As part of the project “Promoting the preservation and accessibility of African documentary heritage in peril,” a major capacity-building initiative has been officially launched with the opening of a series of training workshops focused on Mali’s ancient manuscripts.

Led by the UNESCO office in Mali in partnership with the NGO SAVAMA-DCI, this programme aims to strengthen the skills of over 70 participants, including agents from families that hold ancient manuscripts, as well as students and researchers, to better preserve and promote this invaluable heritage.

The ancient manuscripts of the Sahel, particularly those from Mali, represent a unique source of knowledge and bear witness to the continent’s rich historical and intellectual legacy. Facing threats from security crises and climate change, their preservation has become a top priority for national authorities and their partners.

In this context, the current project aims to build on the achievements of previous programmes and improve conservation, accessibility, and valorisation practices for documentary heritage at risk.

The training programme is structured around several sequential workshops:

• The first workshop, held from 29 June to 1 July 2026, focuses on prospecting and identification techniques for ancient manuscripts. Participants will gain skills to locate, identify, and document manuscripts held by families, libraries, and other repositories.

• The second workshop, scheduled from 2 to 4 July 2026, covers inventory and cataloguing techniques. Attendees will learn how to collect, organise, and describe manuscript information, and develop standardised descriptive records.

These two complementary sessions, officially opened on 29 June 2026 under the chairmanship of the representative of the Minister of Craftsmanship, Culture, Hotel Industry and Tourism, alongside the Acting Head of the UNESCO Office in Mali and the Executive President of SAVAMA-DCI, will cover the entire management chain for ancient manuscripts, from identification to systematic documentation. Fifteen agents from manuscript-holding families will directly benefit.

“The Department of Craftsmanship, Culture, Hotel Industry and Tourism assures you of its constant support for the success of this project and will pay close attention to its expected results and impacts,” said Mr. Mamadou Cissé, technical advisor representing the Minister of Culture.

For his part, the Head of the UNESCO Office, Mr. Ali-Mohamed Sinane, stated: “Preserving ancient manuscripts means preserving our memory, our identity, and our shared history. It also means bequeathing to future generations an intellectual heritage of inestimable value. I hope these workshops will be rich in exchanges, learning, and commitment, and that they will significantly contribute to safeguarding Mali’s documentary heritage.”

After these two workshops, beneficiaries will be able to conduct field missions, correctly identify manuscripts, describe them, and help integrate them into structured inventory systems.

This training programme, which will continue in the coming months for students and researchers on critical editing and translation of ancient manuscripts, marks an important step in strengthening national capacities to protect and promote Mali’s ancient manuscripts.

Through these workshops, UNESCO and its partners, notably the Government of Japan, reaffirm their commitment to safeguarding African documentary heritage. The goal is not only to preserve these treasures for future generations but also to enhance their recognition by the general public as culturally and historically significant heritage.