Cape Town, 18 January 2008 - Iziko Museums of Cape Town hosts a historic one-day symposium on the Timbuktu Manuscripts of Mali on 9 February 2008. This event takes place at the Iziko South African Museum, from 09h30 to 14h30.

Africa has a long history of written scholarship and learning dating from Ancient Egypt. Following the introduction of Islam to the Sahel by Arab traders, Timbuktu became a centre of Islamic scholarship. Timbuktu flourished as a commercial, religious and educational centre between 1300 and 1600 AD.

Thousands of manuscripts from the period, on subjects as diverse as astronomy, medicine, mathematics, music, poetry, commerce and religion were preserved in private libraries. The Timbuktu Manuscripts provide an insight into African heritage and a culture of writing and reading that existed long before recorded colonial history. The South African government and other institutions have been assisting Mali in a project to preserve some of the collected manuscripts.

The symposium will be opened by Mr Riason Naidoo (Project Coordinator, SA Mali Project/Timbuktu Manuscripts) and His Excellency, Sinaly Coulibaly, the Malian Ambassador to South Africa.

Alexio Motsi, the Head of Preservation at the National Archives discusses the role of the South African government in preserving the Timbuktu manuscripts. Dr Thebe Medupe, professor of Astronomy at UCT, highlights Africa’s astronomical heritage in Timbuktu. Shaid Mathee, of UCT’s Centre for Contemporary Islam, addresses the subject of ‘Going to Timbuktu via its Manuscripts’. Lastly, Mary Minicka, the Head of Preservation at the Western Cape Archives and Records Services, discusses climate change as a challenge to the preservation of the Timbuktu Manuscripts.

To book and for further information about the programme, please contact Wandile Kasibe at Tel: 021 481 3804/13 or email wkasibe@iziko.org.za. Details of the programme can be accessed on our website, at www.iziko.org.za.

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