PRESS RELEASES

U.S. Embassy Abuja in Collaboration with the Arewa House, Kaduna, Co Hosts an International Symposium on Preserving Nigeria's Scholarly and Literary Traditions and Manuscript Heritage to be held at the Arewa House in Kaduna, Nigeria, March 7 – 8, 2007.

March 5, 2007

The symposium will be a conference to discuss the issues and make recommendation to conserve critical manuscripts and supporting documents that form the essence of Nigeria’s scholarly and literary traditions and manuscript heritage.  Scholars from Nigerian universities, research centers, and cultural bureaus, will join representatives from the U.S. Library of Congress, the Ford Foundation, SAVAMA, (the organization for the Safeguarding and Valorization of Manuscripts), Timbuktu, Mali, University College, London, England, and Aluka, a U.S. based not-for-profit organization whose mission is to accelerate the productive uses of information technologies for the benefit of higher education around the world.  Ambassadors and representatives of several Arab and European embassies and high commissions are expected to attend the opening ceremonies.  

The Chief Host will be His Excellency Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi.  The Chairman of the Occasion will be His Eminence Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, the host will be Professor S.U. Abdullahi, Vice Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University and the Royal Father of the Day will be His Royal Highness Alhaji Shehu Idris, Emir of Zazzau.  United States Ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell will be the Special Guest of Honor.  Professor Mahmoud Hamman, Director, Arewa House, is the Convener.         

The conference will produce proceedings, and action recommendations to address identified problem areas, and to devise a strategy to establish solutions to identified problem areas.  

The Symposium is a joint project of the Arewa House and the U.S. Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria.