QNL, National Library Of Uzbekistan Forge Partnership

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula

Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Library (QNL) and the National Library of Uzbekistan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to lay the groundwork for future collaboration.

The agreement, signed by Tan Huism, Executive Director of Qatar National Library, and Umida Teshabayeva, Director of the National Library of Uzbekistan, outlines a framework for potential joint initiatives in cultural, technical, scientific and librarianship fields. The MoU marks a significant milestone in their joint efforts to promote shared Islamic cultural heritage.

Prior to signing the MoU, Tan was given a comprehensive tour of the National Library of Uzbekistan's facilities led by Mrs. Teshabayeva. She was notably impressed by the library's state-of-the-art resources, collection of rare manuscripts related to the region and the innovative work being done, including the production of content for their YouTube channel and audiobooks. The visit highlighted the library's commitment to advancing accessibility and engagement with their rich cultural resources.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, Tan emphasised the significance of cultural diplomacy and international cooperation in preserving cultural heritage, facilitating knowledge dissemination, and improving information access.“Our commitment at Qatar National Library is to work closely with our counterparts here at the National Library of Uzbekistan to develop innovative projects and initiatives that will serve both our countries and the global community,” she said.“Together, we aim to leverage the evolving field of librarianship to create projects that not only serve our countries but also enhance global access to knowledge and contribute to a broader appreciation of our shared cultural legacy.”

Teshabayeva indicated the importance of cooperation between libraries and described to the audience her impressions of her visit to Qatar National Library. At the end of her speech, she expressed the hope that this memorandum will provide a fresh impulse to develop joint projects for the benefit of librarianship in both countries.

She said:“In 2023, I visited Qatar National Library and participated in the 29th meeting of directors of national libraries of Asia and Oceania, where I was invited by the executive director, Tan Huism. It is my pleasure to seal this close relationship with Qatar National Library by signing this memorandum. I would like to express my gratitude to our guest for taking her time to visit our library.”

The National Library of Uzbekistan was founded in 1870 and consists of more than 8 million resources, including collections of maps, gramophones, sheet music, posters, newspapers, microfiche and microfilm. The library has unique documents that can be found only in three libraries in the world, while the library fund contains a collection of unique and rare books, as well as manuscripts, periodicals, lithographic publications, and a huge number of copies of medieval European printing.

A special place in the collection is occupied by the unique“Turkestan Collection” - a kind of encyclopedia on the history, ethnography, geography, economics and culture of Central Asia. The collection is a thematic selection of clippings from periodicals, sometimes including entire individual books. There are a total of 594 volumes, covering literature from the early 1860s to 1917.

The MoU builds upon Qatar National Library's ongoing efforts to work with Uzbek institutions to promote Islamic heritage. In 2022, Qatar National Library entered into an MoU with the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, an organization affiliated with Uzbekistan's government, to further collaborative initiatives in documentary heritage promotion, and protection.-

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