[CPProt.net] IRCICA Re-establishes Iraqi Libraries Looted in Occupation

[Museum Security Network / Cultural Property Protection Net (Ton Cremers)]

IRCICA Re-establishes Iraqi Libraries Looted in Occupation 
By Elif Tunca 
Published: Saturday 30, 2005 
zaman.com 


 The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Research Center for
Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), celebrating its 25th anniversary
this year, is carrying on with a known name, Dr.Halit Eren, after its
Founder General Director Professor Ekmeleddin İhsanoglu was appointed as OIC
general secretary. 

Halit Eren, who was assigned to the IRCICA General Directorship in January
after having assumed the duty of being the assistant of Ekmeledin Ihsanoglu
for many years, talked about his new projects with Zaman 

Conducting studies on Islamic Culture for 25 years in different regions of
the world, IRCICA started a book campaign for Iraq whose libraries were
looted during the recent US occupation. After the books in the foundation
libraries of Iraq, which is a member of both OIC and IRCICA, are lost, Halit
Eren said that they collected multiple books in the IRCICA library and they
invite the constituent foundations to take part in this campaign. Eren wants
this "Books for Iraq" campaign to be a comprehensive project just like
"Mostar 2004". "We entered Bosnia in the last year of the war, in 1994, and
determined a goal. According to this goal, starting with opening Mostar
Bridge in 2004, we were going to restore the ruined buildings, and we were
going to establish a cultural study program. As a result of these efforts,
the bridge was opened with great enthusiasm in 2004." Eren said.