In 2025, the inauguration of the Arab Studies Centre at the University of Coimbra in Portugal by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, together with the launch of the digital platform for the historic Joanina Library, received extensive coverage in leading Portuguese, Arab, and international media. These reports highlighted the Sharjah Ruler’s initiatives as emblematic of a new phase in academic and cultural dialogue between the Arab and European worlds.
The Portuguese press and European and Arab academic and cultural institutions expressed appreciation for the gift of the Barbosa manuscript to the Joanina Library. This complete manuscript, which His Highness used as a reference for the critical edition and translation of his work A Momentous Journey, was described as a strategic contribution to cultural dialogue between Arab and Portuguese civilizations.
Leading Portuguese newspapers and online platforms emphasized the pioneering role of the Sharjah Ruler in advancing knowledge, promoting scientific research, and establishing cultural bridges between communities. The coverage underscored that Sharjah’s initiatives reflect the emirate’s vision of integrating Arab culture into the European academic landscape.
Diário As Beiras, in an extensive report, highlighted His Highness’ leadership in the digitization of the Joanina Library, which provides scholars and the public with access to over 30,000 rare books and manuscripts. The initiative is the outcome of a seven-year collaboration between the University of Coimbra and the Sharjah Book Authority.
Diário de Coimbra, the region’s most widely circulated newspaper, detailed Sharjah’s initiatives in Portugal and the efforts led by the Ruler of Sharjah, describing the event as a “milestone in the history of the University of Coimbra” and noting that these efforts exemplify the convergence of two civilizations with a shared human memory.
Público emphasized the strategic partnership between the University of Coimbra and Sharjah, reporting that the Sharjah Ruler’s cultural initiatives enabled the establishment of the first Arab Studies Centre in Portugal. The centre will provide academic programs in Arabic language and literature and organize seminars, workshops, and open lectures to foster cross-cultural understanding.
Jornal O Despertar noted the concurrent launch of the Joanina Library’s digital platform, describing it as the creation of a cultural centre dedicated to academic engagement with Arab culture, combining history, heritage, and knowledge in a single initiative.
Jornal i analysed the cultural impact of the project, highlighting it as a global model for collaborative preservation of shared human heritage and for documenting pathways of dialogue between the East and West.
International and Regional Recognition
The inauguration was widely covered beyond Portugal. Major Arab media outlets—including newspapers, news websites, and television and radio channels across Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, and other Arab countries—reported extensively on the event. Internationally, media in Korea, Pakistan, Canada, Turkey, and Australia highlighted the center as a continuation of Sharjah’s previous cultural initiatives in Milan, which had reinforced its position as a global capital of Arab culture.
Global commentary characterized the project as an advanced model of cultural diplomacy, redefining the potential role of Arab culture in shaping the future of East–West relations.