Transforming our understanding of Middle Eastern history: The British Library and Qatar Foundation unveil project to digitise half a million pages of archive material

The British Library and Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development have unveiled an ambitious partnership to transform people's understanding of the history of the Middle East, and the region's relationship with Britain and the rest of the world. The £8.7 million project was announced at the British Library's flagship building in St Pancras, London. Its plans will digitise more than 500,000 pages from the archives of the East India Company and India Office, in addition to 25,000 pages of medieval Arabic manuscripts - all of which will be made freely available online for the first time