Open Forum for the Future of Alexandria at the BA
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Alexandria—
The BA held on Monday, 13 August 2007, a workshop entitled "Open Forum for the Future of Alexandria", organized by the BA Dialogue Forum, in cooperation with the BA Alexandria and Mediterranean Research Center (Alex Med), attended by a group of planning experts, Alexandria governorate leaders, as well as professors of engineering.
The workshop started by an opening session, in which Dr. Ismail Serageldin spoke on the pioneer role of the BA, as a partner in the process of development of Alexandria, and in the preparation of preservation and development projects, along with governorate officials.
Dr. Serageldin emphasized that the dream of the New Library of Alexandria would not have come true without the efforts exerted by Alexandria University professors, and thus, the BA is indebted to them and is keen to involve them in all its projects.
Dr. Hassan Nodier Khair Allah, President, Alexandria University, stated that the University represented in its professors, succeeded in drafting a strategy to develop Alexandria port, with the least possible cost amounting to 850 million pounds, and thus, the Egyptian government entrusted the University consultants with the development project of Bab El-Hadid Train Station in Cairo, and Sidi Gaber Train Station in Alexandria.
Dr. Nodier stated that Alexandria University will open a new branch in Chad, and that the University signed a cooperation protocol with the Sudanese government to establish Juba University and another protocol with Chad to establish French Faculties of Pharmacy and Agriculture, funded by the World Bank.
General Ezzat Shaaban, General Secretary of the Governorate, stated that the governorate intends to develop and re-plan the city of Alexandria. The governorate will select a Consultant Office to carry out the project. He also announced that during 6 months, works implemented at Agamy will be finalized with the cost of 70 million pounds.
Dr. Mohamed Abu El-Ghar, Professor, Cairo University, stated commenting on the opening session, that the BA should make sure that the huge projects carried out in Alexandria do not affect the environment, nor the aesthetic and civilization aspects of the city. Abu El-Ghar expressed his sorrowfulness on the deterioration of the cosmopolitan landmarks in Alexandria, and stressed that the issue needs strict measures to be taken to preserve the remaining landmarks.
Dr. Mohamed Awad, Director, Alex Med, presented different projects and works of the center including, Vision for Alexandria Project, Digital Reconstruction of the Pharos of Alexandria, Eastern Harbor Development Project, Digital Reconstruction of the Serapium, and the Digital Reconstruction of the One Thousand Column Mosque. Dr. Awad announced that the Center is currently working on the rehabilitation of villa Antoniadis to be used in several artistic and cultural activities of the BA, and that the Center finished the preparation of seven cultural routes for Alexandria governorate, highlighting all the landmarks of the city.
Dr. Awad focused on the necessity of using different funding resources in implementing developmental projects, and enhancing the role of the private and civil society sectors in dealing with environmental and construction problems, tearing down random areas, and developing different means of transportation.