DREAMSEA Navigates the New Future for Manuscript Digitization in Regional Workshop 2026
Participants of DREAMSEA Regional Workshop Malaysia 2026 (Photo: Auf A. Said)
Kuala Lumpur, 13 May 2026 – The Digital Repository of Endangered and Affected Manuscripts in Southeast Asia (DREAMSEA) held a two-day intensive workshop, DREAMSEA Regional Workshop (DSRW), in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 11 to 12 May 2026. The event marked a new beginning for the program.
The project successfully concluded its initial digitization phase in 2024, preserving a total of 579,562 manuscript images. Due to these satisfying results, the Arcadia Fund has extended its support for a second phase. “DREAMSEA II will last until 2030,” Professor Oman Fathurahman, the Principal Investigator, announced during his closing remarks.
“DREAMSEA II will focus on digitizing manuscripts in Mainland Southeast Asia,” Fathurahman continued. “In addition, Qalamos will host our digital repository, featuring more detailed metadata and advanced discoverability for search engines.” This transition was further detailed in a presentation by Thoralf Heinstein from Qalamos, who outlined the platform’s capabilities.
Reflecting the high profile of the event, the sessions brought together experts from across Southeast Asia, including Dr. Khamvone Boulyaphonh (Laos), Dr. Mohd. Khairuddin Khudri (Malaysia), Dr. Direk Injan (Thailand), Dr. Nguyễn Tô Lan (Vietnam), Dr. Leb Ke (Cambodia), Dr. Tirmizy E. Abdullah (Philippines), and Dr. Noorsafuan bin Che Noh (Malaysia).
Without losing momentum on its home front, the program maintains its strong focus on Indonesian heritage. The workshop welcomed back several key partners from previous missions, including Prof. Pramono (SURI), Dr. Agus Iswanto (BRIN, Manassa), Dr. Husnul Fahimah Ilyas (BRIN, Manassa), and Masykur Syafruddin (Museum Pedir).
Throughout the discussions, the team committed to enhancing its technical workflows, implementing strict quality control on all digitized materials to ensure they meet expected standards.
Toward the end of the event, participants were also introduced to DiPiKA, a manuscript digitization project in Kerala, South India, which is likewise funded by the Arcadia Fund. The initiative was presented by Dr. M.V. Muralikrishnan and Dr. Ushus K. Unnikrishnan.
The workshop wrapped up with closing speeches from Prof. Oman Fathurahman and PPIM’s Executive Director, Didin Syafruddin, Ph.D.
The following day, DREAMSEA commenced its first fieldwork of the second phase at Khazanah Fathaniyah. Led by Wan Jumanatun Naililah, the manuscript owner and academic expert for the project, this inaugural mission is scheduled to run from 13 May 2026 until mid-July.
