Dr Mahathir visits Albukhary Foundation Gallery at British Museum

From Ravichandran D.J Paul

LONDON, June 15 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today visited the Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic World at the British Museum in Bloomsbury here.

He spent about one hour exploring the gallery, with the museum's deputy director Johanathan Williams explaining the awe-inspiring historical artefacts that reflect Islam’s glorious heritage. 

Upon arrival he was greeted by museum officials, Malaysian High Commission officials and the children of businessman and philanthropist Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary -- Sharifah Sofia and Syed Danial.

 Also at the gallery were Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and Youth and Sports Minister Syed Sadiq Abdul Rahman. Dr Mahathir’s presence at the museum attracted the attention of hundreds of visitors with many aware of the world's oldest prime minister.

The visit is part of Dr Mahathir’s itinerary during his three-day working visit to the United Kingdom beginning today.

The Albukhary Foundation Gallery is helping British Museum redisplay its important collections on Islamic heritage, and reflects the connections between the cultures of Islam and the ancient world on the one hand, and the cultures of the Mediterranean world and Europe on the other hand.

The Albukhary Foundation, an international non-profit charity organisation that focuses on social development, was established by Syed Mokhtar Shah Syed Nor Albukhary.

The British Museum, established in 1753 as the first public national museum of the world, owns among the most comprehensive permanent collection totalling some eight million works, much of them sourced during the height of the British empire.

-- BERNAMA