Tapping into profound currents
Why is E=MC2 so amazing? In an exclusive interview with Al-Ahram Weekly, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina's director Ismail Serageddin talks to Fatemah Farag about releasing the mind to discover a world beyond the pale of imagination
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Serageddin; the Bibliotheca Alexandrina standing proudly on the Chatby corniche; ultra-modern interiors
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The last time we met in his fifth floor office overlooking the Mediterranean Sea at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Ismail Serageddin was preparing to officially inaugurate the library. He told me at the time that "to walk in the footsteps of Demetrius of Phalerson, the founding leader of the ancient library -- that is a challenge that is qualitatively apart from anything. It is the challenge of a lifetime."
This from a man who was vice-president of the World Bank for Special Programmes, chairman of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and chairman of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest (CGAP). A man who has held leadership roles in a number of advisory committees for academic research, scientific and international institutions. In the background are doctorates in sociology, agriculture, science, natural resources, economics and international affairs.
And only a few years ago the world's most eminent literary figures signed a petition endorsing his nomination for UNESCO's top job. Serageddin is the man who put the "poor" into mainstream development policy, published learned works on Shakespeare and quotes Karl Marx when discussing the benefits of capitalism.
Today Serageddin leads the modern library that not only finds its roots in the heritage of one of the greatest learning institutions of the ancient world, but a library whose self- proclaimed mandate is to be "the world's window on Egypt... Egypt's window on the world... [and] Egypt's leading cultural institution in dealing with the information revolution... [not to mention] a centre for both learning and dialogue".
"We have achieved some milestones -- the nature of the task of course is ongoing. However, the number of international conferences, the number of visitors to the library, the number of concerts and art programmes; all of these indicate that we are living up to the standard our mission dictates," said Serageddin. As we spoke the library below was overflowing with visitors and events. Four Egyptian ministers, the Alexandria governor and the executive director of UN- HABITAT were attending a conference on urban management and a delegation from the World Bank could be seen touring the library. Serageddin points out "This happens all of the time and we are beginning to be recognised internationally as a centre of excellence."
Key to understanding the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is to understand that the library plays a multiplicity of roles. "I do not think people are very clear on this point. The image has been that the library is simply a place to visit as opposed to studying," muses Serageddin. One of the trademarks of his leadership of the library has been his outreach to the Egyptian intellectual and scientific community. "We have established committees of eminent intellectuals and scientists. Some of them quasi-permanently linked to the library. This creates a basic connection [between the library and society]," he said.
Before the soft-opening Serageddin invited a select number of intellectuals to the library to discuss ideas regarding its development. One year later he repeated the process. "I told them, however, that the issue is not for me to draw you in once a year. The idea is to create a structural form that makes them a part of the library," he explained. Recently the Discussion Forum was established bringing together some 300 people in bi-monthly discussion groups.
Serageddin points out however that "It is not our job to simply become a part of what is out there, but to build bridges between the outside world and Egypt. That is why our activities retain a clear international component. And the president when setting up the board of the library included many eminent international figures."
He adds emphatically: "I came here to change not to accept what happens. This is an Egyptian institution with an international outlook. I cannot say whether people will use the opportunity to look, but it is my job to open the window." Serageddin emphasises that this outlook is reflected in the manning of the Bibliotheca. "The average age [of employee] is around 23. Everyone is first class. Dynamic and full of initiative: totally Egyptian. This is part of being Egypt's window on the world; that people look into the Bibliotheca and see youthful, vigorous and engaged people."
With war and intolerance storming through the region these are difficult times to build such bridges. But within the walls of Serageddin's office the voice of reason prevails. "Think of the oceans. On the surface there are waves and storms; storms that can be so serious they will break your ship. But beneath the surface there are profound currents that are seldom affected by the storms above the surface. And these currents are much more important. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina should work on this level; the level of currents. We work to change paradigms of thought and this is a process that happens over centuries. And this is why we prioritise pursuing dialogue with scientists all over the world. These links will ferment ideas but this will take time."
Again not everyone understands this aspect of the Bibliotheca. "People will come and ask me: why don't you bring Arabs and Israelis together for discussions. But why should I do this? It is not in the nature of our work. Instead we are concerned with issues such as writing in the digital age," explained Serageddin.
To bring his point home he asks what we know of [Isaac] Newton. "We all know he did something very important even though most of us have not -- and would find it extremely difficult to -- read him. But before Newton people doubted that we could understand the laws of matter. The intellectual shift Newton precipitated opened the human mind to a new level of understanding the complexity of the world; it resulted in a change of outlook that laid the ground for the industrial revolution."
Another such revolution was that which made humans understand that they are responsible for other species and the environment. "After humanity was against nature -- out to control it -- there was a paradigm shift that made us aware that we have a responsibility to other species because we have the power to make them extinct."
Hence the focus on science. Even before the soft-opening Serageddin had organised an international conference on bio- technology that drew Nobel laureates and top scientists in the field to the coastal city. "Where else if not at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina can this happen?" asks Serageddin.
When embarking on his mission as head of the Bibliotheca Serageddin had pointed out: "You cannot practise science if you do not have certain values: truth, honour and respect for creativity irrespective of its source. This means that the culture of science must be open to new ideas, must be tolerant of diversity and accept that disputes be arbitrated according to the system and based on the evidence." These are the principles upon which development and excellence are hinged. "These values [those of science] taken together are requisite of free enquiry and important societal values."
Today he goes further, emphasising that "We must feel that science is ours and not counter to our culture." And so the library has designed a new exploratorium to be inaugurated on 10 October. "We quintupled the space of the original exploratorium and now this is not only a scientific exhibit but a place where people can actually touch science and conduct experiments," explained Serageddin.
In 2005, the Bibliotheca will be celebrating the centenary of Albert Einstein's theory of relativity. "What happened in 1905 was that a 26 year old clerk at a patent office submitted five extra-ordinary papers that changed the world. He gave birth to relative physics and quantum physics and that amazing equation: E=MC2. Why is it so amazing? At the time it was written it showed that energy and mass are the same but even more relevant it means that within every gramme of matter there is enormous energy. It is a discovery beyond the pale of imagination," explains Serageddin.
But perhaps even more important than the discoveries themselves was the reaction of the scientific community at the time. "The then giants of science did not say: who is he, but addressed the substance of his work. The ability of senior intellectuals to engage with young talent is crucial. Seniority contravenes excellence in science," he points out -- a problem that no doubt poses a serious challenge to scientific development in our part of the world.
Which must explain Serageddin's concern that the Bibliotheca take on and develop young talent. "Outreach to young people is a part of our mission," points out Serageddin who goes on to get very excited while recounting the brilliance of two girls -- aged 2 and 4 -- who play the violin. "They are very precious. And we have created a lot of new space that did not exist in the original plan: A children's library, science classes and more."
All in all, it is a job that keeps him very busy. And so he ushers me out of his office to get on with a full day of appointments. Despite the pressure he is smiling. He had told me before: "I am very grateful for the confidence that has been put in me, this is a great historic responsibility. At a time when people are talking about a clash of civilisations, Egypt is presenting them the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. It is an amazing adventure." As he shook my hand this time round he mused "Who knows how many Mahfouzs and Zuweils are out there?" If there are any, they now have a patron.
