TEHRAN -- Iran National Library and Archives (INLA) Director Ali-Akbar Ash’ari has proposed to hold an exhibition of Persian manuscripts at the National Library of Belarus (NLB).

Ash’ari who was attending a seminar entitled “New Technologies in Preservation of Documentary Heritage” in Belarus met with NLB director Roman Motulski and held talks on increasing bilateral cooperation.
He noted that both states can assist each other to enrich resources preserved in libraries, helping to make both nations more familiar with their art and culture, adding, “Experts can also cooperate in digitalizing resources.
He also called the large modern building of the National Library of Belarus a sign of their interest in books and reading and said, “Its varied sections also point to a general outlook of the people that books are an essential element of every day life.”
Motulski also talked about the great interest of his country’s scholars in Persian manuscripts and stated, “There are not many ancient books and manuscripts in the library and for that reason, we would like to host an exhibition of Persian manuscripts here.”
He also pointed out that students from his country are highly interested in the Persian language, the knowledge of which can assist in developing scientific and cultural relations. He added, “Many databases have been established by Belarusian experts in both Russian and English that are available on the Internet. We can also add Persian articles as well.”
The seminar “New Technologies in Preservation of Documentary Heritage” ran from November 19-22 with representatives from 11 countries participating.
During his stay, Ash’ari also met with the Belarusian Culture Minister, the rectors of the Belarus State University, the Minsk State Linguistic University, and students who were studying the Persian language.