Sharjah24: His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has taken a significant step towards advancing educational and research opportunities globally. He has directed a grant of 7.9 million euros to digitize 30,000 rare books and manuscripts housed in the “Joanina Library” of the Portuguese University of Coimbra, which is recognised as one of the most important historical libraries in the world and a part of the UNESCO World Heritage.

The topics of these manuscripts focus on the history of the Arabian Gulf, especially during the period of Portuguese control over the region.

This digitization project aims to provide researchers, readers, and academics from all over the world access to rare and historic sources of knowledge that were otherwise not easily accessible. The project will leverage contemporary technology options to support research efforts in various fields of knowledge, thereby enabling scholars to search and study these sources with ease. Through his grant, His Highness has demonstrated his commitment to promoting knowledge sharing and facilitating research efforts in the Arab region and beyond.