Jeddah: The first exhibition of Royal Library manuscripts entitled “The Written Heritage of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” is expected to throw new light on the history of the Kingdom. Organized by the King Abdul Aziz Darat, it will be held for 45 days, from Jan. 2, 2011. Dr. Al-Samari, the Darat's Secretary General, has refuted allegations that the exhibition, which is scheduled to be opened by Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Emir of Riyadh, and the Darat's Chairman, contravenes regulations on manuscripts. Al-Samari said that according to the regulations, King Fahd National Library has been tasked with the indexing and preservation of the manuscripts. The regulations do not conflict with the Darat's task of organizing exhibitions as there had been coordination between the Darat and King Fahd National Library long before the exhibition was planned, he said. The exhibition will be in essence a scientific contribution, complementing the library's role in the cultural field. “The exhibition serves to document our country's heritage since the inception of the first Saudi State,” he said. The exhibition, which is the first of its kind for the Darat, will showcase about 3,000 original manuscripts covering the Kingdom's entire history. Al-Samari said the exhibition is one the most important activities by the Darat. The inauguration of the exhibition by Prince Salman is evidence of the importance the Emir places on cultural activities, he added.
