New discussions explore digitisation, manuscript preservation, and long-term knowledge exchange rooted in shared intellectual heritage.

In an era where cultural diplomacy is increasingly shaped by long-term institutional partnerships rather than symbolic exchanges, Sharjah’s House of Wisdom (HoW) is quietly deepening one of its most meaningful international relationships.

This time, the focus is Milan.

The latest engagement brings HoW back into dialogue with Biblioteca Ambrosiana, one of Europe’s oldest and most significant libraries, as both institutions explore new pathways for cultural and knowledge exchange between the UAE and Italy.

A meeting of institutions shaped by history

The discussions were led by House of Wisdom, represented by Executive Director Marwa Al Aqroubi, who visited the Milan-based library and was received by Monsignor Alberto Rocca, Director of the institution.

The visit included a tour of Biblioteca Ambrosiana’s rare collections, spanning centuries of intellectual and artistic production. Among its holdings are thousands of volumes, including significant Arabic and Islamic manuscripts, as well as works linked to figures such as Leonardo da Vinci and early Renaissance thinkers.

The engagement builds on earlier high-level exchanges between Sharjah and Milan, including the 2024 visit of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi and Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, which helped set in motion a series of collaborative initiatives.

From exchange to structured collaboration

What began as cultural exchange is now evolving into something more structured.

One of the most significant outcomes of the partnership so far has been the digitisation of thousands of rare Arabic and Islamic manuscripts held at Biblioteca Ambrosiana—some dating back more than 450 years—and their online publication for global access.

The latest discussions aim to build on this foundation, moving toward deeper collaboration across three key areas: knowledge exchange, heritage activation, and joint cultural programming.

Proposals include co-curated exhibitions and public-facing initiatives designed to bring rare manuscripts into contemporary cultural discourse, while expanding access for researchers and global audiences.

Shared heritage, shared responsibility

For HoW, the collaboration reflects a broader institutional philosophy: that cultural heritage is not static, but continuously reactivated through access, interpretation, and dialogue.

Speaking during the visit, Marwa Al Aqroubi highlighted the historical continuity between Arab and European intellectual traditions, particularly through the preservation and transmission of knowledge across centuries.

She described Italy as a long-standing centre of intellectual development, and noted how Arab civilisation played a key role in preserving and advancing knowledge during formative periods of European history.

Within this context, she positioned the partnership with Biblioteca Ambrosiana as a way of reactivating shared heritage within contemporary institutional frameworks.

She emphasised that the collaboration, guided by Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, is focused on strengthening international cultural cooperation and developing initiatives that expand public access to knowledge.

Reframing heritage for modern audiences

From the Milan side, Monsignor Alberto Rocca highlighted the importance of making historical collections relevant to contemporary audiences.

He pointed to the library’s extensive holdings of Arabic and Islamic manuscripts, including early Kufic-script Qurans, linguistic works such as Sibawayh’s Kitab, and major scientific and literary texts preserved over centuries.

He also reflected on his previous visit to Sharjah’s House of Wisdom, describing it as a model for how modern cultural institutions can bridge heritage and innovation.

According to Rocca, the challenge today is not preservation alone, but activation—ensuring that historical knowledge remains present in contemporary intellectual life.

“This body of knowledge has been built over centuries,” he noted. “The challenge today is to reactivate it in ways that make it more present and relevant to current generations. That is what gives this collaboration its strategic value.”

A long-term cultural corridor between Sharjah and Milan

As both institutions continue to expand their dialogue, the partnership signals a broader shift in how cultural relationships are being shaped—less as one-off exchanges, and more as sustained intellectual ecosystems.

For Sharjah, the engagement with Milan is part of a wider strategy to position the emirate as a global hub for knowledge exchange and cultural preservation.

For Biblioteca Ambrosiana, it represents an opportunity to extend the reach of its rare collections into new cultural and geographic contexts.

Together, they are building something more enduring than a partnership of convenience.

They are building a shared cultural corridor—one manuscript, one conversation, and one collaboration at a time.