Sana’a – SABA:
The General Authority for Antiquities and Museums handed over 75 manuscripts today to the Manuscripts House. Among them, 27 were confiscated by security forces, while 48 came from the National Museum.
The handover process took place under the supervision of Minister of Culture and Tourism Dr. Ali Al-Yafei, along with the Manuscripts Receipt and Inventory Committee headed by Dr. Walid Al-Rubaie. Present were Deputy Head of the Authority Abdullah Thabet, Authority Undersecretary Ibrahim Al-Hadi, Secretary General of the Manuscripts House Khaled Al-Ruhani, and Deputy Secretary General for Library Affairs Khaled Al-Sarei.
The 27 manuscripts seized by security agencies were officially transferred to the Manuscripts House, alongside 48 others that had been stored in the National Museum—some complete, others in fragments or loose pages.
Minister Al-Yafei emphasized the importance of public awareness regarding the preservation of manuscripts and artifacts and the need to hand them over to the proper authorities. He stressed the significance of collecting, documenting, restoring, and maintaining these manuscripts to protect Yemen’s rich historical and cultural heritage, and he encouraged citizens to surrender any manuscripts or artifacts in their possession.
The minister praised the efforts of the security agencies, the Antiquities Authority, and the National Museum in recovering and safeguarding these cultural treasures. He highlighted the ongoing threats to Yemen’s history and identity, including the smuggling, looting, and illegal sale of manuscripts and antiquities. He called on everyone to take responsibility in protecting this heritage and reporting any illicit activities related to these items.
He noted that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has long worked to gather all manuscripts housed in various museums and relocate them to their rightful place—the Manuscripts House—where proper storage, preservation, and expert care are available. A specialized technical team is handling archiving, maintenance, and electronic documentation.
Deputy Head of the Antiquities Authority and the Secretary General of the Manuscripts House reaffirmed the importance of this handover in the broader effort to preserve Yemen’s invaluable heritage. They mentioned that some of the manuscripts were at risk of being sold, and expressed gratitude to the security forces for protecting these assets.
They further stressed the need to retrieve valuable manuscripts from museums and institutions not specialized in their preservation. This initiative represents a vital step toward consolidating manuscript conservation efforts under a qualified national institution equipped with the necessary expertise and infrastructure.
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