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2017-11-20 20:09:52
We remember our colleague Lakhdar Drias, director of Algeria’s National Museum of Antiquities and, with great pleasure, publish his biography compiled by Houria Cherid, Lakhdar Drias' successor as the head of the Museum: Drias Lakhdar est né à N’gaous-Batna en Algérie en 1952. Père de trois enfants. Historien et archéologue ; spécialité période islamique. Il obtient sa licence en histoire et archéologie à la faculté des lettres d’Alger. Il obtient ensuite un magistère en archéologie islamique 1992 à l’institut d’archéologie D’Alger sur un thème « L’artillerie militaire d’Alger à l’époque ottomane ». Doctorant ; inscrit au doctorat toujours à l’institut d’archéologie d’Alger sur le thème :»La numismatique islamique d’après les collections du musée national des antiquités » ce qui a fait de lui un des plus importants experts en numismatique en Algérie. Nommé directeur du musée national des antiquités en 1985, il y resta jusqu’en mars 2006. Cette fonction lui a permis d'exercer une carrière professionnelle très riche, car en parallèle de ses activités administratives il y exerçait des recherches scientifiques. Il améliora le musée en inaugurant, en 2003, le bâtiment qui abritera le département d'art islamique. Il instaura au musée une bibliothèque spécialisée sur l'histoire et l'archéologie islamique (il s’agit de la première bibliothèque spécialisée en Algérie) Son parcours scientifique, varie entre: Recherches épigraphiques sur les biens culturels mobiliers et immobiliers de l'Algérie; Recherches sur la numismatique de la période islamique de l'Algérie où il produit plusieurs corpus; Directeur de la fouille d'Achir; site archéologuique datant de la période ziride; Directeur de la fouille du palais zianide du Mechouar à Tlemcen; Inspecteur du patrimoine au ministère de la culture mars 2006- septembre 2016; Commissaire de plusieurs expositions: · Les manuscrits (à l'occasion de Tlemcen Capitale de la culture arabe 2012) · Les Hammadides 2012 · Les manuscrits de Constantine (Constantine Capitale de la culture arabe 2015) · Etude du trésor fatimide du musée de Chlef Drias Lakhdar etait un homme très actif dans son domaine et un important expert dans l'art islamique. Il est décédé en avril 2017. que dieu aie son ame (rahimahou allah). We remember our colleague Lakhdar Drias |
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2015-04-01 11:46:59
The newest and most challenging Virtual Museum and Virtual Exhibition project of MWNF went live after three years of preparation. Today we are all called upon to look at our past as a shared heritage, which will give us inspiration for a joint future only if interpreted collectively, taking into consideration the perspectives of all concerned. Sharing History Virtual Museum and Virtual Exhibitions explore the relations between the Arab and Ottoman world and Europe between 1815 and 1918, a complex and highly sensitive period that saw the rise of industrialisation and witnessed European colonial dominance in North Africa and the Middle East until the end of World War I. A hundred years of shared history that still determines our relations today. www.sharinghistory.org is the result of a joint effort of partners from 22 countries, to make the discovery of shared history both enjoyable and educational. Sharing History is building bridges through cultural history and helps make peace possible through knowledge and understanding. Cultural experts from the Arab world, Turkey and Europe came together to analyse the background and legacy of key moments in their shared histories and to look at them from their respective perspectives. Two years of collaborative research, documentation and curatorial work made it possible to explore, for the first time with a truly shared approach, a period of history that is crucial to understanding the present and to reveal it through its artistic and cultural legacy. A variety of options to discover Arab and Ottoman – European relations in the period under survey: Sharing History continues MWNF’s tradition of inaugurating themes of great relevance and impact. Islamic Art in the Mediterranean led the way in 1994 as the first project focusing on Islamic art and architecture, followed by the Virtual Museum Discover Islamic Art. Museum With No Frontiers has 20 years of experience in “rewriting history” beyond narrow nationalist agendas and promoting an entirely new, inclusive vision of history that highlights and celebrates the interconnections, cross-fertilisations, exchanges and cooperation between cultures in areas as diverse as archaeology, art and culture, economy and social life. Against the backdrop of contemporary global challenges and conflicts, MWNF projects demonstrate the far-reaching potential of cultural heritage in building intercultural bridges in the name of peace. The format of online museums and online exhibitions allows participants equal visibility and equal opportunity to benefit from the results. Sharing History is set up under the umbrella of the partnership between MWNF and the League of Arab States, which promotes awareness about the Arab world’s history and cultural legacy. Its realisation was self-financed by the partner institutions; for specific activities the project relied on the support of two strategic sponsors (Sharjah Museums Department and Yaşar University Izmir) and on contributions from the Austrian ministries for Foreign Affairs, Education and Culture. www.museumwnf.org www.sharinghistory.org For information: Email: office@museumwnf.net MWNF, April 2015 Sharing History | Arab World–Europe | 1815–1918 now online |
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2015-04-01 11:04:25
MWNF was invited to present its over 20 years of experience in conceiving and managing intercultural projects. The International Conference was organised by Sharjah Museums Department, National Museums of Berlin, Goethe-Institut Abu Dhabi and HTW Berlin - University of Applied Sciences and took place from 29 to 31 March 2015 at the Museum of Islamic Civilisations in Sharjah. Conference Objectives Due to globalisation and the increasing complexity of multicultural societies all over the world, including in particular also in the Gulf states - where almost 80% of the population is made up of migrants, cultural sciences, philology and translation studies are bringing intercultural and inner cultural processes of language and communication increasingly into focus. In the international museum sector, too, the issue of appropriate intercultural language and communication is assuming an ever more crucial importance, be it in the development of already existing museums or new museums projects. With regard to the latter, the development of museums in the Arabian Gulf in particular seems to be the fastest and most dynamic. It is western or western-centric methodologies and terminologies that tend to prevail in such projects, with western or western-centric museological recommendations and ideas often conveyed in inappropriate ways of communication, seen from the content, the linguistic and indeed an intercultural point of view. Consequently, such dynamics often combine to prevent museums from reaching their full local potential in communicating with their highly stratified and diversified audiences. Meanwhile, analytical and evaluative discourses of such projects – be they museological or academic - in turn end up conveying a somewhat distorted reality with key aspects presented at worst neither accurately nor appropriately. Beyond the context of the Arabian Gulf, of course language and communication also affect many aspects of intercultural museological cooperation worldwide. This is not only true in terms of language as a conveyor of factual content and meaning but also as the conveyor of important cultural, social and religious ideas, language being the expression of a culture and all its relationships and its conflicts. In many respects then, effective and appropriate intercultural-language and communication are an issue for practitioners working in the museum sector worldwide, and particularly those operating in multicultural, multilingual societies. It is the aim of this conference to explore some key issues and challenges in this respect. This bilingual (English-Arabic) international conference will be presented with simultaneous translation throughout. Its aim is to highlight key themes in intercultural language and communication encountered in the museum sector through both informal talks, discussions and practical exercises. As museums communicate not only through language but also through artefacts, the conference will combine the exploration of appropriate terminologies and communication patterns with a consideration of objects as catalysts of intercultural communication and dialogue. The results of the conference entitled “Appropriate Museology = Appropriate Language” are envisaged envisaged to feed into an ongoing discourse aimed eventually at identifying an ‘appropriate language’ for an ‘appropriate museology’ in the Gulf, anchored in local culture and inspired by transnational debate. Sharjah Museums Department hosted “Appropriate Museology = Appropriate Language” Conference |
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2014-05-19 12:46:07
Between 28 and 30 April, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosted in Riyadh the third meeting of Ministers of Culture of Arab and South American countries. On the initiative of the League of Arab States, co-organiser of the meeting, Museum With No Frontiers (MWNF) was invited to present its work carried out since 20 years to promote dialogue and cooperation through the understanding of history and cultural heritage from the today’s perspective of the country concerned. The highlight of the presentation of Dr. Mohammad Najjar, who represented MWNF in the meeting, was the ‘Discover Islamic Art’ educational manual as a joint project of MWNF and the League of Arab States. A special edition of the manual, printed by the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information, was distributed to all participants. The role of MWNF to disseminate knowledge about the Arab World’s history and cultural legacy was included also in the Conclusions of the Meeting. Read the Conclusions (English version) Ministers of culture of ASPA countries emphasise MWNF role to disseminate knowledge about Arab World |
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2013-09-27 13:35:26
Paperback (standard colour): http://www.amazon.com/Siculo--Norman-Art-Standard-Colour/dp/3902782048/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1380187259&sr=8-8&keywords=mwnf eBook (Kindle edition): http://www.amazon.com/Siculo-Norman-Art-Medieval-Mediterranean-ebook/dp/B00DLKOIZ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380187259&sr=8-1&keywords=mwnf iBook (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/siculo-norman-art-islamic/id703539639 eBook (Kobo): http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Siculo-Norman-Art-Islamic-Culture/book--sGvV6gX3Ee9D9cTt03yDw/page1.html For other offers please refer to your preferred online bookshop. MWNF Travel book: “SICULO-NORMAN ART. Islamic Culture in Medieval Sicily” now again available! |
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2011-02-10 13:34:13
On January 8, 2011, one of the most prominent figures in the field of Islamic art and architecture Oleg Grabar passed away. He was an archaeologist, teacher, researcher, and author and co-author of many articles and books that have shaped the history of research in Islamic art and Architecture. Among these are, “The Formation of Islamic Art” 1973, City in the Desert, Qasr al-Hayr Eas 1978t, “Mediation of Ornament”1992, “Constructing the Study of Islamic Art”2005-2006, a collection of 83 articles. He has been characterized by Agha Khan Chairman's Award for Architecture in 2010 as a person who “has done more to define the field of Islamic art and architecture than almost anyone alive. The questions he has asked, the hypotheses he has proposed and the theories he has developed… have shaped and defined the way we understand the Islamic world's rich architectural heritage.” Mohammad Najjar, Amman In Memoriam Oleg Grabar (1929-2011) |
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2010-10-12 06:34:22
The Al-Sabah Collection, created by Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah and his wife Sheika Hussah, is one of the world's finest collections of Islamic art and includes more than 30,000 artefacts representing all aspects of the Islamic world. The collection is based at Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah, which is part of the National Museum of Kuwait. Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah publishes richly illustrated books about the Islamic art collection, exhibition catalogues and publications connected with the academic activities of the Museum, which will now also be detailed at books.museumwnf.org. MWNF Books welcomes Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah and looks forward to a fruitful cooperation! For further information: http://www.darmuseum.org.kw/EnIndex.cms Al-Sabah Collection, Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait joins MWNF Books |
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2010-03-17 06:19:39
Would you like to look at newspapers and magazines from all over the world, learn more about how coffee and tea are made in different countries or contribute to one of our Blogs? Then just come in and enjoy this new offer from the MWNF Virtual Museum. The MWNF Cafeteria was set up in cooperation with partner Cafeterias in various countries. If you would like to become a partner Cafeteria please click here or contact us at cafeteria@museumwnf.net. For the first two coffee shops of each country involved in the MWNF Virtual Museum the participation in the Cafeteria is free of charge. The only requirements are to provide three recipes and to commit to displaying the MWNF Newsletters that will be sent by email. Interested coffee shops may request the application from cafeteria@museumwnf.org or download it from our website (MWNF Cafeteria application form). Individual visitors are also welcome to contribute recipes by sending them to the Cafeteria contact email. Templates are available also in this case (Propose a recipe). Suggestions for our Newspapers and Magazine section are very welcome as well. For further information please contact cafeteria@museumwnf.net. The MWNF Virtual Museum inaugurates a Cafeteria |
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2009-12-23 09:58:43
With the inauguration of two Blogs – MWNF and MWNF Travellers’– and the creation of an institutional page on Facebook, MWNF intends to facilitate direct communication with the continuously increasing number of visitors to the MWNF portal (www.museumwnf.org). For the MWNF Blog, guest authors are invited to write about MWNF and contribute articles on specific topics that are relevant to the activities and aims of the organisation. Under “Eva’s Articles” Eva Schubert, initiator and founder of MWNF, will share insights and describe the most significant moments in the history of MWNF. With the MWNF Travellers’ Blog, participants on tours organised by MWNF in association with local travel agents are invited to air their views and share their experiences with future travellers. We hope that feedback from MWNF travellers and contributions from guest authors will turn this Blog into a platform on responsible cultural tourism. MWNF launches two Blogs and inaugurates an institutional page on Facebook |
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2009-12-23 07:01:25
The Moroccan Foundation ONA is one of the sponsors of the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum, created by MWNF in cooperation with 40 museums from 14 countries of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and launched in 2007. ONA will cooperate with MWNF to promote the use of the Virtual Museum for educational purposes, and will organise activities at two Cultural Centres – Villas des Arts – run by the Foundation in Rabat and Casablanca. Other strategic partners for educational development of the Virtual Museum in the future are the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid – initiator and creator of the “Learn with MWNF” programme – as well as organisations in Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia. Cooperation between MWNF & ONA Foundation in Morocco intends to promote DIA as an educational tool |
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2009-09-20 16:33:45
Glasgow Museums hosts one of Scotland's most significant Islamic Art collections. Together with National Museums of Scotland, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum, Glasgow is one of four United Kingdom museums to have contributed items to the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum. A computer terminal was inaugurated last week in the Islamic Art Gallery. It offers visitors instant access to the Virtual Museum, allowing contextualisation of the Islamic artefacts on display at Glasgow Museums. Noorah Al-Gailani – Islamic Art Curator at Glasgow Museums and member of the curatorial board of Discover Islamic Art – commented: “The computer terminal is up and running and we're all very, very excited at the potential”. For further information contact office@museumwnf.net. Visit www.museumwnf.org. Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum now accessible also at Glasgow Museums |
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2009-06-16 04:55:25
Brussels, June 2009 MWNF Travel, the travel platform of MWNF, has now been entirely restructured and redesigned. The new version is accessible through the MWNF portal or directly at travels.museumwnf.org. The announced tours are organised by local travel agents and are based on the MWNF Exhibition Trails. Programmes and logistics can be adapted according to requirements. All tours are accompanied by specialist tour lecturers. The thematic guides to the Exhibition Trails, available in different languages, together with the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum provide comprehensive reading material to prepare for each tour. The programme 2009 / 2010 is entirely dedicated to the Islamic Mediterranean and includes tours to Egypt, Italy (Sicily), Jordan, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Portugal, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. 14 exclusive tours are an invitation to discover 1,470 museums, monuments and archaeological sites relating to 1,300 years of history, from the establishment of the Umayyad Caliphate in 660 until the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1922. The MWNF Travel Info Desk (travel@museumwnf.net) provides information in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. MWNF Travel – 14 exclusive tours to discover the Islamic Mediterranean |
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2009-06-15 08:00:00
Brussels, June 2009 The Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum offers the opportunity to visit 18 Virtual Exhibitions presenting the great Islamic dynasties in the Mediterranean with their history and cultural and artistic legacy. Nearly 150 museum curators and scholars from 14 countries have contributed to the creation of this section. Explanations are available in nine languages. In addition to a virtual visit MWNF now also makes it possible to organise guided visits to the Virtual Museum's Permanent Collection and Virtual Exhibitions that take place in a physical venue. Instead of going to the museum, it is the museum that comes to you is the motto of this new offer of MWNF. Guided visits are available in English and Italian, with Arabic and Spanish soon to come. For further information please contact office@museumwnf.org. Guided visits to the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Exhibitions |
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2009-06-15 06:18:24
Cairo / Tunis / Amman, April – May 2009 The Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum offers numerous possibilities for its use as an educational tool: 18 Virtual Exhibitions present the history and cultural legacy of the Islamic Mediterranean in an attractive and easily accessible format; in Learn with MWNF students get to know the Virtual Museum's Database through a series of games and exercises; a Historical Cross Referencing facility makes it possible to relate each item on display in the Virtual Museum's Permanent Collection to historical events that occurred in different countries during the period of the item's creation. A series of workshops organised between March and May 2009 in Cairo, Tunis and Amman provided an opportunity to familiarise museum staff, educators and cultural communicators with the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum and its educational potential. The programme was inaugurated at a crowded event at the Al-Ghury complex in downtown Cairo, chaired by HE Ambassador Fathy El Shazly, member of the Committee of Honour of MWNF. The Bardo Museum in cooperation with the Médiathèque were the organisers of the workshops in Tunis. The closing event took place at Amman Baccalaureate School. The panel, chaired by HRH Princess Sumayyah of Jordan, also a member of the MWNF Committee of Honour, included representatives of the Department of Antiquities, the Museum at the Citadel and the Friends of Archaeology. The workshops were organised with the support of the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development. Speech of Dr. Aida Naghawi-Dodo, Director of the Museum at the Citadel. Educational workshops in Cairo, Tunis and Amman |
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2009-06-15 05:27:45
Amman, February 2009 As a consequence of the Virtual Museum's great visibility and impact a set of five postage stamps has been dedicated to Discover Islamic Art by the Jordanian Government. The set includes stamps with different values with a first edition of 3,000. The stamps, which are available at post offices all over the country, show Islamic art items from museums that have contributed to create the Virtual Museum's Permanent Collection. Set of stamps dedicated to the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum |
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2008-05-26 10:56:40
Brussels / Damascus, 26-05-2008 The declaration of Damascus as Cultural Capital of the Arab World 2008 was the culmination of a long history through which the capital of Syria has steadily remained at the very core of the regional cultural movement since antiquity. In 2008 Syria provides the world with a magnificent picture of its cultural richness, which combines, in full harmony, the heritage of the past with the aspirations of the future. The programme includes a great variety of events and aims at achieving sustainable development through activities that will also secure continuation after this exceptional year. The Agreement signed with MWNF heralds the publication of the Arab edition of the thematic guide for the Syrian Exhibition Trail “THE AYYUBID ERA – Art and Architecture in Medieval Syria” as well as the creation of an access point to the “Discover Islamic Art” Virtual Museum at the National Museum Damascus. For more information about “Damascus 2008”: http://www.damascus.org.sy/index.php/ Signature of an Agreement between MWNF and the Cultural Capital of the Arab World 2008 |
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2007-10-15 17:31:59
Brussels, 15-10-2007 On the occasion of the launch of its travel platform, MWNF has signed cooperation agreements with IBERIA, Syrian Air and Turkish Airlines. Further agreements will follow during the coming weeks. The airlines support activities related to the promotion of the Travel platform and the preparation of new projects. MWNF signs cooperation agreement with airlines |
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2007-10-15 17:27:39
Brussels, 15-10-2007 MWNF Travels – the travel platform of MWNF – provides a new approach to discovering the Islamic Mediterranean: all tours are designed and organised by specialised local travel agents and are accompanied by specially trained local tour lecturers, enabling visitors to discover each country from an authentically local perspective. Bookings can be made from now, directly through our local partner travel agents. People participating in any of the tours will share their travel experience with people from other countries (using the same language), thus enjoying a further dimension of travelling with no frontiers. Two kinds of tours are planned for 2008, all available in English, German and Spanish: Travelling with no frontiers (TWNF) tours combine at least two countries within one theme-based tour whilst Past & Present tours (see Thematic tours) are single-country tours combining visits to historical sites with features representing the country today. For further information please visit: https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/travel/ (the German and Spanish version will be online in the first week of November). MWNF Travel platform now online with programme 2008 |
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2007-05-08 12:18:27
Brussels, 08-05-2007 Only one week after the inauguration of the Virtual Exhibitions on 19 April, the 1000 copies of the Portuguese edition of the accompanying book were sold out. A second edition is already in preparation. The saturation coverage by the Portuguese media on the occasion of the inauguration – including TV, radio and all major printed media – made this extraordinary success possible. Sales were launched successfully also in all other countries. Since April the eight editions of the book – Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish – have been available in bookshops as well as in museums in most countries of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Through the book platform of the www.discoverislamicart.org Virtual Museum it is possible to order copies by email by contacting the publisher of the concerned distribution. The print-run of the first edition of the book, in the eight languages, was 27,000 copies, published in cooperation with 13 publishers from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Portuguese edition of the book Discover Islamic Art in the Mediterranean sold out after one week |
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2007-04-26 10:03:37
Brussels, 26-04-2007 18 Virtual Exhibitions complemented by a 272-page illustrated book – both available in eight languages – were launched last week. Ankara, Amman, Berlin, Cairo, Damascus, Lisbon, Madrid, Rome, Stockholm and Tunis were the venues for ceremonies in 10 of the 14 countries participating in the www.discoverislamicart.org Virtual Museum. Some 1500 personalities from the academic, cultural and political life, including 250 media representatives, attended the events organised by local partner museums in cooperation with relevant ministries. More then 300 persons, communicating in nine languages, have been working for almost two years to complete this new offer of the MWNF Virtual Museum. After the presentation of the Virtual Exhibitions and the book, visitors to all venues watched video greetings from Mrs Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for Foreign Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy. The official inauguration of the Virtual Exhibitions Discover Islamic Art in the Mediterranean by Her Royal Highness Princess Sumayyah of Jordan concluded the ceremony in all countries. Successful inauguration |
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2007-04-16 18:48:03
Brussels, 16-04-2007 The largest museum in the world launches its latest venture on 19 April 2007: 18 Virtual Exhibitions invite visitors to discover the great Islamic dynasties of the Mediterranean, together with their fascinating cultural and artistic heritage. 204 monuments and sites as well as 603 artefacts from 14 countries tell the story of the protagonists of the Islamic Mediterranean between AH 41 AH / AD 661 (the establishment of the Umayyad Caliphate in Damascus) and the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1922. Each of the 18 Virtual Exhibitions was conceived by a team of museum curators from both sides of the Mediterranean. More than 90 experts contributed to the creation of this new offering from the www.discoverislamicart.org Virtual Museum. For the first time, visitors will be able to look at the region's history from a shared perspective and to approach the rich and varied world of Islamic art and architecture following the great themes of Islamic civilisation as presented by its direct heirs. For example, Morocco, represented in the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum by 35 monuments and 50 artefacts from nine Moroccan museums coordinated by the Archaeological Museum in Rabat, has shared with Algeria, Portugal and Spain the curating of the Virtual Exhibitions dedicated to The Muslim West and Geometric Decoration. Available in eight languages – Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish – the Discover Islamic Art in the Mediterranean Virtual Exhibition cycle is divided into three sections: 1) exhibitions dedicated to the great Islamic dynasties – the Umayyads, the Abbasids, the Fatimids, the dynasties of the Muslim West, the Ayyubids, the Mamluks and the Ottomans; 2) exhibitions with transverse themes such as Figurative Art, Arab Calligraphy, the Role of Women, Geometric Decoration, Water, Pilgrimage and Floral and Vegetal Decoration; 3) exhibitions dedicated to points of contact between the histories of Europe and the Islamic Mediterranean: the Crusaders, Mudejar Art, Siculo-Norman Art in Sicily, and Western influences in Ottoman lands. The Virtual Exhibitions are accompanied by a richly illustrated 272-page book. 22 chapters written by 39 authors from 14 countries provide complementary information on the same topics, presenting them in a larger historical context. Published in the same eight languages, the book is available in bookshops all over Europe and the Mediterranean and through the Internet. VIRTUAL MUSEUM DISCOVER ISLAMIC ART |
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2007-01-15 19:02:24
Brussels, 15-01-2007 Do you know what was happening in Sweden in 1327, when the Mamluk Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad Ibn Qalawun was restoring the dome of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem? Or which events were taking place in Turkey whilst architects from North Africa were building palaces, castles and cathedrals for the Norman kings of Sicily in the 10th and 11th centuries? An awareness of the parallelism of histories brings people closer to each other and helps mutual understanding. Now visitors to the www.discoverislamicart.org Virtual Museum can cross-reference 1235 artefacts, monuments and archaeological sites from 14 countries with over 1000 dates from the histories of these countries. Everything is presented from a local perspective, offering a new approach to the understanding of history. HCR is currently available in English and French; Arabic and Spanish will follow in April. Historical Cross Referencing feature of Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum is now on-line |
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2006-12-21 15:55:11
Dead Sea, 17-10-2006 Under the patronage of HRH Princess Sumayya of Jordan, the representatives of nine of the most prestigious European museums from Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom as well as representatives of the Ministries of Culture and Museums of Islamic Art of eight Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey) met on 17 December by the Dead Sea to sign an Agreement with the purpose of ensuring the sustainability and further development of the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum designed by Museum With No Frontiers (MWNF) and set up with the support of the European Union under the Euromed Heritage programme. More than 150 experts from 14 countries have been working together for almost three years to establish a unique on-line collection of Islamic art in the Mediterranean including 850 artefacts from 40 museums as well as 385 monuments and archaeological sites from 11 countries of Southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. During their meeting in Jordan, the partners agreed on the programme of activities that will be realised after the end of the EU funding and that includes the joint development of a new exhibition format, the publication of guides for all participating Islamic art museums and collections as well as the creation of an educational platform for the Virtual Museum. The Discover Islamic Art Cooperation Agreement constitutes a historical achievement as it is the first time that partners from the South and North have decided to combine their efforts and to work together on the basis of an equal partnership, independent of any external funding. Discover Islamic Art partners sign Cooperation Agreement to ensure sustainability of Virtual Museum |
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2006-12-21 15:52:43
Bologna, 07-12-2006 A network of 13 partners including museums, universities and cultural heritage authorities from seven European countries (Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Portugal) will establish a Virtual Museum on Baroque art that will be launched in 2008. Discover Baroque Art will build on the platform that was created within the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum, whereby each participating institution self-finances its share of the project. 460 artefacts and 315 monuments and sites have been selected by the partners to be included in this new section of the Virtual Museum's Permanent Collection. After a series of preparatory meetings to become familiarised with the methodology, the programme was presented on 7 December during a press conference that took place in Bologna under the patronage of the Provincial Government of Bologna. During her opening speech at the meeting of partners, Simona Lembi, cultural councillor of the Provincial Government, emphasised that “the provincial councillorship for culture aims to develop actions that will set a high value on the museum offer as a whole, in order to enhance and promote cultural tourism. We are doing a significant job linking local museums and supporting their activities, so this project is really important to us, in order to create a link to a European and Mediterranean museum system. Museum With No Frontiers helps us to cross borders and join an international forum. Now we are starting a venture that will set up a virtual museum on Baroque Art, and I am very proud to say that the provincial area of Bologna will be strongly represented in this project. What we are doing everyday agrees with the objectives of Museum With No Frontiers, which aims to acquaint the largest number of people with monuments and artefacts and to promote cultural integration as a fundamental instrument of political cooperation between different countries and cultures.” Discover Baroque Art will further develop and perpetuate the infrastructure of Discover Islamic Art |
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2006-12-21 15:44:38
Roma, 10/11-11-2006 The Master's in Peace Studies organised by the University RomaTre provided the frame for a workshop coordinated by Eva Schubert and including a series of lectures by partners of the Discover Islamic Art Consortium who spoke about their experiences: S'ad Nimr's introduction was on “Historical contextualisation of the conflict in the Middle East from the Palestinian perspective”; Zena Takieddine's contribution about “Teaching history in the schools of the Arab World” fostered an awareness of the importance of exchanging knowledge about the different education systems to facilitate mutual understanding. In his closing contribution Mohammad Najjar, Head of Archaeological Excavations and Surveys of the Department of Antiquities of , addressed the problem of foreign archaeological missions and the right to publish one's own or another's history. Lectures in the University RomaTre on the role of Cultural Heritage for political cooperation. |
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2006-09-25 19:20:11
The highlights from the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum permanent collection are now available on e-cards for Ramadan greetings. We invite you to share your favourite Discover Islamic Art E-cards with friends and family only in few steps. Please keep in mind that these e-cards are the gateways to the largest on-line collection on Islamic Art in the Mediterranean where monuments and museums objects share the same virtual space. Soon the collection of Discover Islamic Art E-cards will grow with other highlights of our collection and we invite you to visit this section regularly to see new additions. Discover Islamic Art E-cards are online now. |
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2006-06-14 23:00:01
Le 15 juin 1996 était inauguré à Innsbruck le dernier des trois Itinéraires-Expositions tyroliens (L'art gothique, Baroque & Rococo, Maximilien Ier). Avec la création de ces Itinéraires-Expositions, pour la première fois une exposition de grande envergure pouvait être organisée sans que cela implique de coûteux frais de transport des œuvres d'art – les pièces, comptant aussi bien des objets de musées que des monuments, étaient non plus déplacées, mais présentées dans le contexte et in situ au sein du paysage, qui devenait ainsi la toile de fond naturelle de ce nouveau format d'exposition. Au lieu d'un volumineux catalogue d'exposition, le visiteur se procurait un guide thématique très maniable, écrit par des spécialistes locaux faisant autorité et disponible en différentes langues. Depuis le lancement du premier Itinéraire-Exposition tyrolien en juin 1994, cette façon radicalement nouvelle de promouvoir le patrimoine culturel local a été suivie avec intérêt par les médias et par les autorités compétentes de différents pays méditerranéens. À l'occasion de l'inauguration de l'Itinéraire-Exposition Maximilien Ier en juin 1996, un Colloque international sur L'art musulman en Méditerranée fut organisé à Innsbruck à l'initiative d'Eva Schubert, l'esprit inventif auteur du programme MWNF, et grâce au concours de différentes institutions autrichiennes ; le Colloque était accueilli par la Caisse d'épargne du Tyrol, qui affichait ainsi sa foi en la viabilité de l'initiative. Y assistaient des représentants venus d'Algérie, de l'Autorité palestinienne, d'Égypte, d'Espagne, d'Israël, d'Italie, de Jordanie, du Maroc, du Portugal, de Tunisie et de Turquie – et il est remarquable de constater que ce sont pour la plupart les mêmes personnes, représentant les mêmes organisations, qui sont aujourd'hui encore les piliers du programme MWNF. Depuis lors, des institutions publiques et privées de 22 pays d'Europe, d'Afrique du Nord et du Proche-Orient ont collaboré au développement du programme MWNF. Avec le lancement du Musée virtuel À la découverte de l'art islamique en novembre 2005, le plus grand musée du monde a ouvert ses portes aux visiteurs du monde entier (www.discoverislamicart.org). Le Colloque d'Innsbruck, qui eut lieu six mois après la signature de la Déclaration de Barcelone en novembre 1995, fut le début du programme MWNF pour la promotion de l'art et de l'architectures islamiques en Méditerranée. Depuis, le programme a continué à être étroitement associé au Partenariat euro-méditerranéen établi par l'Union européenne et ses voisins méditerranéens. Deux projets – les Itinéraires-Expositions sur L'Art islamique en Méditerranée et le Musée virtuel À la découverte de l'art islamique – ont pu être réalisés grâce au soutien financier du programme Euromed Héritage, l'une des lignes budgétaires de ce Partenariat. Le nom Musée Sans Frontières (Museum With No Frontiers, MWNF), utilisé pour la première fois au colloque d'Innsbruck pour créer un titre commun au projet-pilote tyrolien et au programme envisagé pour la Méditerranée, fut alors adopté comme nouvelle dénomination sociale par l'organisation à but non lucratif en charge du programme MWNF. Pour plus d'informations, veuillez visiter le site https://www.museumwnf.org/atrium_chronology_home.php 1996–2006 : MWNF fête dix ans d’art islamique en Méditerranée |
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2006-06-14 23:00:00
On 15 June 1996 the last of three Tyrolean Exhibition Trails (Gothic Art, Baroque & Rococo, Maximilan I) was inaugurated in Innsbruck. With the creation of these Exhibition Trails, for the first time an exhibition event could be organised without involving expensive transportation of works of art – instead, the exhibits, both artefacts in museums and monuments, were presented in context and in situ, surrounded by the landscape, which thus became the natural backdrop for this new exhibition format. Instead of a voluminous exhibition catalogue, the visitor acquired a handy thematic guide, written by renowned local scholars and available in different languages. Since the launch of the first Tyrolean Exhibition Trail in 1994, this innovative way of promoting local cultural heritage had been followed with interest by the media and by the concerned authorities of different Mediterranean countries. On the occasion of the inauguration of the Maximilian I Exhibition Trail in June 1996, an international Colloquium on Muslim Art in the Mediterranean was organised in Innsbruck on the initiative of Eva Schubert, the inventive mind behind the MWNF programme, and thanks to the support of different Austrian institutions. Its purpose was to transfer the methodology developed in the Tyrolean pilot project to the Mediterranean region. The Colloquium, which was hosted by the Tyrolean Savings Bank in recognition of its belief in the sustainability of the initiative, was attended by representatives from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey – with in most cases the same people representing the same organisations that still today continue to be the pillars of the MWNF programme. Since then, public and private institutions from 22 countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East have collaborated in the development of the MWNF programme. With the launch of the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum in November 2005, this biggest museum in the world has opened its doors to visitors from all over the world (www.discoverislamicart.org). The Innsbruck Colloquium, which took place six months after the signing of the Barcelona Declaration in November 1995, was the beginning of the MWNF programme to promote Islamic art and architecture in the Mediterranean and since then, the programme has continued to be strongly connected to the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership established by the European Union and its Mediterranean neighbours. Two projects – the Exhibition Trails on Islamic Art in the Mediterranean and the Virtual Museum Discover Islamic Art – could be realised thanks to the financial support of the Euromed Heritage programme, one of the budget lines of this Partnership. The name Museum With No Frontiers (MWNF), used for the first time at the Innsbruck Colloquium to create a joint heading for the Tyrolean pilot project and the planned programme in the Mediterranean, was then adopted by the non-profit-making organisation running the MWNF programme as its new trade name. For more information please visit https://www.museumwnf.org/atrium_chronology_home.php 1996–2006: MWNF celebrates ten years of Islamic Art in the Mediterranean |
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2006-03-17 11:51:42
Friday, 10-03-2006 The 3rd Consortium Meeting of Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum was held in Cairo last week. On the occasion of the opening ceremony Ambassador Fathi El-Shazli, former Deputy Minister for European Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, said that Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum will establish a bridge between cultures and civilisations. Mentioning the recent cartoon crisis, Mr. El-Shazli told that the timing for Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum is very good for it may become a platform of dialogue in order to avoid future conflicts. He also added that Virtual Museum, using the advantages of Information Technologies can be an invitation to all of the people to learn and enjoy the art and culture of Islamic Civilisation as well as the faith and the sanctity through which mutual understanding can be established. 3rd Consortium Meeting in Cairo |
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2005-12-14 19:22:11
Tuesday, 13-12-2005 The launching ceremony at the Kasbah and Museum des Oudayas in Rabat concluded the series of 13 launches that symbolically opened the doors to the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum in 13 countries all over Europe and the Mediterranean region. The crowded event was chaired by Mr. Abdelaziz Touri who on behalf of Minister Mohamed Achaari congratulated MWNF for having undertaken the initiative of creating this Virtual Museum on Islamic art in the Mediterranean. Mr. Touri also pointed out its importance for the educational sector and to promote tourism in the region. The audience included journalists from all national media and press agencies, members of the Diplomatic corps, representatives of numerous Moroccan museums as well as professional and academic organisations. After the ceremony the Ministry of Culture hosted a reception for all participants in the courtyard of the Museum, accompanied by a concert of traditional Moroccan museum. Before and after the event, about 150 participants had the possibility to view the catalogues published by MWNF in connection with the nine Exhibition Trails on Islamic Art in the Mediterranean and to order copies through the Moroccan partner publisher of the Consortium, Eddif. Launch in Rabat |
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2005-12-12 09:52:50
Saturday, 10-12-2005 Algerian's Minister of Culture, Mrs Khalida Toumi, chaired the launching ceremony of the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum in Algiers at the National Museum of Antiquities hosting the first and only Museum of Islamic Art in the Maghreb established in 1905. One hundred years later the exhibition rooms where the collection has been on display before it was moved to an independent building, became the venue for the launch of a virtual museum opening the doors of the Islamic Art Museum in Algiers to visitors all over the world. Thanks to director Lakhdar Drias the event became an occasion to carry out a complete restoration of three exhibition rooms transforming them into a perfectly equipped temporary exhibition and conference space. The Deputy Minister of Research and Higher Education, the Director General of Cultural Heritage, representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, an impressive quantity of media (TV, radio and print media) as well as numerous representatives from other museums attended the launch. The solemn inauguration of the Algerian gateway to the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum by Minister Toumi was followed by a short piece of music and by the visit of the Islamic Art Museum. During an interview for the evening news of the Algerian TV Minister Toumi underlined the importance of the project to improve mutual understanding and to promote the dialogue between Europe and the Arab World. Launch in Algiers |
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2005-12-09 20:41:26
Friday, 9-12-2005 On the occasion of X Anniversary of Barcelona Declaration, The Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum has opened its 'doors' to visitors from all over the world when the project goes live at midnight tonight 8 December with the launch of its Permanent Collection. Under the MWNF umbrella, 17 museums from 14 countries have joined forces in what has been an unprecedented collaboration of over 120 curators to create a collection of 1,235 exhibits. www.discoverislamicart.org presents the Islamic heritage of the Mediterranean basin, alongside the collections of Islamic art hosted by the participating museums, within a virtual environment. Visitors to the site will be able to view objects from various museums in relation to each other, as well as placing them in context with the monuments and archaeological sites from which they originated. This programme is co-financed by the European Union under the Euromed Heritage programme. Visit www.discoverislamicart.org from midnight tonight. Museum With No Frontiers (MWNF) ● DISCOVER ISLAMIC ART |
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2005-12-07 20:33:17
Tuesday, 6-12-2005, Tunis A very warm ceremony at the Institut National du Patrimoine (INP) in Tunis was the first of three ceremonies to launch the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum in the Maghreb. During his welcome address Mr Beji Benmami who, on behalf of the Minister of Culture chaired the event, emphasised that the successful collaboration with MWNF started already in 1994 which was underlined by Eva Schubert (Head of the Project and Chairperson of MWNF) that it has been the Tunisian Minister of Culture at that time who has proposed choosing Islamic Art as the first theme for a joint Euro-Mediterranean project. About 150 participants – including numerous representatives of different departments of the INP, several members of the MWNF EH I and EH III project teams, representatives of the University as well as all major media - attended the crowded event. The ceremony was followed by a reception hosted by the INP. Venue: Bardo Museum Organiser: Institut National du Patrimoine Co-organiser: MWNF Launch in Tunis |
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2005-12-05 20:31:41
Sunday, 4-12-2005, Cairo The presentation took place at the conference hall of the Supreme Council in Zamalek and it was chaired by Dr. Zahi Hawas, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. About 80 persons attended the event including the main Egyptian media, representatives of numerous Egyptian and foreign cultural institutions, representatives of the Diplomatic corps and of the Anna-Lindt Foundation. The Supreme Council itself was represented by high officials from different departments. The Egyptian partner publisher of MWNF Al-Dar Al-Masriah Al-Lubnaniah attended together with other partners from the private sector collaborating with MWNF in Egypt. Following the press conference and presentation of the Virtual Museum, the Supreme Council of Antiquities hosted a reception for all participants. Venue: Supreme Council of Antiquities Organiser: Ministry of Culture Co-organiser: MWNF Launch in Cairo |
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2005-12-03 20:30:27
Friday, 2-12-2005, Damascus The Syrian gateway to the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum that took place at the Damascene Hall of the National Museum Damascus was chaired by Syrians' First Lady, Mrs Asma Al-Assad. The Syrian government was represented by the Minister of Culture and the Minister of Tourism. About 150 persons attended the event including key figures of Syrian's political and business life, members of the Diplomatic Corps, representatives of all major cultural and academic institutions as well as numerous media. To create a suitable atmosphere for the solemn ceremony panels and posters reproducing the visual symbols of the project have been produced by the Ministry of Culture and put on display at the venue. The official launch of the Syrian gateway of the Virtual Museum by Mrs Al-Assad was followed by small concert of traditional Syrian music. After that Mrs Mona Moadin, the director of the Museum accompanied the First Lady through the Islamic Art collection of the museum, whereby the artefacts included in the Virtual Museum have been identified with a label reproducing the logo of the Discover Islamic Art project. A private dinner for the team, hosted by the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, concluded the successful day. Venue: National Archaeological Museum Organiser: Ministry of Culture Co-organiser: MWNF Launch in Damascus |
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2005-12-01 20:29:11
Wednesday, 30-11-2005, Ramallah The event in Ramallah took place in the morning at the Cultural Palace of the Municipality of Ramallah, where a huge panel reproducing the homepage of the Virtual Museum has been installed on the podium. The solemn ceremony began with the Palestinian hymn followed by a message of Prime Minister Ahmad Quri' (Abu Ala'a) who was represented by the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Mr Ziad Al-Bandak. The list of the about 100 participants included the Minister of Culture, members of previous governments, representatives of the diplomatic corps, representatives of all major cultural institutions and of Birzeit University as well as numerous journalists. Several radio and TV channels broadcasted interviews with the members of the Palestinian team. The international press was represented by two German journalists from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and the Süddeutsche Zeitung. The presentation of the Discover Islamic Art Permanent Collection was followed by a virtual visit of the Palestinian Exhibition Trail Pilgrimage, Sciences and Sufism – Islamic Art in the Westbank and Gaza. Venue: Ramallah Municipality, Cultural palace Organiser: Ministry of Tourism Co-organiser: MWNF Launch in Ramallah |
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2005-12-01 20:26:45
Wednesday, 30-11-2005, Amman The Jordanian launch took place in the afternoon at the Al-Hussein Cultural Centre of the Greater Municipality of Amman and was jointly organised by the Friends of Archaeology and by the Department of Antiquities, the two Jordanian partners of the Consortium. The ceremony was chaired by the new Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, who has chosen the launch of the Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum for his first public appearance as Minister. 125 persons attended the successful event, including representatives from numerous cultural organisations, Universities, NGO's, embassies, Governmental organisations and their guests as well as all Jordanian media (TV and press). On the occasion of the launch many interviews were done with the Jordanian team to explain more about the project and its importance for Jordan. The ceremony was followed by a private dinner hosted by the Friends of Archaeology. Venue: Municipality of Amman Organiser(s): Friends of Archaeology, in cooperation with Ministry of Tourism, Department of Antiquities Co-organiser: MWNF Launch in Amman |
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2005-11-30 20:25:06
Tuesday, 29-11-2005, İstanbul The press conference on at the Museum of Islamic and Turkish Art in Istanbul inaugurated the series of launching events in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. A 4 x 4 m banner reproducing the Discover Islamic Art homepage was installed on the main façade of the museum, where it will remain until the end of January 2006 to announce the going life of the Virtual Museum. The event that was jointly organised by the Museum and by EGE University as the Turkish partner of the Consortium and Ministry of Culture was represented by Mr. Orhan Düzgün, General Director of Cultural Heritage and Museums who at the end of the presentation invited everybody to visit the Virtual Museum. The presentation was also attended by the main Turkish TV stations and print media. Due to a broken hand, the Minister of Culture who previously had accepted to chair the ceremony had to cancel his participation at the last moment. Venue: Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts Organiser: Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts Co-organiser(s): Ege University (İzmir), MWNF Launch in İstanbul |
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2005-11-26 20:20:58
Friday, 25-11-2005, London The European launches culminated with the UK launch that took place in London at the Lecture Theatre at the British Museum and that – for the first time – brought together four UK museums, whereby the Directors of both Scottish partner museums came to London to participate in the launching event together with their colleagues of the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The 132 registered participants included numerous UK and international media (only BBC sent three representatives and numerous Arab and Turkish media were represented by their correspondents), representatives of the diplomatic corps of the participating countries, numerous cultural and academic institutions including almost all important London-based Foundations and Organisations interested in the Muslim World and Culture. During the event the uniqueness of the project was emphasised by all the speakers and by numerous participants; and the representatives of the participating UK museums pointed out that the Discover Islamic Art project is seen as one of the most successful participations of the UK in an EU funded project. Venue: The British Museum Organiser: The British Museum Co-organisers: Victoria & Albert Museum (London), National Museums of Scotland /Edinburgh), Glasgows Museums (Glasgow), MWNF Launch in London |
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2005-11-24 17:39:11
Wednesday, 23-11-2005, Berlin On Wednesday, 23rd November two simultaneous events took place in and in Berlin (at the Pergamon Museum) and in Lisbon (at the Gulbenkian Museum). In Berlin approximately 70 participants attended the launch including 26 German and international media and numerous representatives of the Muslim community of Germany, the Ambassador of the Arab League and the President of the Association of Muslims in Germany among others. The event concluded with a speech of the German ambassador to the Barcelona Process who contextualised the Discover Islamic Art project within the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. In both venues the project produced great enthusiasm and interest and numerous institutions expressed their wish in establishing a cooperation with MWNF and in joining the Virtual Museum. Venue: Museum of Islamic Art at the Pergamon Museum Organised by: Staatliche Museen Berlin Co-organiser: MWNF Launch in Berlin |
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2005-11-24 00:00:00
Wednesday, 23-11-2005, Lisbon The other launch of the two simultaneous events took place in Lisbon (at the Gulbenkian Museum). The Lisbon launch was attended by the ambassadors of Algeria, Egypt and Palestine as well as by numerous representatives of cultural and academic institutions and by an important number of media. Our Portuguese sponsor, the Gulbenkian Foundation, was represented by two members of its board. Venue: Gulbenkian Museum Organiser(s): Campo Arqueologico de Mertola, in cooperation with Calouste Gulbenkian Museum Co-organiser: MWNF Launch in Lisbon |
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2005-11-23 17:00:10
Tuesday, 22-11-2005, Rome The series of European launches of Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum started today at the National Museum of Oriental Art where the event was attended by approximately 50 participants including representatives of the media as well as of different museums and academic institutions; in addition to the presentation of the Virtual Museum, our Sicilian partner also presented the catalogue on Siculo-Norman Art. The RMSU was represented by Claudio Cimino. Venue: National Museum of Oriental Art Organiser: National Museum of Oriental Art G. Tucci Co-organiser: MWNF Launch in Rome |
