THE PULSE
ALIPH TURNS TEN
Founded in Geneva in 2017 from a French-Emirati initiative, ALIPH is marking its 10th anniversary with the book ALIPH: Heritage Reborn( Assouline), launched in Paris on September 16, and two exhibitions: Living Legacies. Protecting Heritage. Building Hope, with Louvre Abu Dhabi( November 25, 2026 – April 25, 2027), and a show at the Institut du monde arabe in Paris( March 15 – July 18, 2027). The foundation has supported more than 650 projects in 65 countries, including 43 in Lebanon, and the Mosul Museum, supported through its“ Mosul Mosaic” program, is due to open in January 2027.
AI IN MUSEUMS ADOPTION OUTPACES POLICY
Presented in Riyadh on September 17 at UNESCO’ s 4th Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, the first UNESCO – ICOM Global Survey on the Use of AI in Museums gathered 403 validated responses from 90 countries. It reveals a widening gap between adoption and readiness: 57 % of responding museums already use AI, yet 55 % have no internal policy, and only 17 % train their staff. Accuracy, copyright, and data protection remain leading concerns, and the findings will inform forthcoming UNESCO and ICOM guidance.
FILM HERITAGE AT RISK
At the Lumière Summit on September 7, ALIPH, in cooperation with France’ s Centre national du cinéma et de l’ image animée( CNC), launched a program to safeguard film and audiovisual archives threatened by conflict and climate change. ALIPH has committed an initial USD 500,000 for 2026 and aims to raise USD 15 million for 2027 – 2032, with France pledging USD 1 million a year for five years. The program will fund assessments, digitization, equipment, and training, building on earlier ALIPH support for safeguarding the archives of Télé Liban.
GAZA’ S MANUSCRIPT RESCUERS HONORED
The 2026 UNESCO / Jikji Memory of the World Prize was awarded to Gaza-based historian Dr. Abdul Latif Abu Hashem and heritage engineer Haneen Al-Amassi, founder of the Eyes on Heritage Foundation. For the first time since 2004, the prize honors individuals rather than institutions, recognizing the emergency teams they lead in recovering manuscripts from the ruins of the Great Omari Mosque Library.( See“ Pages from the Rubble,” Matahef Issue 03.)
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