Workshop on preservation and cataloging of Manuscripts

A workshop focusing on the preservation, cataloging and digitization of Geez Manuscripts commences today, 26 August, here in the capital Asmara. The workshop is organized by the PFDJ Research and Documentation Center and the Office of the Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church.

Asmara, 26 August 2019- A workshop focusing on the preservation, cataloging and digitization of Geez Manuscripts commences today, 26 August, here in the capital Asmara. The workshop is organized by the PFDJ Research and Documentation Center and the Office of the Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church.

The five-day workshop is being attended by 25 experts from the Adi-Keih College of Business and Social Science, Debre Sina Kidiste Selasie Theology College, the Office of the Patriarch as well as from the Research and Documentation Center.

The training is being provided by experts from the University of Hamburg, Germany.

Speaking at the opening event, Deacon Girmai Zerai, Assistant Administrator of the Office of the Patriarch, said that Eritrea is rich with historical heritage and that the heritage Eritrea possess including Geez manuscripts and its historical expressions are among the most wonderful and precious treasures of mankind built up in the process of human development. He also expressed the importance of the workshop in transferring the knowledge.

Ms. Azieb Tewolde, Director of the Research and Documentation Center, on her part said that the RDC has done preliminary inventory from 2000 to 2007 and was able to register thousands of manuscripts and that the workshop organized in cooperation with the University of Hamburg is in continuation of that initiative.

Prof. Bausi Alessandro, coordinator of the group of experts, indicated that he conducted research from 1992 to 1997 in various Eritrean Monasteries and that he came to understand that Eritrea is very rich in historical heritage. He also expressed readiness to closely work with Eritrean experts.