Beirut Arab University (BAU) awarded Serageldin an honorary doctoral degree, honoris causa, in Arts, at the commencement ceremony held at the Debbieh campus on Thursday, 25 June 2009.
In a highly motivating acceptance “speech”, entitled “ Our Arab Culture and the Culture of Knowledge”, Serageldin stressed that, in order for the Arab world to take part in shaping present-day civilization, it is vitally important that it joins the rapid race of scientific progress; and he went on to highlight the crucial role of Arab youth in today’s global knowledge revolution. He pointed out that it was the Arab and Muslim scholars, of more than a thousand years ago, who forged the frontiers of science and knowledge, by questioning the inherited truths of the time, and establishing the principles of the modern scientific method which is based on empirical and measurable evidence; and, moreover, did so in an atmosphere of openness and tolerance.
This is the second honorary degree granted by the BAU; the first one was granted to late Prime-minister of Lebanon, Rafiq El-Hariry in 1994. It is worth mentioning that Serageldin holds 22 honorary doctoral degrees, the last one was granted to him by Université Laval in Quebec, Canada, in August 2008.
