Serageldin opened the World Digital Library Partners and Stakeholders Meeting, with a welcoming address to the new and prospective partners of the organization. The meeting was convened to discuss recent developments and future plans and to welcome the newly joined partners. New and prospective partners will be from Mexico, China, Japan, Taiwan, Qatar, Serbia, Sweden, Slovakia and Israel.
Librarian of Congress James H. Billington and, Ismail Serageldin had previously signed an agreement on 10 April 2007, at the Library of Congress, outlining the areas in which the two institutions will cooperate in building a World Digital Library. Along with other libraries and cultural institutions from around the world, both institutions will contribute content to the World Digital Library and work together on the design and implementation of the architecture of the World Digital Library.