President of the Doha Institute Dr. Abdelwahab El-Affendi delivering the opening speech.
Doha, Qatar: The Sudanese University Professors Association in Qatar in collaboration with the History Programme at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, organised a seminar under the title, “Sudan’s Antiquities and Documentary Heritage: Current Challenges and Possible Solutions.”
The event was held in the presence of Minister of Education and Higher Education, H E Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater; Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan to the State of Qatar, H E Ahmed Abdelrahman Siwar Al Dahab; and President of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Dr. Abdelwahab El Affendi; along with a group of researchers and individuals interested in Sudanese antiquities and documentary heritage.
In her remarks, Minister of Education and Higher Education, Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater emphasised the importance of regional and international solidarity in supporting Sudan amid its current crisis.
She highlighted the need to protect the country’s people, land, antiquities, and documentary heritage, stressing that this responsibility should not rest solely on the Sudanese people and government. Instead, it requires a collective global effort, especially given that Sudan’s antiquities and documentary heritage represent a vital part of the world’s cultural memory, as acknowledged by Unesco.
She also underscored the potential for Sudan to restore what has been damaged by war through coordinated regional and international collaboration.
This includes recovering stolen museum artefacts, reclaiming its compromised historical record, and safeguarding its cultural legacy for future generations. Qatar, she noted, is committed to working with dedicated partners to develop practical solutions that address the threats facing Sudan’s cultural and historical assets.
President of the Doha Institute Dr. Abdelwahab El-Affendi delivered the opening speech, in which he thanked the Sudanese University Professors Association in Qatar for their collaboration in organising this important scientific event. He emphasised that Sudan’s cultural heritage has come under attack and stressed the urgent necessity of preserving heritage and safeguarding documentation.
Following that, Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim Abu Shouk, Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Qatar University and President of the Sudanese University Professors Association in Qatar, gave a presentation titled, “Documentary Heritage in Sudan: Risks and Opportunities.” In his talk, he explored Sudanese heritage centres both inside and outside the country, with a particular focus on the National Records Office; its holdings, locations, and developmental stages.
He discussed the chronological and thematic classification of its materials and proposed several solutions for preservation, including digitising collections, appointing qualified personnel, and building strategic partnerships with archives around the world.
