In light of the upcoming Einstein Symposium to be held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in June 2005, Ismail Serageldin today started the first of a series of lectures intended to introduce the topic and lead up to the big event in June. This first lecture was entitled Why Einstein? During the course of the lecture, Serageldin capably presented how the theories of Newton and Einstein, far more than those of other eminent scientists have forever changed our conception of the world we live in, and our views of ourselves and of science. Einsteins work is also valued for the way his scientific advances opened and until today continue to open many doors for further scientific research.