Morocco Gifts Mali Copies of Rare 16th-Century Timbuktu Manuscripts

The batch of historical documents handed over by the Moroccan diplomat to the President of the Transition includes, among other things, two CDs and microfilms from several specialized structures of the Kingdom, all representing copies of the manuscripts of the eminent Malian scholar Ahmed Baba of Timbuktu (1556-1627), according to a statement from the Moroccan Embassy in Mali.

According to the embassy, these documents, of inestimable historical value, will undoubtedly contribute to the development and flourishing of the Center that bears the name of the illustrious and historical figure in the city of Timbuktu.

The handover of the copies, which takes place on the occasion of Africa Day, which the world celebrates on May 25, is in line with the theme chosen for the year 2021: "Art, culture and heritage, a lever to build the Africa we want," the same source points out, welcoming this gesture of the Kingdom of Morocco, in line with the vision of the African Union valuing the role of African culture and heritage in the reconstruction of an identity and an economy specific to Africa.

The Malian President, who expressed his gratitude to King Mohammed VI, said he was "very honored by this unforgettable royal gesture which recalls, as he pointed out, the centuries-old ties and common values" linking the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Mali.