On October 10, Ismail Serageldin welcomed the ambassadors of over 20 nations and the representatives of the Associations of friends of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina for a business like review of the achievements of the BA in the past two years and the forward design of the next two years. Mrs. Mubarak, who had been detained on official business abroad, sent a message to the participants that was delivered by Ismail Serageldin. Subsequent meetings with the Associations of friends allowed the opportunity for Serageldin and his colleagues at the BA to present progress reports to the participants. The consensus was that much had been achieved and that the BA was truly functioning at a new level.