On a cold and rainy Monday morning, Ismail Serageldin delivered the keynote address at the Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Week, at the Headquarters of the World Bank. Throughout his presentation, titled "Human Security in an Increasingly Fragile World'', Serageldin illustrated several challenges the world faces such as development of human and social capital across the world on equitable lines, cultural wars, gender issues and equity issues between the poor and the rich nations. Serageldin used a number of slides which reinforced his message tremendously. Furthermore, Serageldin spoke about the cultural dynamics in the Muslim world and the struggle between "the very strong Islamic current'' and a small but growing section in the Islamic world advocating liberal values. Despite the inclemency of the weather, the hall was densely packed. The audience included many of Serageldin's old friends and admirers.