Alliance of Civilizations – THE REPORT

The Report of the High-level Group of the Alliance of Civilizations was presented to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and to Prime Ministers José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the final meeting of the High-level Group.

Information, Savoir et Sagesse

- Geneva, Switzerland

Au début de cette allocution que vous me faites l’honneur de me permettre de vous présenter, je voudrais essayer de préciser les termes de mon exposé. Car pour discuter une réalité complexe, il faudrait utiliser des concepts précis… comme le disait le président Mitterrand:

Statement of Thanks

- Bajaj Foundation, Mumbai, India

It is difficult to speak at a moment like this. For any person who believes in human dignity, in human rights, in peace, in non-violence… the name of Mahatma Gandhi shines like the sun… it extinguishes from view all the stars of the firmament. Indeed, it has been rightly said that it is difficult to imagine that such a person walked the earth…

Freedom of Expression… at the Close of 2006!

- Remarks Delivered at the Close of the Ibsen Centennial Celebration at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt

Consider the paradox of our times. We live in a time of peerless communication, where news is instantaneous, and more information – and disinformation – is available on the Internet for all, at all times. The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) revolution is creating a more connected world, a more informed world, and a world with much more in common than we ever had before.

Nantes University Honors Serageldin

Ismail Serageldin received an Honorary Doctorate from Nantes University in recognition of his efforts towards cultural development. The celebration heard a talk by Serageldin on the cultural, social, and scientific role of the Library of Alexandria.

Serageldin Receives Award for Promoting Gandhian Values

The prestigious Jamnalal Bajaj Awards for this year were declared yesterday and will be conferred upon the recipients in a ceremony in November 2006. Ismail Serageldin will be honored for promoting Ghandian values outside India.

Vision for Alexandria

Under the auspices of H.E. Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and in collaboration with the Alexandria Governorate, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) held a conference to present the projects submitted for the development of the Eastern Harbor and the area surrounding the BA.

STS Plenary Session Speech “Summaries from Concurrent Sessions”

- Speech at Plenary Session “Summaries from Concurrent Sessions” - Summarizing Track D Concurrent Sessions, Third Annual Meeting of the STS forum, Kyoto, Japan

The Three sessions that I am reporting on dealt with Science literacy for all; universities in the 21st century; and science and technology for/in developing countries. The discussions were very rich. Some issues such as IPR, the digital divide and the gender dimension were recurring background themes but have been formally addressed in other sessions.

Lights and Shadows of Science and Technology

Ismail Serageldin joined some 600 leading scientists, policymakers, business executives and opinion leaders from 70 countries, regions and international organizations at the third annual meeting of the Science and Technology in Society forum. Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, representing the Japanese government...

Serageldin Receives TWAS Medal in Brazil

Ismail Serageldin has been awarded the TWAS Medal on the occassion of the 10th general conference of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World. Since 1996, the Academy has been awarding 'TWAS Medal Lectures' to some of its members in recognition of their achievements in their fields of research.

GWP Celebrates 10th Anniversary

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Global Water Partnership (GWP), Ismail Serageldin was honored for being a Founder and the first GWP Chairman since its foundation in 1996.

In Memoriam: Ryutaro Hashimoto

It is with a deep sense of loss that I learn of the death of Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto, the former Prime Minister of Japan. His long and distinguished career in public service is known to all. But Mr. Hashimoto was also one of those rare individuals who has had very broad international respect that remained undimmed after his retirement from office.

Serageldin Proposes Education for Peace at Second Petra Conference of Nobel Laureates

At the inaugural session of the second Petra conference of Nobel Laureates, His Majesty King Abdullah II called to help establish a Palestinian state and avert a humanitarian crisis in the cash-strapped Palestinian territories. Joining the Nobel Laureates at the conference were world-renowned leaders from the public and private sectors as well as from the civil society.

Education for Peace

- Petra, Jordan

The Arab and Muslim worlds are very diverse. Covering a vast expanse that stretches from Morocco to Indonesia and from Central Asia to northern Nigeria, the predominantly Muslim countries show an enormous diversity of local cultures, languages and national histories and experiences.

DLF Spring Board Meeting in Washington

For the second year in a row, Ismail Serageldin attended the DLF spring board meeting in Washington DC. The meeting agenda included discussions on the development of scenarios of how the future research library, both digital and federated, will deliver value in the research and learning lives of their users.

‘Scientific Supercourse’ by Laporte, Omenn, Serageldin, Cerf and Linkov Featured in Science Magazine

In their recent editorial "Doing more for Kate"(16 Dec., 2005, p. 1741), T. Cech and D. Kennedy describe the need to revitalize science education. They wrote, "[We need to] teach better with less struggle." In an effort to empower higher education teachers, we built a Global Health Network Supercourse library of 2500 PowerPoint lectures on public health and prevention (1).

Statement Condemning Terrorist Attacks

We strongly condemn the recent bombings in Dahab and Rafah, and offer our deep condolences to the families of those who were murdered and our heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured.

Universality of Shakespeare: Contemporary Issues: Gender, Racism and War

- Alexandria, Egypt

It is a distinct honor to welcome you all to the New Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which like its namesake of old, seeks to be a center of learning and scholarship, a center of discussion and dialogue.

A Series of Lectures on Agriculture

The Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Alexandria welcomed Ismail Serageldin who delivered four highly illuminating lectures on Agriculture over a two-day period. The lecture series included presentations on agriculture at the outset of the 21st century, science and food security and irrigation and the environment.

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.