Date: Tuesday 28 May 2013

Location: The British Academy, Carlton House Terrace, SW1Y 5AH

The Ancient Library of Alexandria captured the imagination of the world and remains one of the greatest adventures of the human intellect. Established in 288 BC to bring together the greatest minds of the ancient world, the Library grew to become the greatest library of the age and the intellectual centre of the world. There bibliography was established, sciences were formalized and debates flourished.

Sadly, a series of fires had destroyed the ancient library by 400 AD but 1,600 years later it has been revived on the same site. The new Bibliotheca Alexandrina aims to recapture the spirit of the ancient library in a 21st century context. It combines ten research institutes, 19 museums and permanent art exhibits, a planetarium, a conference centre and Exploratorium, a high-level informatics centre; and six specialized libraries in addition to the main library.

Professor Serageldin is an Academician of some of the most prominent Academies worldwide, he is a previous Vice President of the World Bank, former Chairman of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and a Founder and former Chairman of the Global Water Partnership and the Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest. He has numerous international honours and has published a large number of books and papers on topics including biotechnology, rural development, sustainability and the value of science to society.

A British Academy event, with support from the Egyptian Embassy and the British Egyptian Society.

Rebirth And Revolution: The Story Of The Bibliotheca Alexandrina

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