MACFEST 25: Discovering Islamic Poetry and Manuscripts

  • DATE

    24 May 2025

  • TIME

    2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

  • AGES

    All ages welcome

  • PRICE

    Free

  • VENUE

    John Rylands Library
    150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH

Visit the John Rylands Institute and Library for an exciting afternoon of poetry and manuscripts. Hear words written by some of the finest poets of the Muslim world, in Arabic, Turkish, and Persian. From the epic to every day, these poems still resonate with us today, connecting us with the enduring human spirit.

Begin by exploring some of the stunning manuscripts at the library to see how these poems were preserved on the page in the most rich and decorative manner. Later, these ancient verses will be recited in the three languages, giving voice to the past for all to hear.

Hosted by: Zsofia Buda, Curator of Global Manuscripts and Gemma Henderson, Reader Services Coordinator (job-share). Co-ordinating and delivering a customer-focused Special Collections at John Rylands Research Institute and Library.