The Africa-Arab Cultural institute has organized in collaboration with the Tunisian Ministry of Cultural Affairs the 2nd Training Session on the Restauration and Conservation of Manuscripts at the National Laboratory for the Restauration and Conservation of Manuscripts in Raqada, Kairouan – Tunisia, from 27 October to 05 November 2025.
This training session brought together 13 trainees, one from each of the following countries: Burkina Faso, Niger, Cote d’Ivoire, Mauritania and Gambia. And two trainees from each of Mali, Senegal, Libya and Tunisia.
The Sultanate of Oman at the last resort, withdrew from the training, though they had initially proposed 03 trainees. Kenya did not react to the invitation.
The opening ceremony was co-chaired by Dr Mabrouk Kraiem, acting Director General of the AACI and Mr Tarek Baccouche, Director General of the National Institute of Heritage of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs in Tunisia.
The event was broadcasted live on Radio Sabra FM.
The 2nd training session covered the following subjects:
- Introduction to manuscripts and their types, history of manuscripts and their historical and cultural importance (the ancient Kairouan library as a model).
- Tools and materials for the production of Arabic manuscripts: Paper, Parchment, Ink, Bookbinding, Dyes…
- Practical Workshops: Techniques for cleaning and stabilizing paper and parchment: – Dry cleaning – Pagination of manuscripts – Disassembling manuscripts – Removing impurities, dirt, and dust from manuscripts
- Factors causing deterioration of paper and how to treat it.
- Factors causing deterioration of paper and methods of protection.
- Practical Workshops
- Technical study of parchment and paper manuscripts: Preparation of restoration record cards for manuscripts – Choice of ink and color fixing – Deacidification process – Paper casting preparation – Cedar glue – Reinforcement with Klycel G – (Training on using materials)
- Using the humidity chamber and its role in relaxing the manuscript (Application)
- Conditions for preservation and maintenance in storage: Kairouan manuscripts as a model
- Techniques for controlling the surrounding environment: measuring humidity, acidity, lighting and how to control them
- Practical Workshops
- Manual restoration of paper
- Training on mechanical restoration of paper manuscripts
- Training on restoration of parchments
- Training on restoration of parchments (Paper manuscripts project)
- Training on restoration of parchments (Parchment’s project)
- Methods and techniques for documenting manuscripts
- The importance of digital photography and microfilm in preserving manuscripts
- Training on digital photography: Trainees divided into 03 groups
The training session ended with awarding trainees with certificate of participation.
They trainees were given the opportunity to visit landmarks of the city of Kairouan.