It was an honor to meet the guardians of the ancient historical manuscripts of the Mali Empire, which stretched from the Atlantic Coast in the west to beyond the Niger River in the east. These heroes succeeded in preserving literary cultural treasures, artifacts, and books from most of the African tribes that inhabited that region. The books include the most important legacies passed down by ancient African generations, covering political, cultural, scientific, and religious heritage dating back centuries in the city of Timbuktu and its surroundings. Dr. Abdelkader Haidera, Director of the Manuscripts Center, said, “After the rise of terrorist activities in the Sahel region, we decided to move these historical manuscripts to a safer place out of fear they might fall into the hands of terrorist organizations. The burning of a single historical manuscript in Africa is equivalent to the burning of a library.”
The team, from the right: Africa’s first poet, Abdel Moneim; Dr. Abdelkader; Professor Hawa; Belkheir; Kouyate (The present generations will never forget the hardships you faced in preserving this great historical heritage).
