THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NUBIAN STUDIES AND DOCUMENTATION CENTRE

BACKGROUND :

The establishment of the Nubian Studies and Documentation Center (NSDC) comes as the culmination of a Nubian social and cultural movement that started in Sudan back in 1931 when the first “Nubian Club” was established in Khartoum. Like Cairo to the North, Khartoum represented the newly established bustling metropolis to the South that became another attractive center where Nubians flocked to seeking gainful employment. The word “Nubian” then used to encompass that sector of the Nile Valley population South of Aswan “First Cataract” up to and South of Wadi Halfa to the fringes of Dongola. As such the area south of Aswan up to Wadi Halfa was considered by the Angle - Egyptian condominium rule as representing one unit of ethnic and social entity that merited the devise and implementation of a singularly unique administrative formula. The predominant factor that influenced the operational aspect of this administrative set-up was the cohesion and closely knit Nubian Society governed by an indigenous code of social conduct, customs and rituals which amounted to that of a one big family unit. Events that started by the turn of the 20th Century by the building of Aswan Dam in 1902 through its three successive elevations and up to the building of the High Dam in 1964 dealt devastating blows to the very fabric of this society leading to a massive exodus of the young and able men to the population growth centers to the North and South.

The inundation of the whole area by the waters of the High Dam and the resettlement of the now gee- politically divisible “Egyptian Nubians” and “Sudanese Nubians” to Kom Ombo and New Halfa respectively led to the emergence of the Nubian Dispersion in its current wide scale. By the late seventies and early eighties the prospects of the Nubian heritage and culture totally disintegrating and withering away became an imminent eventually if the status quo was allowed to drift. This awakening realization induced among the Nubians the dire need to preserve and revitalize the Nubian social arid cultural movement spearheaded by the Nubian Club in Khartoum and the establishment by the Nubian intellectuals of its two composite organizations: the Nubian Cultural Committee and the Society for Nubian Studies. The latter came into being in 1983 as an affiliate of the renowned International Society for Nubian Studies founded in Essen, Germany in 1969 and chartered in Cambridge, UK in 1978.

Under the auspices of the Nubian Club in Khartoum, above two organizations launched a campaign aimed at preserving the Nubian cultural heritage through adopting specific programs; foremost among them was:

First : The revitalization and transformation of the spoken Nubian language into a written one.

Second : The documentation of the Nubian heritage as manifested in its history, social norms and all forms of artistic creativity.

The Establishment of NSDC :

These efforts were nipped in the bud by the Coup d’Etat of 30th June, 1989, the ideological and political orientation of which ran counter to the very objectives of the Nubian Club in Khartoum. The year 1994 witnessed the re initiation in Cairo of the activities of the Nubian Club in Khartoum in the two areas referred to above. The presence in Cairo of two prominent members of the Executive Committees of The Club’s two composite organs was given further impetus by the positive response to their initiative to pursue above objectives by some concerned Sudanese Nubian intellectuals resident in Cairo. A Founders Committee was formed with the membership of those individuals whose deliberations and consultations with other Nubian social and cultural entities inside and outside Sudan resulted in the agreement to establish “ The Nubian Studies and Documentation Center” (NSDC). For practical operational considerations NSDC was registered and chartered in London, UK 18th. Sept. 1995 as a company limited by guarantee according to the English Companies Act 1985 not having share capital and having charitable status by the Number: 1049048 L.NRCS at :

entities inside and outside Sudan resulted in the agreement to establish “ The Nubian Studies and Documentation Center” (NSDC). For practical operational considerations NSDC was registered and chartered in London, UK 18th. Sept. 1995 as a company limited by guarantee according to the English Companies Act 1985 not having share capital and having charitable status by the Number: 1049048 L.NRCS at :

The Charity Commission, St. Alban’s House,

57 / 60 Haymarket London, SWIY 4QX - U K.

The resources needed to make NSDC operational and initiating the formal process of opening its Cairo office was made possible mainly by the generous donation in the name of The Late Sayed / Ibrahim Ahmed, a distinguished Sudanese Nubian and a prominent national figure and statesman who played a key role in the Sudanese National Movement that led to the Country’s independence in 1956. The objectives and the envisaged range of activities of NSDC are stipulated as follows in its Memorandum of Association :-

1. Name

The name of the Association ( the Company ) is The Nubian Studies and Documentation Centre.

2. Registered office

The registered office of the company will be situated in England.

3. Objects and powers

The Company is established for the public benefit and for the following objects.

3.1To establish a center

3.1.1 to undertake and encourage research into the history and cultures of theSudan

3.1.2 to collect, collate and preserve records objects documents artifacts audio and visual recordings photographs and materials and all other examples: and evidence of the history and cultural traditions of the Sudan including but not by way of limitation its languages systems of belief music and folklore.

3.1.3 to display Publish and disseminate by all appropriate means its collections and researches and to make them available to researchers throughout the world,

In furtherance such objects but, nor further or otherwise, the Company shall have power

3.2 to cause to be written, and Printed or otherwise reproduced and circulated, gratuitously or otherwise, periodicals, magazines, books leaflets cir other documents or films or recorded tapes,

3.3 to hold exhibitions, meetings, lectures, classes. seminars and courses either alone or with others,

3.4 to foster and undertake research into any aspect of the objects of the

Company and its work and to disseminate the results of any such research;

3.5 to cc-operate and enter into arrangements with any authorities, national, local or otherwise;

3.6 to accept subscriptions, donations devises and bequests of, and to purchase, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire and hold, any real or personal estate, maintain and alter any of the same as are necessary For any of the objects of the Company and (subject to such consents as may be required by law) sell, lease or otherwise dispose of or mortgage any such real or personal estate;

3.7 to issue appeals, hold public meetings and take such other steps as may be required for the purpose of procuring contributions to the funds of the Company in the shape of donations, subscriptions or otherwise;

3.8 to draw, make, accept, indorse, discount, execute and issue promissory notes, bills, cheques, and other instruments, and, to operate bank accounts;

3.9 to borrow or raise money for the objects of the Company on such terms and (with such consents as are required by law) on such security as may be thought fit provided that the Company shall not undertake any permanent trading activities in raising funds for the objects of the Company;

3.10 to take and accept any gift of money, property or other assets, whether subject to any special trust or not, for any one or more of the objects of the company;

3.11 to invest the money of the Company not immediately required for its objects in or on such investments, securities or property as may be thought fit, subject nevertheless to such conditions (if any) and such consents (if any) as may for the timbeing be imposed or required by law and subject also as provided bel;

3.12 to make any charitable donation either in cash or assets for the furtherance of the objects of the Company

3.13 to establish and support an office or offices of the Company in any country outside the United Kingdom provided that.

3.13.1 such office shall be established solely for the purpose of carrying into effect the objects of the Company

3.13.2 no financial or other support shall be given to such office for any purpose other than that of furthering the objects of the Company and only by such means as would be permitted to the Company

3.13.3 the directors of the Company shall be and shall remain liable for the supervision and control of such office as if it were established in England and

3.13.4 full and up-to-date accounts and records of the financial and other activities of such office shall be available for inspection at the registered office of the Company

3.13.5 the assets and undertaking of such office shall be owned and controlled to the fullest extent possible by the Company

3.14 to establish and support any charitable association or body and to subscribe

or guarantee money for charitable purposes calculated to further the objects of the Company;

3.15 to employ and pay any person or persons to supervise, organize, carry on the work of and advise the Company;

3.16 to insure and arrange insurance cover for, and to indemnify its officers, servants and voluntary workers and those of its members from and against, all such risks incurred in the course of the performance of their duties as may be

3.17 subject to the provisions of clause 4 to pay reasonable annual sums or premiums for or towards the provision of pensions for officers or servants for the time being of the Company or their dependents;

3.18 to amalgamate with any companies, institutions, societies or associations which are charitable at law and have objects altogether or mainly similar to those of the Company and prohibit the payment of any dividend or profit to, and the distribution of any of their assets amongst, their members at least to ;he same extent as such payments or distributions are prohibited in the case of members of the Company by this memorandum of association.

3.19 to pay out of the funds of the Company the costs, charges and expenses of and incidentas to the formation and registration of the Company;

3.20 to establish where necessary local branches (whether autonomous or not);

3.21 to do all such other lawful things as shall further the above objects or any of them;

PROVIDED that :-

3.22 in case the Company shall take or hold any property which may be subject to any trusts, the Company shall deal with or invest the same only in such manner as allowed by law, having regard to such trusts;

3.23 the objects of the Company shall not extend to the regulation of relations between workers and employers or organizations of workers and organizations of employers;

3.24 in case the Company shall take or hold any property subject to the jurisdiction of the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales, the company shall not sell, mortgage, charge or lease the same without such authority, approval or consent as may be required by law and as regards any such property the management committee of the company shall be chargeable for any such property that may come into its hands and shall be answerable and accountable for its own acts, receipts, neglects and defaults and for the due administration of such property in the same manner and to the same extent as it as such management committee would have been if no incorporation had been effected, and the incorporation of the company shall not diminish or impair any control or authority exercisable by the chancery division of the High Court of Justice or the Charity Commissioners over such management committee but it shall as regards any such property be subject jointly and separately to such control or authority as if the company were not incorporated or impair any control or authority exercisable by the chancery division of the High Court of Justice or the Charity Commissioners over such management committee but it shall as regards any such property be subject jointly and separately to such control or authority as if the company were not incorporated.

4. Application of income and property

The income and property of the Company shall be applied solely towards the promotion of its objects as set forth on this Memorandum of Association and no portion of such income and property shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit, to members of the company and no member of its management committee shall be appointed to any office of the company paid by salary or fees or receive any remuneration or other benefit in money’s worth from the company provided that nothing shall prevent any payment in good faith by the Company ;

4.1 of reasonable and proper remuneration to any member, office or servant of the company not being a member of its management committee for any services rendered to the company,

4.2 of interest on money lent by any member of the company or its management committee at a rate per year not exceeding 2% less than the base lending rate prescribed for the time being by a clearing bank selected by that management committee or 30/u whichever is the greater ;

4.3 of reasonable and proper rent for premises demised or let by any member of the company or of its management committee;

4.4 of fees, remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth to a company of which a member of the management committee may be a member holding not more than one -hundredth part of the capital of that company; and to any member of its management committee of out - of- pocket expenses

5. Limited liability

The liability of the members is limited

6. Contribution to assets of the Company

Every member of the company undertakes to contribute to the assets of the company, in the event of the same being wound up while he is a member, or within one year after he ceases to be member, for payment of the debts and liabilities of the Company contracted before he ceases to be a member, and of the costs, charges and expenses of winding up, and for the adjustment of the rights of the contributors among themselves, such amount as may be required not exceeding one pound.

7. Surplus assets

If on the winding - up or dissolution of the company there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the company, but shall be given or transferred to some other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the company, and which shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the Company under or by virtue of clause 4, such institution or institutions to be determined by the members of the company at or before the time of dissolution, and in so far as effect cannot be given to such provision, then to some other charitable object.

We, the subscribers to this memorandum of association, wish to be formed into a company pursuant to this memorandum........