Islamic Manuscript Traditions (video)

"The Islamic manuscript tradition, a tradition that is spread all over the globe and is under immediate threat in many of the current conflict areas, truly constitutes a world heritage—and we all share in the responsibility to salvage, preserve and engage with this rich heritage. We must not allow the Islamic manuscript tradition to be destroyed. If we do, we are destroying one of the central identity markers of Islamic civilization and culture—akin to the level of importance of Notre Dame for European Catholics, which equals what the manuscript libraries constitute for Muslims of Yemen or Mali. By preserving the Islamic manuscript tradition, we are preserving the richness, beauty, and diversity of Islamic culture and civilization."