German Africa Prize winner reports on the situation in Chemnitz's twin city Timbuktu
Dr Abdel Kader Haidara visits Chemnitz - Help for Timbuktu still needed
Dedicating his life to culture was certainly not what Dr Abdel Kader Haidara had in mind. The librarian and manuscript expert risked his life during the occupation of Timbuktu by Islamist rebels in order to rescue important, centuries-old manuscripts from his home town. "The valuable manuscripts deal with topics such as philosophy, astrology, history and maths. But they also cover social issues such as tolerance, conflict resolution and human rights. They are very important for my home country of Mali and the African continent," says Dr Haidara.
Just a few days ago, he was honoured for his courage by Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier with the 2014 German Africa Prize. Mayor Petra Wesseler welcomed the Malian and his companions Elmar Frank, Secretary General of the Deutsche Afrika Stiftung e.V., Dr Mahmoud Abdou Zouber, Advisor to the President of Mali and Marcel Maiga, Secretary General of the Council of Malians Abroad in Germany, to Chemnitz City Hall. The mayor recognised the extraordinary work done for the treasures and assured the city of further support.
During his visit to Chemnitz Town Hall, Haidara spoke of his great passion for manuscripts and the struggle to preserve these treasures. For months, Haidara hid hundreds of thousands of copies from the rebels and then brought the manuscripts to safety in the capital Bamako. "The manuscripts are part of the world's heritage and we are the guardians. They belong to all people and it is our great good fortune that they were written on our soil," explains the Malian. "Our ancestors were able to protect and preserve them for many years."
Some manuscripts were destroyed or damaged. Manuscript experts from Mali and Germany are currently endeavouring to translate and restore the manuscripts and make them permanently accessible to researchers. "They may contain solutions to many of the problems we face on Earth. That's why they are so important for humanity," says Dr Abdel Kader Haidara.
Mayor Petra Wesseler also learnt about the current situation in Timbuktu and how Chemnitz can continue to help its twin city. "Timbuktu was occupied for over a year. Many things were destroyed during this long period. Water points are broken, the electricity supply is inadequate and the schools are in a poor state," reports Haidara, adding: "Many refugees have returned. They have lost everything and have to start all over again. They need help. I am confident that a lot of things can be realised relatively quickly with our twin city of Chemnitz."
Donations for Timbuktu
The city of Chemnitz was able to help with the important issue of wastewater disposal last year, for example. Due to the destruction in the city, pipes and pumps that pumped the city's wastewater into treatment tanks outside Timbuktu were defective, destroyed or stolen. Sewage pumps, sewage pipes and clarifiers urgently needed to be replaced or repaired, as otherwise the population would have experienced serious health problems after the rainy season. Together with the "arche noVa" initiative in Dresden, the project was realised at the end of 2013. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development subsidised the project with 100,000 euros. The city of Chemnitz raised its own contribution of 10,000 euros through sponsors.
Since March 2013, a total of 17,500 euros has been transferred to Timbuktu to help rebuild the city thanks to donations from many Chemnitz citizens. This money has also been used to buy school materials and medicines, for example.
Citizens who would like to support this work can pay their contribution into the City of Chemnitz's donation account:
IBAN DE20 8705 0000 3737 3700 00
BIC CHEKDE 81 XXX,
Reference: Timbuktu