and future. The event features a panel discussion on manuscripts and documents: Arab memory in global archives, highlighting the current state of Arab manuscripts and documents in international archives and exploring ways to promote their presence and safeguard them, as part of a vision aimed at consolidating the position of the Arab document on the global stage. The day is an initiative launched by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) in 2001, designed to underscore the importance of the document as a living memory of nations and a fundamental pillar for preserving Arab identity.  Accordingly, NAQ commemorates this occasion, reaffirming its national role in safeguarding documentary heritage and strengthening its presence regionally and internationally.