As one of the great preservers of Islamic cultural heritage, Professor Sir Nasser D. Khalili has always considered it a responsibility to showcase the contribution of Islamic art and culture to the world. So in 2005, the Khalili Foundation published Visions of Splendour: The Timeline History of Islamic Art and Architecture – a book written by Sir David that tells the story of Islamic civilisation through the art it produced. It was launched with Lord Adonis, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State to the Department for Education and Skills in the presence of dignitaries including Ambassadors from Muslim and non-Muslim countries. The Khalili Foundation distributed 20,000 free English copies of the book to schools in the UK and internationally in order to popularise Islamic culture in the non-Muslim world. Moreover a further 20,000 free Arabic copies were distributed to schools in Muslim countries (including the Palestinian Territories) in order to inspire the next generation by reconnecting them with their own cultural heritage.
