Researchers rescuing war-damaged manuscripts in Gaza receive Unesco prize
Abdul Latif Hashim and Haneen Al-Amassi have been awarded the $40,000 Unesco/Jikji Memory of the World Prize
The 2026 Unesco/Jikji Memory of the World Prize has been awarded to two Gazan heritage professionals: historian Abdul Latif Hashim and researcher/engineer Haneen Al-Amassi. The $40,000 prize recognises their efforts to rescue and digitize rare Palestinian documents and manuscripts from Gaza. This is the first time individuals have received the award since its inception in 2004.
The pair were chosen from 58 international nominations and are being recognized for establishing an emergency response team that saved documents from the Medieval Great Omari Mosque Library in Gaza's old city, which was largely destroyed by Israeli shelling in December 2023. Their efforts have preserved and digitized over 25,000 pages from the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, including Quranic manuscripts, legal works, medical texts, literary pieces, and other rare documents vital to Gaza's heritage.
The team, affiliated with the NGO Eyes on Heritage, has also established Gaza's first specialized manuscript restoration laboratory to enhance local preservation capacities. Hashim and Al-Amassi were commended by Mariya Gabriel, Unesco's assistant director-general for communication and information, for their exceptional efforts in safeguarding endangered documentary heritage under challenging circumstances in Gaza.
Despite their achievements, manuscripts continue to be at risk, and efforts are being made to further support the preservation of the Omari Mosque library through the INTIQAL program.
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