The BA’s Center for Alexandrian and Mediterranean studies (ALEXMED) and the French research center CEDEJ organized a conference on the past, present and future of the city of Alexandria. Ismail Serageldin surprised everyone by articulating a vision for the future of Alexandria and describing the urban design issues that needed to be addressed in the context of a future scenario for the transformation of Alexandria. In commenting about that lecture, he reminded the questioners that he was originally trained as an architect and city-planner, and that he had practiced the profession for eight years as a consultant, and subsequently been twice in charge of Urban and Tourism projects at the World Bank.