TRIPOLI, 4 February 2014 – From 26 January to 5 February 2014, 38 staff from the archives, cartographic and photographic units of various territorial offices of the Department of Antiquities of Libya (Benghazi, Sabratha, Leptis Magna, Shahat, Tobruk, Tripoli), as well as from the Centre for Historic Studies and National Archives in Tripoli, were trained by UNESCO on preventive conservation and management of archival records.

The course falls within a broader capacity building programme funded by the Government of Italy and was organized jointly with the Department of Antiquities. It aimed at gaining physical control over the rich archival holdings (including drawings, photographs, maps and plans, reports, etc.) desplayed at the Department of Antiquities, by introducing principles for properly storing, handling and maintaining collections and for making them available for consultation to researchers and the general public. It further aimed at strengthening the capacities of the documentation units of the Department of Antiquities and at ensuring more appropriate conditions for the conservation of such records, by establishing effective networking with other relevant national and international institutions.

During theoretical and practical sessions, the participants in the training module were provided with basic principles for conservation of paper materials and for setting-up initial inventories of photographic archives. The course also included a technical visit to the Centre for Historic Studies and National Archives.

Dates: 26 January – 5 February 2014

The closing session of the training course will be held on 5 February 2013, at h. 14:00, and the outcomes of the course and the restored maps and records will be presented in an overview exhibition.

VENUE: Red Castle, Tripoli

PROGRAMME

Time: 14:00-14:30

Description: Opening remarks

Speakers: H.E. Dr Al Amin El Habib, Minister of Culture (to be confirmed)

Rubens Piovano, Director, Italian Cultural Institute, Embassy of Italy to Libya

Lodovico Folin Calabi, UNESCO Rappresentative in Libya

Abdelrahman Yakhlef, acting Chairperson of the Department of Antiquities

Time: 14:30-14:45

Description: Presentation of the exhibition and of the course outcomes, award of certificates of attendance

Speakers: Cecilia Santinelli, tutor of the course; Feryal Sherafeddin (Department of Antiquities)

Scientific supervision and coordination of the course

Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi (UNESCO), Feryal Sherafeddin, Fatima Banghi (Department of Antiquities).

Tutors

Cecilia Santinelli, Paola Lucchesi.