spreading the word: an esmée fairbairn collections fund project
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Spreading the Word: An Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund Project](https://reader034.vdocuments.mx/reader034/viewer/2022042906/58a1cd951a28ab9d338b6b43/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Josefine FrankE: [email protected]: 0121 414 5800 @FrankJosefine
Spreading the Word: An Esmée Fairbairn
Collections Fund Project
![Page 2: Spreading the Word: An Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund Project](https://reader034.vdocuments.mx/reader034/viewer/2022042906/58a1cd951a28ab9d338b6b43/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Cadbury Research Library
Collects, manages, preserves and makes accessible the University’s collections of rare books, manuscripts, archives, photographs and associated artefacts
![Page 3: Spreading the Word: An Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund Project](https://reader034.vdocuments.mx/reader034/viewer/2022042906/58a1cd951a28ab9d338b6b43/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
![Page 4: Spreading the Word: An Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund Project](https://reader034.vdocuments.mx/reader034/viewer/2022042906/58a1cd951a28ab9d338b6b43/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Mingana Collection of Middle Eastern Manuscripts
• Over 3,000 manuscripts encompassing Islamic, Christian and Jewish texts
• Over 20 languages, including Arabic, Syriac, Persian, Greek, and Ethiopic
• Dating from 7th to 20th century
Mi’a Kalimat attributed to Ali ibn Abu Talib , 1568-9, Islamic Arabic 1651
The Four Gospels , 17th century, Armenian 1
![Page 5: Spreading the Word: An Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund Project](https://reader034.vdocuments.mx/reader034/viewer/2022042906/58a1cd951a28ab9d338b6b43/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
World-class collection for Birmingham
Edward Cadbury (1873-1948) Alphonse Mingana (1878-1937)
![Page 6: Spreading the Word: An Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund Project](https://reader034.vdocuments.mx/reader034/viewer/2022042906/58a1cd951a28ab9d338b6b43/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Birmingham – young and diverse
• One of the youngest cities in Europe
about 40% under 25
• Culturally and religiously diverse
42% other than White 46.1% Christians, 21.8%
Muslims, 19.3% no religion
22% born outside the UK
Source: 2011 census figures
Birmingham Council House
University of Birmingham
![Page 7: Spreading the Word: An Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund Project](https://reader034.vdocuments.mx/reader034/viewer/2022042906/58a1cd951a28ab9d338b6b43/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Our ideaUse the Mingana Collection of Middle Eastern manuscripts 1) To connect local people with
their cultural and religious heritage
2) To encourage pride and confidence in Birmingham’s identity as a city shaped by faith diversity Masnavi-yi Ma'navi by Jalal al-Din Rumi,
early 19th century, Persian 1
![Page 8: Spreading the Word: An Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund Project](https://reader034.vdocuments.mx/reader034/viewer/2022042906/58a1cd951a28ab9d338b6b43/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Project overview
• Internships• Volunteering
opportunities
• Social media• Exhibitions
• Muslim women’s group
• Interfaith youth group
• Bookbinding survey• Archival research on collection
history
Research & documentation
Work with community
partners
Training Dissemination
![Page 9: Spreading the Word: An Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund Project](https://reader034.vdocuments.mx/reader034/viewer/2022042906/58a1cd951a28ab9d338b6b43/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
![Page 10: Spreading the Word: An Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund Project](https://reader034.vdocuments.mx/reader034/viewer/2022042906/58a1cd951a28ab9d338b6b43/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
![Page 11: Spreading the Word: An Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund Project](https://reader034.vdocuments.mx/reader034/viewer/2022042906/58a1cd951a28ab9d338b6b43/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Reflections after first project year
• Be brave and experiment because visitors’ responses are unpredictable .
• Working with the most obvious community partners does not always result in the best partnerships.
• There is an almost irreconcilable gap between Muslim scholarship and non-Muslim research on Islam.