Launch of “Reviving the Memory of Alexandria” Conference
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina hosted the opening of the conference “Reviving the Memory of Alexandria: Heritage and Reflection,” with active participation from the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT). The event is organized by the UNESCO Regional Office in cooperation with Alexandria Governorate, the Arab Academy, and the Alexandria Studies Center, and was attended by a distinguished gathering of ministers, diplomats, and academics.
The two-day conference was inaugurated in the presence of Major General Ahmed Khaled Saeed, Governor of Alexandria; Dr. Mohamed Suleiman, representing the Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina; Dr. Nuria Sanz, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office; the Ambassadors of Greece and Cyprus; Ambassador Nabil Habashi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Abdel Aziz Konsowa, President of Alexandria University; and Dr. Mohamed El-Gohary, President of Borg El Arab University, in addition to Prof. Dr. Amira Senbel, Dean of the College of Pharmacy at the main campus of AASTMT, along with a number of consuls and members of the Greek community.
As part of the pioneering role of the Arab Academy as a key partner in preserving national identity, Prof. Dr. Amira Senbel, Dean of the College of Pharmacy, participated on behalf of Prof. Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghafar Ismail Farag, President of the Arab Academy.
In her address, Prof. Dr. Amira Senbel conveyed the greetings and pride of the President of the Academy to all attendees and organizers of this international forum, emphasizing the Academy’s commitment to remaining at the heart of cultural and scientific initiatives that serve heritage preservation and sustainable development.
She stated that the Arab Academy, which she proudly represented, was founded in the city of Alexandria in 1972, with its cornerstone laid on this historic land to become a leading Arab scientific institution that carried its mission from the Bride of the Mediterranean to the world.
She also highlighted the Academy’s longstanding institutional identity as one of the specialized organizations affiliated with the League of Arab States, noting that its ambitions extended beyond its beginnings to establish branches across the Arab Republic of Egypt, delivering its message of education and development from Alexandria to all regions.
Prof. Dr. Senbel further emphasized the depth of cooperation between the Arab Academy and Alexandria Governorate, describing it as an inspiring model of joint institutional work. She noted that the Academy places all its scientific, research, training, and consultancy capabilities at the service of Alexandria, supporting the efforts of the Governorate and international organizations such as UNESCO in preserving this unique human heritage.
In the same context, the Department of Architecture and Environmental Design at the College of Engineering and Technology (Main Campus), under the organization of Prof. Dr. Mai Abbas Yehia, Head of the Architecture Department, and Dr. Sally El-Deeb, participated as an exhibitor in the main hall of the event. The department presented adaptive reuse design projects within the exhibition “Reviving Alexandrian Heritage,” prepared by faculty members and students of the Architecture and Environmental Design Department.
The Arab Academy also showcased two hologram models: the first focused on the digital documentation of historical figures in the city of Alexandria, while the second highlighted the digital documentation of historical buildings in Alexandria. In addition, a virtual reality model of an Alexandrian tomb was presented, underscoring the role of artificial intelligence in documenting, interpreting, and preserving cultural memory