Serageldin Signs MoU with Elsevier

The Library of Alexandria and Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide 150 researchers working in least-developed and low-income countries across the globe with access to ScienceDirect, Elsevier’s online scientific research platform with 11 million full text articles, and Scopus, an abstract and citation database containing 21,000 peer-reviewed journals from 5,000 publishers.

Ancient Alexandria and the Dawn of Medical Science

Dr Ismail Serageldin had agreed with Sir Magdi Yacoub, 'a great modern day leader of medicine', to write an article on the contributions of the Library of Alexandria to knowledge and science...

Public Health and Private Medicine: Looking Back and Looking Forward

This lecture entitled 'The Ibrahimian Lecture' was Dr. Ismail Serageldin's opening address to the Conference on Cardiovascular Diseases that was held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina on 4 February 2002...

On the Leading Role of the BA in UNL

Joining the board members of the Universal Networking Digital Language Foundations (UNDL), Serageldin attended the Board Meeting convened in Kuwait this week. At a meeting with the Board of Directors of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), Serageldin gave a presentation entitled “Who Benfitis from the UNL? The Leading Role of the Library of Alexandria”.

Universal Networking Language (UNL) and the Arab World

- Alexandria

Honor of the Golden Lion Bestowed on Serageldin

On the occasion of the inauguration of the new Patriarchal Museum in Alexandria, Pope Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa bestowed on Serageldin the Honor of the Golden Lion which is conferred on personalities, who have made significant contributions to the Pope and Patriarch for the Alexandrian Greek Orthodox Church.

Serageldin Chairs WDL Annual Meeting

As Chairman of the Executive Council of the World Digital Library (WDL), Serageldin convened with the members of the Council for the 2013 Partner Meeting. The meeting opened with the welcome and introductory remarks of Serageldin and James Billiongton, Librarian of Congress.

A Shared Commitment to Education

At a dinner arranged by the Alexandria Trust at the Royal Society in London in his honor, Serageldin delivered remarks on “Education and the Future of the Arab World”. His talk first covered the events in Egypt and the ongoing turmoil following the Arab Spring; and he went on to speak passionately of the vital role of education in the future of the Arab World. The remarks were very well received by the distinguished audience.

STI Building African Capacities in Science, Technology & Innovation

- Ghent, Belgium

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “STI Building African Capacities in Science, Technology & Innovation” in Ghent, Belgium.

Panel on the Importance of Biotechnology

A longtime advocate of biotechnology, Serageldin was invited to a Forum on Global Agriculture and Forestry held by the Institute of Plant Biotechnology Outreach (IPBO) at the Vlaams Instituut of Biotechnology (VIB) in Ghent, Belgium, under the title “30 of Years Plant Biotechnology”. He participated in the panel discussion Intensive but sustainable agriculture for emerging and developing countries

Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development: New thinking, New measures, New policies

- Brussels

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development: New thinking, New measures, New policies” in Brussels.

A Presentation on Sustaining Sustainability

At the Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA) Annual Lecture 2013 held at the European Parliament in Brussels under the title “Sustaining sustainability: Making economics work for the global environment”, Serageldin gave a keynote speech on ''Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development''.

Serageldin Chairs Workshop of Water Futures and Solutions

The first Scenario Focus Group workshop of the Water Futures and Solution (WFaS) Initiatives: World Water Scenarios, organized by the United Nations World Water Assessment Program hosted by UNESCO and by the International Institute for Applied System Analysis, was held in Paris on 4 to 6 November.

The University of the Future: The Challenge and the Response

- Beirut

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “The University of the Future: The Challenge and the Response” in Beirut.

Keynote Address on How University Education Needs to Be Transformed

The conference titled "Graduate and Postgraduate Programs in Education in Arab Universities: Quality and Added Value" co-organized by the Arab Educational Information Network - Shamaa and the Lebanese Association for Educational Studies (LAES) and hosted by the Lebanese American University, opened with a keynote address by Serageldin on “The Radical Challenges University Education will Face and How it Needs to be Transformed”.

The BA Saves the Collection of the Royal Tropical Institute

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by Ismail Serageldin as Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and Derk Vermeer as President of the Royal Tropical Institute— Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT) in Amsterdam, whereby the majority of the KIT library collection, almost 400,000 books and 20,000 journals, will be reallocated at the BA.

Water and Sanitation in Africa and the Middle East

- Egypt, Alexandria

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “Water and Sanitation in Africa and the Middle East” at the Library of Alexandria.

On the Future of the University & its Governance: The Challenge and the Response

- Alexandria Trust Seminar, Alexandria

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “On the Future of the University & its Governance: The Challenge and the Response” at “Alexandria Trust Seminar” at the Library of Alexandria.

STS Population and Resources

- STS, Kyoto, Japan

The debate on population and resources has been joined at least since Malthus and Condorcet… The former could not foresee anything except population growth hitting resources limit that would lead to famines and death. Condorcet saw that human imagination, science and technological innovation would be able to meet the needs of a growing population. Condorcet was right.

Tenth Anniversary STS Forum

At the tenth anniversary meeting of of the Science and Technology in Society (STS) forum, Serageldin was keynote speaker at the plenary session on “Population and Resources”. The STS annual meeting is held on the first Sunday of October every year in Kyoto, Japan, and gathers top policymakers, business leaders, scientists, researchers, media leaders and Nobel laureates from all over the world, to address science and technology issues in the 21st century.

Candidates for Chirac Peacemakers Prize Presented to the Jury

Serageldin met with the jury committee members of the Chirac Foundation to select a winner for the Chirac Foundation Prize for the Prevention of Conflicts. Having already convened twice this year to identify individuals committed to dialogue and mediation in tension zones, the committee of experts of the Chirac Foundation presented to the jury the proposed candidates.

La Renaissance de La Bibliothèque d’Alexandrie

- Celebration held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris

La Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Apres dix ans

- Paris, France

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “La Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Apres dix ans” in Paris.

A Talk on the Birth of a New Egypt at the American Club in Paris

At a luncheon held by the Paris American Club at the Cercle Inter Allié, Serageldin will today give a talk on "Egypt: Birth Pangs of a New Republic”. The Paris American Club brings together individuals and businesses for social gatherings and events, preserving a tradition begun by Benjamin Franklin’s “Sunday Dinners” in Paris in 1777.

The Library Yesterday and Today at the BnF

At a celebration held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), together with the Embassy of Egypt in Paris and the Friends of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Association, to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Bibliotheca Alexandria (BA) Serageldin gave a talk entitled La bibliothèque hier et aujourd''hui.

La Renaissance de la Bibliotheca Alexandrina

La BA, ce large et bel édifice, a été ressuscitée en octobre 2002, se revendiquant comme la digne héritière de son illustre ancêtre. Mais elle est également un vaste complexe culturel constitué de plusieurs composantes...

Shakespeare's Richard II: Reflections of the Undoing of a King

Dr. Ismail Serageldin is a lover of literature , and has always liked Shakespeare, finding in him a multi-layered complexity that speaks to us beyond the beauty of words and the power of the poetry...

Discussing MoU with Carter Center

Serageldin met with President Jimmy Carter to discuss a Memorandum of Understanding between the Carter Center (CC) and the Bibliotheca Alexandria. Under this agreement the two institutions will collaborate on projects and initiatives such as organization of joint seminars, conferences, lectures, exhibitions, publications, educational and cultural films.

Sessions on Shared Societies at NGIC

As Co-Chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), Serageldin presided, together with co-chair Vaira Vike-Freiberga, over the third NGIC Board Meeting held in Baku. The meeting was followed by the opening ceremony of NGIC & Club de Madrid’s High Level Preparatory Meeting: Framing the debate for the “Shared Societies Forum 2014”...

The World Digital Library: A Memory of the World

At the UNESCO session of The World Library and Information Congress and the 79th Conference of the National Committees of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), Serageldin gave an update on the focus and development of the of the World Digitial Library (WDL), of which he is Chairman of the Executive Council.

The Library of Alexandria: Past and Future

As part of a series of public talks organized by the National Library Board of Singapore, where notable librarians and authors coming to Singapore for the World Library and Information Congress are invited to engage the members of public, Serageldin gave a talk entitled “From Antiquity to Modernity : a look at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and its re-engagement with the world”.

The Book in Arab/Muslim Civilization

- At the Opening Session “The Meaning of the Book in Human Civilization”, Second International Summit of The Book, Singapore

Today, under the theme of “the Book by any Name” we are exploring the role of the Book in Human Civilization. Whatever the topic, whatever the platform, the Book is central to any civilization. Today, I will address two inter-twined aspects: the Book in the Arab/Muslim Civilization and the extension of that in the last 500 years into western Civilization.

Exploring the Role of the Book in Human Civilization

Following the success of the inaugural International Summit of the Book, held in Washington DC on 6-7 December 2012, with the theme “The Culture Of The Book”, the National Library Board Singapore (NLB) hosted the Second International Summit on 16 August 2013 with the theme “A Book By Any Other Name”.

Information Literacy for Tomorrow

- Singapore

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “Information Literacy for Tomorrow” in Singapore.

On the Future Challenges of Information Literacy

Invited to give a keynote address at the IFLA 2013 Satellite Meeting on Information Literacy & Reference Services, Serageldin addressed a packed hall at the National Library of Singapore with a speech entitled “Information Literacy for Tomorrow”. The meeting was held at the 79th Conference of the National Committees of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) ...

High Level of Media interest in the Second International Summit of the Book

The international gathering of distinguished scholars at the Second International Summit of the Book, held in Singapore on 16 August, attracted much media interest. Before the start of the conference, Ismail Serageldin was interviewed by The Straits Times (English-language paper), and Lianhe Zaobao (Chinese-language paper).

What Happened in the Library on the 14th of August

On 14 August 2013, amidst the unfortunate violence and turmoil that Egypt has witnessed lately, the Library of Alexandria, a neutral cultural institution, was subjected to a number of attacks. The brave and heroic staff of the Library''s Internal Security team, alongside the Egyptian Police Force, protected the building from these irresponsible actions.

Censorship In The 21st Century: New Threats to A2K

- Gotenborg, Sweden

Shakespeare's Henry V: Modern Reflections on a Medieval Hero

Dr. Ismail Serageldin has always liked Shakespeare, finding in him a multi-layered complexity that speaks to us beyond the beauty of words and the power of the poetry...

Birth Pangs of Egypt’s New Republic

The Egyptian Revolution corrected its path on the 30th of June 2013 when unprecedented numbers of Egyptians, in their tens of millions, signed individual declarations asking President Morsi to step down, and took to the streets and said “No” to the rule of Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood (MB). The Morsi supporters were a much smaller minority on the scale of Egypt, and were largely concentrated in two squares in Cairo and the Qaid Ibrahim Mosque Area in Alexandria, with scattered bands elsewhere. In the face of this overwhelming public disavowal of the government and in the absence of a formal procedure...

Egypt’s Ongoing Revolution – Part II: On Violence and the Path Ahead

The Egyptian Revolution is ongoing. It got its second wind and corrected its path on the 30th of June 2013 when millions and millions took to the streets and said “No” to the rule of President Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood (MB). Then after the first few days from June 30 to July 3, after President Morsi was toppled and the interim government was installed, vast numbers of the people began to abandon the streets, and were ready to turn the page, and start a new chapter. But the escalation in the rhetoric of the Islamist supporters of Morsi continued...

Egypt’s Ongoing Revolution – Part II: On Violence and the Path Ahead

The Egyptian Revolution is ongoing. It got its second wind and corrected its path on the 30th of June 2013 when millions and millions took to the streets and said “No” to the rule of President Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood (MB). Then after the first few days from June 30 to July 3, after President Morsi was toppled and the interim government was installed, vast numbers of the people began to abandon the streets, and were ready to turn the page, and start a new chapter.

The Library of Alexandria and the Ongoing Egyptian Revolution

- Remarks Delivered at the Gulbenkian International Prize Ceremony, Lisbon, Portugal

It is a privilege to be with you here in Portugal, in Lisbon and in the Gulbenkian Foundation. I hope that this occasion will mark the beginning of a more extensive collaboration between the Foundation and the Library of Alexandria, and more generally between Egypt and Portugal, a pioneer in managing a successful transition to democracy.

Gulbenkian Prize Awarded to BA and Serageldin

From among 70 nominations, the international jury of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, presided by Jorge Sampaio, Former President of Portugal, chose the Library of Alexandria and Ismail Serageldin, as its director, to be the winners of the 2013 Calouste Gulbenkian Prize.

Serageldin to Sign MoU between BA and Nizami Ganjavi Center

Ismail Serageldin, on behalf of the Library of Alexandria, and Nazim Ibrahimov, Minister of the State Committee for Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on behalf of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), are to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the NGIC.

On the Future of Universities: The Challenge and the Response

- Panama

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “On the Future of Universities: The Challenge and the Response” in Panama.

Keynote Speech in Panama on the Universities of Tomorrow

Serageldin was keynote speaker at the opening session of the V Meeting of University Networks and Councils of Rectors. His presentation entitled “Tomorrow’s Universities and the Seven Pillars of the Knowledge Revolution” was very well received. The meeting was organized by the International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC), which is a UNESCO organization devoted to the promotion of higher education.

Egypt’s Ongoing Revolution – Part I

Egypt is once more doing things its own unique way. After millions of people went into the streets and in 18 days that shook the world succeeded in toppling the regime of Hosny Mubarak after 30 years of rule, they came back again in their millions into the streets and squares of Egypt and toppled Mohamed Morsi after one year of rule.

African Students Graduation Cermony 2013

STI Building African Capacities in Science, Technology & Innovation

- Alexandria

Dr. Serageldin delivered this presentation entitled “STI Building African Capacities in Science, Technology & Innovation” at the Library of Alexandria.