His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, on Wednesday visited the Arcadian Library at the Carlton House, which was established by King George I, in London.

Upon his arrival, Dr Shaikh Sultan was received by Dr Jamie Antakia, Chairman of Arcadia Libraries Group.

The Ruler of Sharjah and Antakia exchanged talks over a number of issues of mutual concern, especially with regard to the acquisition of manuscripts and books as well as efforts being made to preserve them to offer great service for students, researchers and scholars in various fields of science.

Antakia briefed Dr Shaikh Sultan about the library’s most prominent and important books, manuscripts and maps, which total 7,000 and which date back to the period between the 8th and 19th centuries.

Dr Shaikh Sultan reviewed the Arabic version of the ‘Book of Simple Medicine in Pharmacology’, which dates back to 1190 and is the only copy in the world that maintained all its parts and contents. The book has been digitised by the library so as to make it available for all researchers and scholars.

Dr Shaikh Sultan also reviewed the book titled ‘Western Appreciation of Arab and Islamic Civilization’ and some manuscripts that are concerned with the Gulf region as well as 95 letters that were sent by merchants of Venice to the Arab region.

At the end of the visit, Antakia presented memorial gifts to Dr Shaikh Sultan in recognition and appreciation of his visit.

Dr Shaikh Sultan was accompanied by Abdullah Bin Mohammad Al Owais, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Information in Sharjah; Ahmad Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority; and Mohammad Hassan Khalaf, Director-General of the Sharjah Media Foundation

source : gulfnews