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News

Posted on November 19, 2020February 8, 2022

Downloadable film for school children in Arabic & English
The Wonders of Writing: The Story of How Books were Made
Explore and learn about the history of writing and make your own note-book with Alexia.
Preserving world Memory

Introduction

Posted on November 12, 2020February 10, 2021

The Levantine Foundation is a charity registered in England and the Arab Republic of Egypt, whose aim is to record and preserve cultural heritage on paper and related materials in the Near East through expertise, education, and dissemination of knowledge. The Foundation is grateful to The British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund in Partnership with the…

Education and Training

Posted on November 12, 2020February 10, 2021

Safeguarding Egyptian Written Heritage through Preservation, Conservation and Digitisation

23 November – 2 December 2020

The 4th Training Programme for heritage professionals, librarians of monastic collections and university students was attended by 206 delegates from across the world.

Conservation process

Posted on November 17, 2020November 19, 2020

The conservation process begins with a preservation-needs assessment, recording the physical condition of a specific document and continues with relevant preventive or remedial conservation. The aim of preventive conservation is to prevent future damage from occurring, to maintain, and where possible, enhance the condition of document, while managing potential risks, such as handling and environmental…

Cataloguing

Posted on November 17, 2020November 19, 2020

A vital part of recording the collection is the detailed cataloguing of its diverse contents. June 2019: Stephen J. Davis, Professor of Religious Studies at Yale University has been cataloguing the Coptic and Arabic manuscripts. When complete this catalogue will represent one of the single most important collections of early Christian literature in the world….

Newsletter

Posted on November 16, 2020November 19, 2020

In the new 2020 Levantine Foundation Newsletter, CEO Elizabeth Sobczynski writes:- After a number of years of acute fundraising difficulty due to political and social unrest in Egypt, the Foundation is delighted to announce two successful applications to the British Council under its Cultural Protection Fund (CPF) in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media…

Preservation & Conservation

Posted on November 12, 2020November 20, 2020

The Foundation’s most important project is to secure the future of the manuscripts in the Deir al-Surian Library. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries a great quantity of Deir al-Surian manuscripts were taken to Europe and are, today, held in several important collections, including the British Library and the Vatican Library.  The large number of…

Funding & Donations

Posted on November 12, 2020November 20, 2020

The Levantine Foundation is, currently, in receipt of a second annual grant from the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund, in Partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, which allows us to continue to: • Conserve the Arabic, Coptic, Ethiopic and Syriac manuscripts of Deir al-Surian Monastery • Provide training and technical support in…

The New Library

Posted on November 12, 2020November 20, 2020

On Sunday 19 May, 2013, the Deir al-Surian has opened its doors to guests attending the opening of the new state-of-the-art library. The event was held under the patronage of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark; His Grace Bishop Mattaos, Abbot of Deir al-Surian; and The Levantine Foundation.

Patrons & Trustees

Posted on November 12, 2020February 8, 2022

Patrons, Staff, Trustees, Partners and Collaborators PresidentSir Derek Plumbly, KCMG Patrons His Holiness Pope Tawadros II Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark His Grace Bishop Mattaos, Abbot of Deir al Surian The Viscount Portman The Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, KT GCVO Lady Plumbly Count Adam Zamoyski Prof. Lucas van…

Training Location

Posted on November 11, 2020November 19, 2020

Programmes in Museology and Conservation are delivered at a variety of fascinating and historic venues, including the Deir al-Surian Monastery, the Supreme Council of Antiquities, The National Library & Archives of Egypt, the Coptic Museum in Cairo, and the Prince Mohammed Ali Palace. Study visits have taken place at the Coptic Museum, the Egyptian Museum,…

Training Programme

Posted on November 11, 2020November 19, 2020

Chronology of TLF Training Programme 2020 Safeguarding Egyptian Cultural Heritage through Preservation, Conservation and Digitisation This eight day course, hosted between 23 November and 2 December, within the historic Prince Mohammed Ali Palace, Cairo and delivered online, globally, is produced in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Egypt Exploration Society. It…

The History of Deir al-Surian

Posted on November 9, 2020November 19, 2020

The Monastery of the Syrians For many centuries, the desert has provided escape and isolation for those who have turned their backs on secular life, to be alone with their god. From the beginning of the first millennium AD, it has been a sanctuary, inhabited by hermits and monks becoming, in the early 3rd century…

Funding

Posted on October 17, 2020November 19, 2020

Preserving Egyptian Coptic Heritage through Conservation, Scholarship and Educational Dissemination A BRITISH COUNCIL GRANT PROVIDES THE LEVANTINE FOUNDATION’S CONSERVATION FIELD CAMPAIGNS AT DEIR AL-SURIAN, EGYPT The Levantine Foundation is delighted to announce a grant from the British Council’s £30 million Cultural Protection Fund, in partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Fifty…

Documents for Students.

Posted on October 17, 2020November 20, 2020

Available to download:
SURFACE CLEANING
CONSOLIDATION
BACKING REMOVAL
HUMIDIFICATION
FLATTENING
THE PERILS OF PAPER LECTURE

How to donate

Posted on October 17, 2020November 20, 2020

Please complete the
Donation Form and send your donations to:-
Nigel Pilkington
Honorary Treasurer
The Levantine Foundation
39 Kidmore Road
Caversham
Reading
RG4 7LR
UK

About Us

Posted on October 17, 2020November 19, 2020

The Levantine Foundation is a non political registered charity founded in the UK in 2002 and in the Arab Republic of Egypt where it received NGO status in 2007, under Law no. 84 (2002). The registered office in England: 106 St. George’s Square, London SW1V 3QY The Foundation works to preserve Near Eastern historical documents…

Events

Posted on October 15, 2020March 2, 2021

The Levantine Foundation invites you to Film Premieres Preserving World Memory: The Levantine Foundation & Deir al-Surian&The Wonders of Writing: The Story of How Books were Made Originally shown on Tuesday 16 February 202115:00 -16:30 (UK time – GMT) 1. Preserving World Memory: The Levantine Foundation & Deir al-Surian This is a 20-minute documentary giving an…

Donors

Posted on October 12, 2020February 2, 2021

The British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund, in partnership with the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. The Cultural Protection Fund aims to help to create sustainable opportunities for economic and social development through building capacity to foster, safeguard and promote cultural heritage. Since 2016 the fund has invested over £3.5 million in seven…

Contact

Posted on October 12, 2020January 12, 2022

United Kingdom
Ms Elizabeth Sobczynski
Email: es.aicp@btinternet.com
Tel: +44 207 828 6409

Egypt
Mrs Nevene Sami
Email: nsami@cf-holding.com
Tel: + 20 2 27 953 972

Costs

Posted on October 9, 2020November 19, 2020

The cost of the training programme will be funded by donations to The Levantine Foundation.
Should you wish to contribute to this specific activity,
please inform us when making a donation. Download Donation Form

United Kingdom

Ms Elizabeth Sobczynski

Email: es.aicp@btinternet.com


Egypt

Mrs Nevene Sami

Email: nsami@cf-holding.com

Copyright © 2020 The Levantine Foundation registered in England 4506398, in The Arab Republic of Egypt under Law No 84 (2002). Registered charity number 1094436.