International Conference on Islamic Archaeology Organized by OIC

A four-day international conference on Islamic Archeology started on Friday to discuss the rich archaeological heritage of the Muslim world and preservation of this heritage.

four-day international conference on Islamic Archeology started on Friday to discuss the rich archaeological heritage of the Muslim world and preservation of this heritage.

The OIC, through its dedicated Research Centre for Islamic History Art and Culture (IRCICA) based in Istanbul, Turkey organized the conference in conjunction with Pakistan's National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research (NIHCR), a department of the Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) to bring together the experts on Islamic Archeology from various countries around the world.

Addressing the inaugural session of the conference, Pakistan's Federal Minister for Culture Pir Aftab Shah Jillani highlighted the progress and preservation of historical sites of Muslims as a rich part of Muslim civilisation.

Participants lauded the conference as an opportunity to increase public ansd scholarly awareness of the archeological heritage of the Muslim period.

This is only the second conference of its kind in the world.

The first congress, organised by the same OIC agency, was held in Istanbul back in April 2005. Hailed as the first-ever initiative in this field, it drew more than 150 scholars, researchers and excavation specialists.

It resulted in the congress' instituting itself as a periodical academic forum. The second congress expands the presentation of research and excavation findings to a broader range of periods and regions covered by Islamic Archaeology over its vast geographical area extending from Southeast Asia to West Africa.