One of the continuous programs conducted by IRCICA in cooperation with the Republic of Kazakhstan is the series of International Workshops on “Manuscript Collections in Kazakhstan.” The third workshop was conducted on 9-10 October 2025 by the Almaty-based Egyptian University of Islamic Culture Nur-Mubarak, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan and IRCICA. It was themed “Culture of Kazakhstan and Islamic Manuscript Heritage: A Case Study of Collections from the Golden Horde and Mamluk Egypt.” 48 papers were presented over two days by historians and experts in manuscript studies joining from different countries. IRCICA’s academic contribution was provided by Prof. Dr. Ashirbek Muminov, Advisor to IRCICA Director General for Central Asian Studies, who moderated the workshop starting from the opening ceremony and presented a paper on “An Overview of Arabic Sources on the History of the Golden Horde: A Comparative Study of Publications and Manuscripts” during the relevant session, and by Dr. Prof. Alidost Ertugrul, Head of the Architectural Heritage Section, with a paper on “Writing and Chronology in Historical Monuments (Epigraphy).” The opening addresses were given by Prof. Dr. Ahmed Hussein Muhammad Ibrahim, Rector of the Egyptian University of Islamic Culture Nur-Mubarak; the Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, Chief Mufti, Dr. Nauryzbai Taghanuly; IRCICA Director General Prof. Dr. Mahmud Erol Kılıç. Following the addresses, the book by Professor Sh. T. Kerim titled “The Role of Scholars (Mamluks) in the History of Medieval Islamic States” was presented to the audience. A calligraphy exhibition and master class was conducted by the Kazakh Calligrapher Asylbek Orynbasarov, titled “Husni Khat – The Native Art of Islam”.
The scientific presentations of theoretical and practical scope were grouped under the following session themes: “Manuscript heritage of the Mamluk era” (13 presentations), “Sources of the Golden Horde” (13 presentations), “Manuscript heritage of Kazakhstan” (22 presentations). The first two workshops in the series were held in 2023 and 2024. The papers of the three workshops will be forthcoming soon, to disseminate the knowledge gain from this program to interested circles worldwide.
