ESTABLISHMENT:
IRCICA started its activities in 1980 as the first subsidiary organ of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) concerned with culture.

Its establishment was proposed by the Republic of Turkey during the Seventh Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers held in Istanbul, in 1976, and adopted by the Conference by Resolution no. 3/7-ECS.

The Establishment Statute of the Centre was adopted by the Ninth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Dakar, Senegal, 1978) by Resolution no. 1/9-C. The Statute was amended later and readopted by the Twelfth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Baghdad, Iraq, 1981). Finally, the Sixth Islamic Summit Conference (Dakar, 1991) adopted the Framework Statute of the Subsidiary Organs of tshe OIC by its Resolution no. 1/6-Org (IS).

OBJECTIVES:

To act as a focal point and meeting place for scholars, researchers, artists, institutions, organisations, and other parties within and outside the Member States which deal with studies and research on various aspects of Islamic civilisation
To create objective conditions for cooperation among the parties concerned world-wide with an aim to eliminate prejudices against Islam and its civilisation, project their correct image, inform the world opinion on their role and place in world civilisation, and promote a better understanding and a dialogue between Muslims and other peoples of the world
To undertake research, publish books, bibliographies, catalogues, albums and other reference works related to the history of Muslim nations, the history of arts and sciences in Islam, cultural heritage, and all other aspects of Islamic culture and civilisation to reinforce awareness of these subjects in world public opinion
To organize conferences, symposia, exhibitions and other cultural functions on its premises, in the Member States and at other venues to disseminate the results of its activities, encourage studies and stimulate international cooperation in the fields of Islamic culture and civilisation
To pay special attention to the cultural situation and cultural needs of Muslim nations and communities living in non-Member States and help to strengthen cultural solidarity between the Member States and those Muslim nations and communities
To assess, record and study the sources and the products of cultural, scientific, intellectual and artistic life throughout the history of Islam with an aim to foster scholarly studies and create public awareness of the achievements of Islamic civilisation
To undertake studies regarding all aspects of the heritage of Islamic civilisation, with an aim to reinforce the concept of Islamic cultural heritage and to register, preserve and highlight the assets of this heritage, including fixed assets related to archaeology, cities and architectural monuments and movable – tangible and intangible - assets such as manuscript works, library and archive items, audio-visual objects and materials, traditional arts and crafts and other products and forms of expression of Islamic culture
To establish programs for the identification and recording, by means of data banks and other archival, documentary and other means, of the assets and materials related to Islamic cultural heritage, for their assessment, restoration and preservation whether at home or abroad, and recovery and retrieval of those that are lost or scattered
To maintain directories, rosters, registers and pools of expertise related to resource persons, specialists, technical experts and institutions, competent in activities of research, training, information, restoration and conservation in various fields of Islamic cultural heritage
To set up, develop and operate a reference library and archives and documentation facilities to serve the needs of the Member States, researchers, students and other parties interested in the study of Islamic civilisation
To organize training programs to upgrade skills and techniques in various fields of Islamic arts and train the specialised manpower required for the restoration, preservation and utilisation of historical documents and other assets of Islamic heritage
To foster studies in the fields of Islamic culture and civilisation, organize and participate in the organisation of graduate studies in these fields, in cooperation with universities and other institutions of higher learning
To take measures and establish incentive programs such as awards and competitions aimed at acknowledging and stimulating individual and institutional achievements, services and contributions in various fields of Islamic culture, scholarship, arts and heritage
To establish and promote linkages and cooperation with all relevant international, regional and national organisations throughout the world
To render advice to the Member States and the Secretary General on all matters connected with Islamic civilisation and carry out the studies and projects required by the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers and the Secretary General.

Following the merger of International Commission for the Preservation of Islamic Cultural Heritage (ICPICH) with IRCICA in 2000, the activities previously undertaken by ICPICH were incorporated in IRCICA’s work programs.

HEADQUARTERS:
IRCICA's headquarters are located in the three buildings named Seyir Pavillion, Cit Qasr and Yaveran Qasr in the historical Yildiz Palace in Besiktas, Istanbul. These buildings were allocated to the Centre by the Government of the Republic of Turkey.

ADDRESS:
Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA)
P.O. Box: 24, Besiktas, Istanbul, Turkey
Tel: (90 212) 259 17 42
Fax: (90 212) 258 43 65
Email: ircica@ircica.org , ircica@superonline.com

Website: http://www.ircica.org