Reconstruction of the Manuscript Collections Damaged in the War

Abstract With its rich collection of Islamic manuscripts and archival documents in Arabic, Turkish, and Persian, the Oriental Institute in Sarajevo became one of the primary targets during the 1992–1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 17 May 1992, the Institute’s building was hit by a guided missile fired from Serbian positions around Sarajevo, with the explicit aim of destroying everything housed within. This act constituted a targeted destruction and a deliberate attempt to annihilate both the material and spiritual heritage of an entire people. Despite the dreadful destruction of 99.9 per cent of its manuscripts and documents, the Oriental Institute has survived and continues its work as a research institution recognised both nationally and internationally. Restoration of its archives, manuscript, and library collections is ongoing, with modern IT technologies playing a crucial role.