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Saudi Fund for Development Breaks Ground for Library at University of Sarajevo

Officials at the ceremony in Sarajevo. (SPA)
Officials at the ceremony in Sarajevo. (SPA)
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Saudi Fund for Development Breaks Ground for Library at University of Sarajevo

Officials at the ceremony in Sarajevo. (SPA)
Officials at the ceremony in Sarajevo. (SPA)

Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) Board of Directors Chairman Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khateeb laid the foundation stone on Monday for the construction of the new library at the University of Sarajevo.

The important project is being funded through a generous $22 million grant provided by Saudi Arabia through the SFD, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

Present at the ceremony were Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Elmedin Konakovic, Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton Nihad Uk, Saudi Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Osama bin Dakhil Al-Ahmadi, Rector of the University of Sarajevo Prof. Dr. Rifat Skrijelj, Deputy CEO of SFD Eng. Faisal Al-Kahtani, and other officials.

The new library will act as a central hub to connect the university’s 28 sub-libraries, and will help boost its educational and research capabilities. Covering an area of 13,590 square meters, it will be equipped with the latest technology and digital learning tools, helping to future-proof the university, and allowing it to better meet the needs of its students.

More than 22,000 male and female students, 1,618 staff and faculty members will be able to access the new facility.

Additionally, the library will play a key role in supporting the advancement of the university’s research and innovation capabilities, while helping build the research skills of students and graduates. It will also contribute towards realizing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 4, Quality Education, and SDG 10, Reduced Inequalities.

Al-Khateeb stressed: "This project reflects the strong and lasting developmental ties between Saudi Arabia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which began three decades ago. We are confident that the new library will help meet the needs of both male and female students at the University of Sarajevo, and the surrounding community."

Konakovic stated: "Thanks to a generous grant from the Kingdom, through SFD, this project has become the largest post-war investment in the infrastructure of our University. It will enrich our academic community, while reflecting the strong ties and mutual respect between our two nations.”

“The library will serve as a symbol of our joint efforts to promote education and advance knowledge, and as a place where generations of students and researchers can gather to contribute to the development of our society, country and wider region."

Uk said: "The building for which we are laying the foundation stone today is significant because it will also be the most visible bridge of friendship between Saudi Arabia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are grateful to Saudi Arabia for this investment.”

“The library is a symbol of knowledge, cultural upliftment, communication, and I believe that our cooperation and friendship will develop precisely in these directions in the future.”

During the past three decades, SFD has helped to fund 11 projects and development programs across Bosnia and Herzegovina, through soft development loans worth a total of $185 million.

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Culture

Gaza’s Heritage Sites Struggle Against War to ‘Bury Memory’

Part of the Monastery of Saint Hilarion in Tel Um Amir, Gaza, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site (UNESCO)
Part of the Monastery of Saint Hilarion in Tel Um Amir, Gaza, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site (UNESCO)
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Gaza’s Heritage Sites Struggle Against War to ‘Bury Memory’

Part of the Monastery of Saint Hilarion in Tel Um Amir, Gaza, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site (UNESCO)
Part of the Monastery of Saint Hilarion in Tel Um Amir, Gaza, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site (UNESCO)

The impact of the unprecedented Israeli war has left Gaza’s heritage severely damaged, mirroring the struggles of its people. Experts believe that the extensive destruction and targeted attacks signal an attempt to “bury memory” under the debris of missiles and shells.

A 2019 survey by the Palestinian National Authority’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities identified 37 archaeological sites in Gaza, representing various historical periods and architectural styles.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, experts estimate that the recent conflict has destroyed over 70% of these sites, either completely or through significant damage.

Dr. Ahmad Al-Astal affirmed that the recent conflict has targeted Gaza’s historic sites, some dating back to 3500 B.C. and 2000 A.D.

Among the most affected are the Great Omari Mosque in Gaza City, which has sustained severe damage, and the Church of Saint Porphyrius, thought to be the third oldest church in the world and a key site in the Middle East.

Al-Astal, who leads the Iwan Center for Cultural Heritage at the Islamic University of Gaza, claims that most of Gaza’s landmarks, museums, and archaeological sites have been hit by Israeli airstrikes aimed at erasing the region’s history.

Just three months before the conflict, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery of five new graves in the Roman Cemetery in Jabalia, bringing the total to 130 Roman graves found as of July 2023.

Now, Jabalia, along with nearby Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, is a focal point of military operations under the so-called “Generals’ Plan,” which seeks to create an Israeli buffer zone to isolate the northern Gaza Strip.

Al-Astal believes there is a “widespread targeting” of not only religious sites but also museums, graves, and archaeological locations.

UNESCO Listing

Before the war, several museums, including the Pasha Palace and the Rafah Museum, drew many visitors. The site of the Monastery of Saint Hilarion was also discovered in the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, dating back 17 centuries.

In July, UNESCO placed the Monastery of Saint Hilarion on its World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger, highlighting “the site's significant value and the need for its protection.”

The Monastery of Saint Hilarion is one of the oldest sites in the Middle East. Founded by Saint Hilarion, it housed the first monastic community in the Holy Land.

Located at a major crossroads for trade between Asia and Africa, the monastery was a center for religious, cultural, and economic exchanges, representing the desert monasteries of the Byzantine era.

Due to the threats posed by the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the World Heritage Committee included the monastery on its emergency sites list as part of the World Heritage Convention.

Military Sites

A recent study by the Heritage for Peace group found that the Israeli aggression on Gaza since October 2023 has destroyed over 100 archaeological and historical sites. The Gaza government’s media office, affiliated with Hamas, reports that 206 heritage sites have been either severely or partially damaged due to the conflict.

Asharq Al-Awsat experts note that the full extent of the damage is hard to determine, as some sites are located in areas designated as Israeli military zones, restricting access. This includes the Tel Um Amir site near Israeli forces at the Netzarim junction and the Roman Cemetery in northern Gaza, close to other military positions where residents cannot go.

Nearly all of these sites have been targeted, despite some being listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Gaza’s Oldest Mosque

The Great Omari Mosque is among the most heavily damaged archaeological sites in Gaza due to Israeli airstrikes. As one of the oldest mosques in the area, it was converted into a cathedral dedicated to John the Baptist by Crusaders in 1149.

The Ayyubids destroyed much of it in 1187, but the Mamluks rebuilt it in the early 13th century. The mosque faced further destruction by the Mongols in 1260, was reclaimed by Muslims, and then damaged in an earthquake at the end of the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Ottomans restored the mosque, but it was again damaged during British bombing in World War I. It was renovated in 1925 by the Higher Islamic Council.