Kathmandu [Nepal], October 2 – More than 800 historical Nepali manuscripts and documents dating from the 13th to the 20th century have been formally handed over to Nepal’s National Archives, in a move the government described as a milestone in preserving the country’s written cultural heritage.
The Josef Peter Rindfleisch Collection was handed over to Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal by Professor Axel Michaels of Heidelberg University and the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities at a ceremony in Kathmandu on Friday.
The collection contains historical manuscripts and documents spanning several centuries, according to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Khanal welcomed the return of the collection, describing it as important for the preservation, protection and promotion of Nepal’s written heritage.
He also acknowledged the role of Michaels, the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Embassy of Nepal in Berlin as well as scholars and institutions involved in the repatriation process.
The foreign minister said the Nepal government remained committed to bringing historical antiquities back to the country from around the world.
The documents are now being handed over to the National Archives of Nepal, whose Director General Ram Bahadur Kunwar also addressed the ceremony.
Michaels and German Ambassador to Nepal Udo Eugen Volz were among the other speakers at the event, which brought together government officials, scholars, researchers, cultural experts and media representatives.
The handover was jointly organised by the National Archives Nepal, the Heidelberg Centre for Transcultural Studies, the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Saraf Foundation.
