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Date
: 27/09/2005
Source: The Presidency
Title: Mbeki: SA-Mali Project Fundraising Dinner
Address of the President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, at
the SA-Mali Project Fundraising Dinner, St Georges Hotel, City of
Tshwane
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Thank you very much for your presence here today to support an
important project - the South Africa-Mali Project for the
preservation of the Timbuktu Manuscripts. As you know, that joint
project was initiated by the governments of South Africa and Mali
as part of our contribution to the renaissance of Africa.
This dinner has been organised to raise more funds to carry forward
this vital project which must ensure that Timbuktu Manuscripts will
always be available as part of the historic African literary,
scientific and scholarly heritage. Your presence here tonight shows
the importance you attach to this project.
Writing for National Geographic News on 27 May 2003, under the
title, "Reclaiming the Ancient Manuscripts of Timbuktu", Chris
Rainier said:
"Since the 12th century, accompanying the camel caravans rode the
intrepid scholars of Islamic learning, bringing with them over time
hundreds of thousands of manuscripts. These bound texts highlighted
the great teachings of Islam during the middle ages. These sacred
manuscripts covered an array of subjects: astronomy, medicine,
mathematics, chemistry, judicial law, government, and Islamic
conflict resolution. Islamic study during this period of human
history, when the intellectual evolution had stalled in the rest of
Europe was growing, evolving, and breaking new ground in the fields
of science, mathematics, astronomy, law and philosophy within the
Muslim world.
"By the 1300s the "Ambassadors of Peace" centred around the
University of Timbuktu created roving scholastic campuses and
religious schools of learning that travelled between the cities of
Timbuktu, Gao, and Dj
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