Cairo: The Arab Document Day 2025 event, organized by the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in collaboration with the Arab Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives, concluded at the League’s headquarters in Cairo. The event, held on November 12-13, 2025, saw broad participation from Arab memory bodies and institutions.
According to Union of OIC News Agencies, the Palestinian National Library was among the participants, represented by Fawaz Salameh, the Director General of Documentation and Archives. On the first day, Palestine led the fifth meeting of the Executive Committee of the Unified Arab Strategy for the Recovery of Looted, Plundered, and Transferred Archives in Colonial Countries. This committee consists of seven Arab nations: Palestine, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Libya, and Sudan, and was ratified by the Council of the League at the Ministerial Level Resolution No. (8266) on March 7, 2018.
The meeting focused on the strategy’s implementation mechanisms, joint Arab coordination, and the necessary technical and diplomatic procedures. Representatives from the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), Dr. Hala Gad, and leaders of the Arab Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives attended the discussions.
In a related development, Salameh, serving as Vice President of the Arab Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives, took part in the annual coordination meeting between the branch and the General Assembly of Heads of Arab Archives. This meeting explored ways to enhance institutional cooperation and strengthen partnerships in preserving the shared Arab memory and improving working mechanisms among Arab archives.
On the second day, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, launched the documentary exhibition “The Journey and the Destiny” at the League’s museum. The event featured participation from Arab archives officials, ambassadors, state delegates, and cultural figures. The exhibition showcased photographs and historical documents chronicling the history of joint Arab relations since the university’s establishment.
In his address, the Secretary-General highlighted the significance of reinforcing joint Arab efforts to protect national archives and advance preservation and digitization methods, as they serve as the memory of peoples and the nation.
The celebration also included the recognition of Arab artists and researchers in documentary heritage, with Palestinian candidate Aziz Al-Asa being honored in the category of researchers and enthusiasts in documentary heritage.
Additionally, a scientific symposium titled “Eighty Years of Joint Arab Action” was held, featuring two sessions with experts in archiving and documentary work. Professor Fawaz Salameh presented a research paper on “The Reciprocity of Collective Preservation of Documentary Heritage – Utilizing Digital Transformation in Arab Collective Awareness.”
The active participation of the Palestinian National Library underscores its commitment to its Arab role in safeguarding Palestinian archives and memory and enhancing professional cooperation with Arab counterparts in this crucial field.