Putting Diversity to Work at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East

Business leaders and policy makers gathered at the World Economic Forum to address the importance of social and political diversity and economic diversification in the region. The theme of this year''s World Economic Forum on the Middle East, Putting Diversity to Work, spotlights efforts to accelerate economic diversification...

On A Boat in Geneva

Meeting with a group of Swiss Egyptians on a boat in the lake by Geneva, Serageldin recreated the inspiring and dramatic story of the ancient library of Alexandria and the rebirth of the new bibliotheca Alexandrina in 2002. Speaking in flawless French, he carried the audience with him on a journey of nostalgia and discovery.

Religion and Science Are Non-overlapping Magisteria

Speaking at a lunch in a discussion moderated by TV anchor Riz Khan, Serageldin spelled out his vision of the need to separate the methods of empirical investigation (the basis for science) from the act of belief and of philosophical reasoning. Serageldin argued that each of these domains or magisteria had its own authority structure and answered different classes of questions.

C-100 Meets Again

Serageldin joined Lord Carey and Princess Lolwah Al Faisal and many others at the meeting of the C-100 held on the occasion of the WEF meetings in Jordan. The discussion centered on the future orientations of the C-100, and the importance of rigor in preparing an annual report on the status of west-Islamic relations.

IUBS Conference Starts with a Bang in Washington DC

Serageldin joined Rita Colwell, Bill Clark, Claire Fraser-Liggett and other distinguished speakers in the opening plenary to launch the IUBS meeting. He spoke of the need to have a new system of measurement that would be capable of capturing the reality of sustainable development.

Committee Reconvenes on Millennium Development Goals

Serageldin and members of the high-level committee on the Millennium Development Goals convened in Rome at the FAO headquarters for their second meeting. The meeting focused on three main topics, the lessons learnt from SPFS; emerging threats to food security with a particular emphasis on climate change and FAO as a knowledge organization.

One, Two, Three, Four…The Hidden Geometries in Shakespearean Constructs

- Alexandria, Egypt

On a bright sunny day, half a century after the death of Shakespeare, a young man darkened his room in Cambridge, and made a hole in his window shutters, allowing only a single beam of sunlight to enter the darkened room. He placed a glass prism in the path of the light, and lo! The bright white light, suddenly became a spectacular explosion of colors! A multicolored rainbow!

Serageldin Presents the Hidden Patterns in Shakespeare’s Plays

At the annual Shakespeare conference, Serageldin engaged his audience by comparing the hidden patterns in the construction of Shakespearean drama to the geometrical phenomena of kaleidoscope and fractals.

Bibliotheca Alexandria Trustees Convene for their Eighth Meeting

Meetings of the BA’s Board of Trustees were held in Alexandria and reflected well on the enormous progress achieved at the BA throughout the previous year. The Board also authorized the release of the fifth Annual Report of the BA.

Wikipedia Interviews Serageldin

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina welcomed Mr. John Murillo and Mr. Brishen Mahoney, who were on a journey around the world preparing a documentary about free access to knowledge. They came to Alexandria to interview Ismail Serageldin and to visit the BA, its specialized libraries, exhibitions, galleries, the Planetarium, Culturama, and the BA conference center.

Science in Egypt: From (A) Imhotep to (Z) Zewail

- Cairo

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “Science in Egypt: From (A) Imhotep to (Z) Zewail” in Cairo.

Serageldin Hosts Helsinki Process Roundtable at the BA

Religions for Peace Honorary President, Ismail Serageldin, hosted a roundtable meeting of the Helsinki Process at the BA. More than twenty participants, from religious organizations, governments, academia, and development agencies, worked together in the Roundtable.

Brainstorming on “Hate as a Contagious Disease"

The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity convened a meeting on “Hate as a Contagious Disease”. The meeting was hosted by Dr. Vartan Gregorian, President of the Carnegie Corporation. In his opening remarks, Professor Wiesel said that “Hate is ultimately self-destructive…while memory can be a shield against hatred, memory can also be used to fuel hatred and to justify violence.”

BA Hosts GFAR Meeting

Ismail Serageldin hosted the participatory retreat of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The meeting discussed ways to formulate the central theme, direction and priorities through a business plan for the coming three years. Serageldin stressed on the vital role of GFAR in mobilizing agricultural research globally for development.

President Khatami Speaks on the Dialogue of Civilizations at the BA

Former Iranian President – Mohamed Khatami – came to the Library of Alexandria to speak about the Dialogue of Civilizations. President Khatami started off his speech by speaking about the value of books, science, and rationality. On the role of the Library of Alexandria as a modern knowledge center, Khatami spoke fondly of the efforts to revive the Library of Alexandria, as a center of knowledge, research and information for the whole world.

University Governance: What is it? Why now?

- Alexandria

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “University Governance: What is it? Why now?” in the Library of Alexandria.

Serageldin Speaks at the Belgium Senate

At the invitation of the European Movement International, Ismail Serageldin gave a speech to the Belgium Senate on the “Alliance of Civilization”. The event was co-hosted by the European Movement International via its Vice-President, Mr. Charles-Ferdinand Nothomb in partnership with the Belgium Senate and its President Mrs. Anne-Marie Lizin.

A Record Attendance at BioVision 2007

Serageldin joined a record number of world leaders in science, society and industry, who gathered in Lyon for the BioVision conference to debate the role and contribution of life sciences to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDSs). The conference was attended by 2,285 delegates (1,639 in 2005) representing 75 countries.

Pre-Conference Report: Development of Agriculture in Saline and Dry Areas

- Lyon, France

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “Pre-Conference Report: Development of Agriculture in Saline and Dry Areas” in Lyon.

Charles Correa Presents the Language of Architecture at the BA

Ismail Serageldin welcomed good friend and world renowned architect, planner, activist, theoretician and a fundamental figure in the world-wide panorama of the contemporary architecture to the BA where he delivered a lecture on the language of architecture. Throughout the lecture, Correa covered a wide range of his works...

Serageldin Welcomes Superstar Hussein Fahmy to the BA

Film star and former UN Goodwill Ambassador came to the BA to speak about the role of the arts in community development. The talk was organized and hosted by the BA Friends Association. During his talk, Hussein Fahmy highlighted the importance of art in reflecting the reality of people and their aspirations in developing their community.

World Bank African Development Indicators Launched at the BA

At a seminar at the BA, the World Bank African Development Indicators were launched by the World Bank Public Information Center. Serageldin chaired the session during which the report was presented Mr. Jorge Saba Arbache.

From Reform To Renewal Civil Society and the transformation of the Arab World

- Alexandria, Egypt

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “From Reform To Renewal Civil Society and the transformation of the Arab World” in the Library of Alexandria.

Women and Human Rights Take Center Stage at the Fourth Arab Reform Conference

The BA organized and hosted the fourth conference on Arab reform issues with a special focus on women and human rights. Ismail Serageldin chaired both the opening and closing sessions of the conference in addition to a session on the role of social capital in reform.

Understanding The USA: Part 4 - The Constitution

- Alexandria

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “Understanding The USA: Part 4 - The Constitution” in the Library of Alexandria.

Understanding The USA: Part 5 - American Culture and The Power of Ideas

- Alexandria

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “Understanding The USA: Part 5 - American Culture and The Power of Ideas” in the Library of Alexandria.

A Magisterial Series of Lectures on American History and Contemporary Reality

In answer to the recurring requests by the students of the Alexandria University, Ismail Serageldin delivered a series of five lectures on American history and contemporary reality over the course of two days! Serageldin gave a lucid account of the epic transformation of a handful of colonial settlements into the world’s undisputed superpower forges a nation and a national character.

Understanding The USA: Part 1 - Origins, Revolution, Constitution

- Alexandria

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “Understanding The USA: Part 1 - Origins, Revolution, Constitution” in the Library of Alexandria.

Understanding The USA: Part 2 - The 19th Century

- Alexandria

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “Understanding The USA: Part 2 - The 19th Century” in the Library of Alexandria.

Understanding The USA: Part 3 - The 20th Century

- Alexandria

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “Understanding The USA: Part 3 - The 20th Century” in the Library of Alexandria.

CREF Board of Trustees Meeting Brings Serageldin to Cyprus

Ismail Serageldin attended the Board of Trustees meeting of the Cyprus Research and Educational Foundation (CREF) of which he is a board member. The meeting was chaired by H.E. President of the Republic Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos at the Presidential Palace.

Tenth BA Management Retreat

Ismail Serageldin gathered all the BA senior and junior managers for a two-day management retreat in Cairo, in which he delivered a number of presentations that ranged from staff attitude surveys to the Millennium Development Goals!

Authors’ Rights and the Public Interest: Reflections On Why Copyright Law Must Change

- Cairo, Egypt

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “Authors’ Rights and the Public Interest: Reflections On Why Copyright Law Must Change” in Cairo.

Serageldin Meets with the New Head of Japan’s Delegation to the JA Dialogue

Ismail Serageldin visited Tokyo to meet with H.E. Mr. Taro Nakayama, the new Head of Japan’s delegation to the Japan Arab dialogue forum. Serageldin and Mr. Nakayama overviewed the agenda of the fifth meeting of the forum and discussed the proposed conference on Japan Arab relations scheduled to take place in November 2007 in Alexandria.

Serageldin in Trieste for TWAS Steering Committee Meeting

Ismail Serageldin attended the first meeting of the TWAS Steering Committee. Members of the steering committee convened to overview the latest objectives and activities of the Academy.

Serageldin Welcomes Robert Putnam to the BA

Renowned Harvard Professor of Political Sciences, Robert Putnam delivered a talk at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina on community involvement in America. The talk was moderated by Ismail Serageldin and was very well received by the audience.

Freedom of Expression

 Ismail Serageldin    Download

Inventing Our Future: Essays on Freedom, Democracy and Reform in the Arab World. 2nd ed

 Ismail Serageldin    Download

We are living in truly historic times. At the dawn of the new millennium, a scientific and technological revolution grips the world and is pushing us all, willy-nilly, into the information age...

Science: The Culture of Living Change. 2nd ed

 Ismail Serageldin    Download

Islam and Democracy

 Ismail Serageldin    Download

Thank you for inviting me to deliver this important address. There has never been a time when the polarization of feelings has been as acute, and the stakes for the promotion of common understanding and mutual respect as great as right now. The advocates of the ostensible "clash of civilizations” who want to make it a self-fulfilling prophecy, find ample comfort in the statements and actions of the extremist few. The media amplify the statements and views of those who do not want to know better, and the voices of reason are drowned out in the cacophony of images and messages that preach hatred and destruction.

Hassan Fathy : The Man and His Legacy

 Ismail Serageldin    Download

Much More Than a Building … : Reclaiming the Legacy of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

 Ismail Serageldin    Download

التجديد و التأصيل: في عمارة المجتمعات الإسلامية تجربة جائزة الأغاخان للعمارة

 Ismail Serageldin    Download

The Description: Dr. Boutros Boutros Ghali and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

- Alexandria, Egypt

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “The Description: Dr. Boutros Boutros Ghali and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina” at the Library of Alexandria.

Meeting on Biotechnology and Human Security

Ismail Serageldin was invited to a meeting hosted by the Secretary-General Kofi Annan with leading figures from life science, industry, government, international institutions and civil society at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Reinventing Egyptian Education

- Conference Closing Summation at the AMIDEAST 50^th Anniversary Celebration, Cairo, Egypt

I am delighted to join you in celebrating the 50th anniversary of AMIDEAST’s activities in Egypt. Half a century where AMIDEAST has helped build bridges between the US and Egypt, even in turbulent times, like the period we are going through right now.

Reinventing Egyptian Education

Serageldin Presents Science in Egypt from Imhotep to Zewail

Ismail Serageldin delivered a lucid presentation on science in Egypt at the opening session of the InterAcademy Panel conference themed ''The Unity of Science'' hosted at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

The African Biotechnology Panel: Building Capacities for Science and Technology

- Cairo

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “The African Biotechnology Panel: Building Capacities for Science and Technology” in Cairo.

An Evening to Remember

Gathered among many friends and family, Nevine and Ismail Serageldin celebrated their 40th Wedding anniversary with a dinner and reception. In a memorable speech, Ismail Serageldin said that forty years of marriage have gone by in a blink of an eye.