A delegation led by Firdavs Abdukholiqov, Director of the Islamic Civilization Center of Uzbekistan, is currently on an official visit to Italy.

During the visit to the University of Bologna Library, the delegation learned about a vast collection of Arabic and Persian sources on Oriental book art, including nearly 200 manuscripts in the Turkic language.

The library houses two ancient manuscripts of the great scholar Abu Ali Ibn Sinaʼs work The Canon of Medicine, which were copied in the 14th-15th centuries and are adorned with exquisite miniatures created by master artists. Interestingly, these manuscripts bear the seal of the French National Library.

“These books were once taken to Paris by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte,” said Giovanna Flamma, head of the rare sources department of the library. “In 1885, thanks to the efforts of Italian scholars, these masterpieces were returned to Bologna. This is a testament to the immense value and influence of Ibn Sinaʼs works in Europe.

Ibn Sinaʼs The Canon of Medicine is distinguished in history, as it became the second most published book after the Bible following the advent of printing technology in Europe. Its translations and mass distribution played a crucial role in fighting deadly epidemics like the plague and cholera, ultimately saving countless lives.

Rare manuscripts and artifacts linked to Uzbekistan, currently preserved in Italy, are set to be exhibited in our country.