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KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
INSTITUUT VOOR MIDDELEEEUWSE STUDIES .
We, all the University teachers from Belgium, Canada, France.
Germany, Neatherland, U.K. and U.S.A., participating in the 3d
International Conference "Aspects of the Medieval Animal Epic"
organized by the Instituut voor Middeleeuwse Studies, Katho-
lieke Universiteit, Leuven, and held at the House of "Vlaamse
Leergangen", Leuven, between 15 to 17 May 1972, express our deep
concern about the gravity of the problem of the rapid loss and
destruction of manuscripts and similar material in Asian coun-
tries, especially in India, and appreciate highly the work of
preservation undertaken by the Vrindaban Research Institute,
which has already acquired an extensive collection. It is the
aim of the institute to collect from the Braj area of India in
particular as much material as possible, to restore and cata-
logue it, and to make it available to scholars in a well equip-
ped post-graduate research centre.
Recognizing the need for substantial, assistance from public and
private organizations, we affirm support for the International
Association of the Vrindaban Research Institute which will
sponsor the Institute; and we further urge Governments, Univer-
sities Academies, Libraries, Museums, and Foundations concerned
to contribute to the solution of the general problem by giving
generous financial aid for the development of the Institute and
eventually for the establishment of other similar undertakings
elsewhere
Chairman of the Institute
Prof. Dr. G. Verbeke. |
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