Coimbra: Portuguese, Arab, and international media have widely covered the inauguration by H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, of the Centre for Arab Studies at the University of Coimbra in Portugal and the launch of the digital platform of the historic Joanina Library. The coverage praised H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan’s initiatives as marking a new phase of academic and cultural dialogue between the Arab world and Europe.
According to Emirates News Agency, Portuguese and European cultural and academic circles lauded his gift of the ‘Barbosa Manuscript’ to the Joanina Library – the complete version on which he based his critical edition and translation of his own book ‘A Journey of Great Importance’ – describing it as a strategic step to strengthen cultural dialogue between Arab and Portuguese civilisations.
Leading Portuguese newspapers and news outlets commended the Ruler of Sharjah’s pioneering role in advancing knowledge, research, and cultural exchange,
affirming that Sharjah’s efforts reflect the emirate’s vision of integrating Arab culture into the European academic landscape.
In an extensive report, Diário As Beiras highlighted H.H.’s support for the digitisation of the Joanina Library, which grants scholars and the public access to more than 30,000 rare books and manuscripts. The seven-year project is a partnership between the University of Coimbra and the Sharjah Book Authority.
Diário de Coimbra, the largest newspaper in the Coimbra region, described the event as a milestone in the university’s history, reflecting the meeting of two civilisations united by a shared human heritage.
Público reported on the strategic relationship between Sharjah and the University of Coimbra, noting that the emirate’s cultural initiatives led to the establishment of Portugal’s first Centre for Arab Studies, offering academic programmes in Arabic language and literature, alongside seminars, workshops, and public lectures.
Jornal O Despertar noted that the university is
witnessing the birth of a new cultural hub fostering academic interaction with Arab culture, coinciding with the launch of the Joanina Library’s digital archive.
Jornal i analysed the broader cultural impact of the initiative, describing it as a global model for cooperation in preserving shared human heritage and strengthening East-West dialogue.
Across the Arab world, major newspapers, news portals, and broadcasters from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, as well as Korea, Pakistan, Canada, Trkiye, and Australia, reported on the opening, viewing it as a continuation of Sharjah’s international cultural efforts following its acclaimed initiatives in Milan that reaffirmed its status as a global capital of Arab culture.