Erdogan inaugurates new library in İstanbul

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday inaugurated a new library in Istanbul's Yildiz Palace. Sponsored by the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), the new library features rare manuscript books and other unique materials from the Islamic civilization. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Erdogan said, "Bringing together the past and the future, this library will preserve a unique book treasury and historic heritage, making them available for researchers." Also speaking at the ceremony, Organization for Islamic Conference (OIC) head Ekmeledding Islamoglu thanked Premier Erdogan for his support to establish the library, and added that it would serve further improvement of dialogue and cooperation efforts among different civilizations. State Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU Talks Egemen Bagis and Adurrahman Al-Uveys, the culture minister of the United Arab Emirates, attended the ceremony as well. The IRCICA is an international institution which is active in fields of research, publishing, documentation and information. Its mandate covers multifarious themes in the fields of the history of Muslim nations, history of arts and sciences in Islam, and other subject areas in Islamic culture and civilization. By means of these activities, it aims at studying and better promoting the Islamic culture and civilization throughout the world and acting as a catalyst for research and cooperation in these areas to improve mutual understanding between Muslims and other nations, civilizations and cultures of the world. The IRCICA started its activities in 1980 as the first subsidiary organ of the OIC related with culture.