A remarkable Palestinian personal archive has found a new home in Scotland.

What can one person’s diary tell us about nearly six decades of Palestinian life? In the case of Palestinian writer and lawyer Raja Shehadeh, the answer is remarkable: more than five million words, tens of thousands of pages, and a unique personal record of a society and its history.

On 3 September 2026, the University of Edinburgh hosted From Palestine to Scotland: Celebrating the Raja Shehadeh Archive, marking the preservation of the archive of Palestinian writer and lawyer Raja Shehadeh at the University’s Centre for Research Collections. Qasem Abu Harb, CBRL–Kenyon Institute Senior Archivist, joined the event online, representing CBRL and contributing to the wider celebration of this important Palestinian archival collection.

At the centre of the collection are Shehadeh’s personal diaries, which he began keeping in May 1967, at the age of 15, and has continued for almost six decades. Comprising more than five million words across tens of thousands of pages, the diaries offer an exceptional first-hand record of Palestinian life, society and history. The archive also includes the papers of his father, the Palestinian lawyer Aziz Shehadeh (1912–1985), extending the collection’s documentary scope across almost a century.

Preserving a Palestinian Documentary Legacy

The journey of the archive from Palestine to Scotland is itself an important example of international archival collaboration. The preservation project brought together the Educational Bookshop in Jerusalem, the University of Exeter’s Digital Archive of the Middle East (DAME), and the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Research Collections and Alwaleed Centre.

Over two years, project teams worked in Palestine to digitise the diaries and accompanying papers. The work created a comprehensive digital record while preparing the original documents for secure long-term preservation.

The physical archive was subsequently transported from Palestine to Edinburgh in eight separate consignments. The original materials are now preserved at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Research Collections, where they can be cared for and made available for future research.

Digital preservation forms an important and complementary part of the project. Digital copies are preserved through DAME at the University of Exeter, with selected material available online. This offers opportunities for researchers and wider audiences to engage with the collection while helping to protect the original documents.

The University of Exeter has documented the project in its feature, “Diaries offer rare glimpse into six decades of Palestinian society,” highlighting the digitisation work undertaken in Palestine and the collaboration between the teams in Jerusalem, Exeter and Edinburgh.

An Archive with Wider Historical Significance

The Raja Shehadeh Archive is significant not only because of its size, but also because of the continuity of the record it contains. Beginning in 1967, Shehadeh’s diaries document almost six decades of personal observations and experiences against the backdrop of profound changes in Palestinian society and history.

The inclusion of Aziz Shehadeh’s papers adds an earlier generation of documentary material, creating connections across family history and extending the chronological reach of the collection. Together, these materials demonstrate how personal papers can contribute to the wider historical record by preserving individual experiences, observations and perspectives that may not appear in official archives.

For CBRL, the project highlights the importance of professional archival practice, digitisation and international cooperation in safeguarding Palestinian documentary heritage. It demonstrates how carefully planned archival work can bring together the preservation of original materials with responsible digital access.

From Archive to Future Research

The Edinburgh celebration brought together Raja Shehadeh and members of the teams involved in preserving, digitising and transferring the archive. Shehadeh read from his diaries and reflected on their significance for literature, history and the study of Palestine.

The successful preservation of the collection marks an important stage in its journey but also opens a new chapter: one in which the archive can support research, teaching and wider engagement with Palestinian history and documentary heritage.

From diaries first written by a teenager in Palestine in 1967, to their digitisation in Palestine, transfer in eight consignments to Edinburgh, and digital preservation through Exeter, the Raja Shehadeh Archive demonstrates the enduring value of personal records and the importance of collaboration in ensuring that they remain accessible for future generations.

Explore the Archive

Raja Shehadeh Archive – Digital Archive of the Middle East, University of Exeter

University of Exeter – “Diaries offer rare glimpse into six decades of Palestinian society”

University of Edinburgh – From Palestine to Scotland: Celebrating the Raja Shehadeh Archive