Following the success of the inaugural International Summit of the Book, held in Washington DC on 6-7 December 2012, with the theme “The Culture Of The Book”, the National Library Board Singapore (NLB) hosted the Second International Summit on 16 August 2013 with the theme “A Book By Any Other Name”. The Summit focused on the meaning and future of the book, from an Asian and global perspective. Through a series of three panel discussions, it brought together leaders of great libraries, eminent authors, and thought leaders and publishers of both the old and the new media in a spirited exchange of ideas.
Speaking at the opening session of the Summit entitled “The Meaning of the Book in Human Civilization”, Serageldin gave a speech on “The Book in Arab/Muslim Civilization”, where he explored the role of the book in human civilization.
The International Summit of The Book is an initiative by the Library of Congress to celebrate the enduring influence of the culture of the book and the importance of libraries and books in preserving national cultural identities and the human civilisation. The Library of Congress plans for the Summit to travel to a different cultural capital each year, somewhat in the manner of the Olympics.
