An Evening with Ismail Serageldin

Ismail Serageldin met for several hours with some 100 young people of the city of Alexandria where many issues were discussed and where the young people felt strongly committed to work for the betterment of the society where they live.

Reflections on the Cartoons Controversy

The recent cartoon controversy that engaged the world showed that there was a profound gulf of misunderstanding between the Muslim world and the west. To many in the west, the publication of some offensive cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper, and their subsequent reprinting in other western papers, was just a matter of free expression and did not justify the anger that swept the Muslim world and which resulted in violence....

Shakespeare Now

Ismail Serageldin welcomed more than 320 guests who came to the Library of Alexandria to attend the two-day conference on William Shakespeare. The conference started with a keynote speech by Professor Catherine Belsey...

Is Sustainable Development Feasible?

The Earth Institute at Columbia University convened the fourth biennial State of the Planet Conference to discuss the feasibility of sustainable development for billions worldwide.

Serageldin Introduces BA to KIT

Before a large audience of librarians at the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT), Ismail Serageldin articulated his views about the digital future and the digital libraries of tomorrow. Serageldin also spoke about the BA and of the work that it is doing in this domain.

BA Holds Third Arab Reform Conference

Challenges and Concerns facing the Civil Society is the theme of this years' Arab Reform conference at the BA. Addressing the opening session, Ismail Serageldin introduced the conferences' main themes...

Cartoon Crisis Calls for New Dialogue Between Cultures

Ismail Serageldin joined key Western, Arab and Muslim leaders for the second meeting of the High Level Group of the Alliance of Civilizations. The meeting focused mainly on the current cartoon crisis.

Serageldin Moderates Panel Discussion on “Women in an Insecure World”

A main topic of discussion at the launch of the Peace Studies Institute was “Women in an insecure world: The challenge and the response”. Ismail Serageldin introduced the subject and then moderated a panel discussion devoted to the issue.

Suzanne Mubarak Launches Institute for Peace Studies at the BA

H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak officially launched the Peace Studies Institute of the Suzanne Mubarak Women’s International Peace Movement in an event that gathered Nobel laureates, intellectuals and business leaders.

Serageldin in Davos for the Creative Imperative

Ismail Serageldin joined the members of the World Economic Forum for the Annual meeting of 2006. The theme of this years’ meeting is “The Creative Imperative”, which reflects an emphasis on innovative approaches to seek new solutions to the most pressing challenges on the global agenda.

SMWIPM Takes on Human Trafficking

The Suzanne Mubarak Women's International Peace Movement and the Global Coalition of Women Defending Peace organized a roundtable on "Business Community against the Trafficking of Human Beings" to signal the beginning of an international campaign against the scourge of human trafficking.

Changing Lives

 Ismail Serageldin, Ehsaan Massoud (Co-editors)    Download

Born Digital, The New Bibliotheca Alexandrina

 Ismail Serageldin    Download

Science: The Culture of Living Change

 Ismail Serageldin    Download

The material in this book is part of my ongoing quest for the improvement of science and education in the Muslim and Arab worlds generally and in Egypt particularly. In the face of mounting currents of obscurantism, fanaticism and irrationality, it is essential that we promote rationality, skepticism and the joy of learning. Advancing the values of science is critical if science itself is to flourish. The four documents included here have different histories.

Women in Science: Time to Recognize the Obvious

 Ismail Serageldin    Download

Reflections on Our Digital Future

 Ismail Serageldin    Download

I believe that the future of Egypt, indeed of all the developing countries, will depend on a better appreciation of what can be done with the new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), the mastery of these technologies and their proper deployment in a strategic fashion. This requires that the national infrastructure with its international links be in place. I am happy to note that Egypt has in the last few years been blessed with a Government that understands such issues and acts upon them. Providing free Internet access, and committed to increasing bandwidth, the Government has not spared any efforts in providing the broad national framework for institutions to respond to the challenge. Many have. The private sector responded. Mobile telephone and Internet subscribers exploded. However, the Arabic e-content lagged, and the systematic access to the knowledge and techniques necessary to respond to the new challenges of research and science needed organization and development.

A Landmark Building: Reflections on the Architecture of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

 Ismail Serageldin    Download

Serageldin Goes to Upper Egypt

Ismail Serageldin visited South Valley University in Qena and delivered two lectures to a full audience of university professors and students. Serageldin’s first lecture was: the BA’s role as a cultural institution.

Writing is an Act of Love

- The Inauguration of the Exhibition of Hans Christian Andersen, Alexandria, Egypt

Earlier this year and subsequently, I have had the honor as an ambassador for the campaign for Andersen’s bicentennial to speak of the deceptive simplicity of his talent, of the lasting value o his works, of the magic of his fairytales. Today, as we come close to the end of that great year we launched standing together in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, we stand together again in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina to inaugurate a special exhibition dedicated to HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN, right here in the heart of the Reading room of the BA.

Hans Christian Andersen and the Art of Writing

As part of the celebration of the Hans Christian Andersen bicentenary, Thorvaldsen's Museum in association with the Hans Christian Andersen 2005 Foundation, UNESCO, and the Danish Ministry of Education are presenting an exhibition focusing on a selection of Hans Christian Andersen's diaries and almanacs.

16^th Annual TWAS Conference Concluding Statement

- 16^th Annual TWAS Conference, Alexandria, Egypt

On behalf of myself and my colleagues at the BA we want to thank TWAS for having given us the possibility of welcoming you all on our premises, and to have shared these wonderful hours of thoughtful discussion and friendly camaraderie.

A Stellar Presentation on Science in Egypt

A highlight of the TWAS 16th General meeting in Alexandria was a presentation about science in Egypt by Ismail Serageldin. Throughout the presentation titled From Imhotep to Zewail...

President Mubarak: The BA a Center for Dialogue Among Cultures and Civilizations

President Hosni Mubarak inaugurated the 16th General Meeting of The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The Meeting brings together scientists and researchers from around the Arab World, Africa, Asia, and Latin America and their counterparts from developed industrial countries.

Serageldin in Spain for the Alliance of Civilizations

In support of a call by Prime Minister José Luis Rodr?guez Zapatero of Spain, the UN Secretary-General launched an initiative for an “Alliance of Civilizations”, co-sponsored by the Prime Ministers of Spain and Turkey.

BA at Phase II of the WSIS in Tunis

Phase II of the World Summit on the Information Society welcomed more than 16,000 delegates from 176 countries in Tunis to focus on forging strategies to improve the accessibility and affordability of information and communication technologies. The BA and Egypt’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology participated jointly at the event.

Message from the UN Secretary-General on the Launch of the Arab Info Mall

The Arab Info. Mall was officially launched during the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS), with messages by Kofi Anan, UN Secretary-General, Tarek Kamel, Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Egypt and Ismail Serageldin, Director, Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Chairman of the Arab Reform Forum.

The Pasha Remembered

To mark the bicentennial of Mohamed Ali Pasha’s reign over Egypt, the BA hosted “Mohamed Ali and the World”; a conference to celebrate the historic achievements of the man who the world came to know as the father of modern Egypt. At the closing session, Ismail Serageldin spoke of Ali as a visionary and highlighted many of his worthy achievements in Egypt and the Arab world.

Dream TV Airs Two-hour-long Interview with Serageldin

In an exclusive interview on Dream TV, Ismail Serageldin discussed a variety of topics over a period of two hours on the evening show “Al Ashera Masaa”. The diverse topics covered from childhood memories to his present post as the Director of the Library of Alexandria.

Serageldin Shines Light on Reform Issues at the Library of Congress

Ismail Serageldin, well-known to Washingtonians as a former World Bank Vice President and leader of its civil society programs, delivered a presentation about reform in Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean at the Library of Congress.

STS Plenary Session Summation

- Speech at Plenary Session “Summaries from Concurrent Sessions”, Kyoto, Japan

We devoted ourselves to a better understanding of that loom. How to organize data so that it becomes information, how to link and interpret it so that we gain knowledge, which hopefully, when refined in the crucible of experience, with insight and reflection, may lead us to wisdom. The wisdom to create that better world to which we are all committed.

A Gripping Summation at the Close of the Second STS Forum

Ismail Serageldin delivered an eloquent summary on IT’s impact on human society at the close of the second STS forum to a large audience of leading scientists, policymakers, business executives and opinion leaders from around the globe in Kyoto at the second annual meeting of the STS forum.

Japan and the Arab World: A New Strategic Alliance

- Vienna, Austria

Half a world away, half a lifetime ago, President John F. Kennedy spoke of world peace, he said:

“For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children’s future. And we are all mortal.”

JCCME Celebrates 30th Anniversary at Annual Conference

Ismail Serageldin delivered the key-note address at a commemorative conference that marked the 30th anniversary of the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME).

Challenging Censorship, Defending Freedom

- Opening Remarks Delivered at IFLA/FAIFE Conference, Oslo, Norway

I am honored to be here with you today in this event that celebrates that greatest of human virtues: the respect for free expression. Without it we cannot survive on this planet speaking hundreds of tongues, holding a wide range of political opinions and displaying a bewildering array of social attitudes and cultural attributes.

Personal Reminiscences by Serageldin at Swaminathan’s 80th Birthday

Eminent scientists gathered in Chennai to celebrate the 80th birthday of agricultural scientist Professor M.S. Swaminathan. In honor of the occasion, the Swaminathan Research Foundation hosted an international conference on Human Centered Sustainable Development Paradigm.

A Minute of Silence in Sharm El Sheikh

H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak commemorated a peace vigil in sympathy with the recent bombings in Sharm El Sheikh. Mrs. Mubarak’s message was one of solidarity and sympathy with families who lost loved ones in the attack and of calling for an end to terror and a commitment to peace.

Celebrating Teamwork at BA Managerial Retreat

Ismail Serageldin conducted a successful two-day offsite retreat gathering senior and junior BA managers. The main theme of the retreat was Teambuilding.

Second Task Group Meeting of the Japan/Arab Dialogue Forum

As a continuation of the first meeting of March 2005, members of the task group of the Japan/Arab Dialogue convened to further address issues relating to the situation in Iraq and Palestine.

Governance, Competitiveness and the African Future

- Alexandria, Egypt

I have had the privilege of being friends with Dunstan Wai almost from the first day I met him. We were colleagues at the World Bank, but really started working in earnest together after the reorganization of 1987 brought the Africa region under the leadership of Kim Jaycox, with Dunstan as his assistant and myself as a director for a number of countries in west and central Africa.

Back at Hypothesis

Ismail Serageldin was back at Hypothesis to participate in a panel on the New Frontiers of Innovation. Serageldin had previously joined Nobel Laureates at Hypothesis in March of 2000 to deliver the opening address at an event held under the theme...

At the Einstein Conference Ancient Arab Scholars Are in Demand

At the BA Einstein conference, the three quotations used by Ismail Serageldin in his opening plenary address elicited much interest. They are reproduced here along with a short bio about Ibn Al-Nafis and Ibn Al-Haytham.

TWAS Arab Regional Office Launched at the BA

In the midst of another action-packed week at the BA, Ismail Serageldin and Dr. Mohamed Hassan welcomed TWAS members from the Arab region to the launch of the Arab Regional Office of the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS-ARO) at the BA.

Serageldin Gets Second Term

Ismail Serageldin has been re-elected to his second term as Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The BA Board of Trustees unanimously decided to ask Dr. Ismail Serageldin to serve for a second five year term starting in May 2006.

BA Joins DLF

The Board of Trustees of the Digital Library Federation (DLF) today announced that the Bibliotheca Alexandrina has joined the DLF as its first strategic partner from outside the United States or Europe.

Serageldin Joins Nobel Laureates in Petra to Challenge Global Concerns

On the occasion of the inaugural Petra Conference of Nobel Laureates, HM King Abdullah of Jordan and Elie Wiesel hosted an exceptional gathering of Nobel prize-winners and world-renowned figures, among them, Ismail Serageldin, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Hollywood actor and activist Richard Gere.

Partnerships for Peace

- An Address Delivered at the 69^th Meeting of District 2450 of The Rotary International, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

With the eloquent words of HE the first lady still ringing in our ears, and the soaring vista that her vision of a better future has opened for all of us firmly before our eyes, allow me to focus my remarks on the important topic of building partnerships for peace.

Promoting a Culture of Peace in Sharm El Sheikh

At the 69th meeting of district 2450 of the Rotary International, Ismail Serageldin put in a stimulating address in which he spoke of the importance of forging peace partnerships and of how Rotary International can help bring about such an initiative.

Revisiting Corals

Ismail Serageldin enjoyed a well-deserved weekend away in Sharm El-Sheikh to revisit the fascinating corals of the Red Sea. Serageldin is known to be a keen scuba diver and a strong supporter of coral reefs and actions to conserve them.

The Tides of Change: Reflections on Arab Reform

Dag Hammarskjld Centenary Lecture at the BA

In a celebration marking the centenary of Dag Hammarskjld, Ismail Serageldin delivered a memorable speech commemorating the life and work of the late U.N. Secretary General.