October 2009 marks the seventh anniversary of the inauguration of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA), the New Library of Alexandria; a landmark building and an institution that marks a turning point in the cultural and academic arena of Alexandria and Egypt. It is the BA’s mission to be Egypt’s Window on the World and the World’s Window on Egypt. Within this ambitious goal, the BA endeavors to become a Center of Excellence for the Production and Dissemination of Knowledge of the twenty-first century. During the few years of its young age, the BA has branched and reached out to build bridges connecting West and East, North and South.

Within the framework of the year-long celebration of the Egypt Italy Science Year (EISY 2009) declared by H.E. Mr. Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and his Italian counterpart, H.E. Mr. Franco Frattini, the BA Planetarium Science Center has collaborated with the Italian Embassy in Cairo in realizing a diversity of science communication activities that brought together two of the oldest and greatest historical civilizations of all time in the pursuit of an even greater future for the whole Mediterranean region and by extension the whole World.

The year-long celebration kicked off with an Inaugural Ceremony hosted by the BA on 10 January 2009. The Ceremony began with opening speeches delivered by H.E. Dr. Hani Helal, Egyptian Minister of Higher Education, H.E. Dr. Giuseppe Pizza, Secretary of State, Italian Minister of Education, and H.E. Mr. Claudio Pacifico, Italian Ambassador to Egypt. The celebration also included keynote presentations by Prof. Mostafa Kamal Tolba and Prof. Tullio Regge, in addition to scientific sessions by Prof. Ahmed Galal, Dean of the Faculty of Science at Cairo University.

The Ceremony also marked the official inauguration of the Blow-Up, Images from the Nano-World exhibition; a visual journey into the dimension of nanoscience. This image exhibition is the result of the interaction between a photographer’s experience and a scientist's work. It aims at bringing to the public images that are usually accessible to few, mainly confined in the research laboratories, on the scientists' desks. Prof. Elisa Molinari, the Curator of the Exhibition introduced the Exhibition to the guests of the Inaugural Ceremony. During its display at the BA, from 8 to 27 January, the exhibition was visited by approximately 478 including local and international visitors.

Going North; global warming, escape route, a 45-minute documentary by Eugenio Manghi was the second activity encompassed within the year-long celebration. The documentary tackles the issue of climate change and how it is affecting life on Earth. The documentary’s first screening was celebrated at the on 16 February 2009. The screening was attended by Mr. Eugenio Manghi, Producer; and Mr. Franco Porcelli, Scientific Attaché at the Italian Embassy in Egypt. The film has since been available for showing, by reservation, at the “Listen and Discover” hall in the PSC.

Among the exhibitions that were translated into Arabic and displayed at the BA and other venues in Egypt as part of the EISY 2009, the Antarctica, a Desert of Ice. This travelling exhibition about the Italian explorations of the Earth’s south pole started its tour around Egypt at the BA during the third annual Science Festivity, 1-3 April, then travelled throughout Upper Egypt and back to Cairo and Lower Egypt, ending its tour back at the BA during the World Environment Day 2009 festivity on 20 June 2009.

The BA also hosted the Arctic and Antarctic, Italian Research at Poles exhibition from 31 May to 18 June at the BACC West Exhibition Hall. This photographical exhibition is composed of a series of 34 posters and scenic panels in Italian, English and Arabic Languages, in addition to an iced-scenography that hosts a spectacular large-screen projection to explore polar regions. The exhibition is a comprehensive display of flora, fauna and marine life science in the polar region
After that, the BA hosted the Heavenly Pages manuscript exhibition, also on the occasion of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA 2009). The exhibition displayed unique volumes by some of the most prominent European astronomers; among them, the first edition of Sidereus Nuncius , by Galileo Galilei (1610); De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium, by Nicolaus Copernicus (1566); and the recently restored Firmamentum Sobiescianum, by Johannes Hevelius (1690). Visitors were able to see the books and browse a number of them virtually on the computers accompanying the Exhibition. The Opening Ceremony took place on 22 June 2009; the exhibition continued until 21 July 2009.

As we approach the conclusion of the EISY 2009, the BA organizes a number of events focusing on Scientist Guglielmo Marconi. In cooperation with the Italian Institute of Culture, the Italian Embassy, and the Italian and American BA Friends, a photographic exhibition on the legacy of Marconi will be held from 19 October to 5 November 2009, at the BACC West Exhibition Hall. A Ceremony will also take place on 28 October, featuring the donation of the book Marconi My Beloved written by Maria Cristina Marconi, Marconi's wife. Elettra Marconi, their daughter, will donate the book to the BA, and keynote speakers will deliver speeches on the legacy of Guglielmo Marconi.

The BA’s celebration of the EISY 2009 concludes with the Volta exhibition, which comprises replicas of original experiments conducted by Alessandro Volta, this outstanding scientist who is credited for the greatest contribution in the invention of electricity, one of the most significant scientific accomplishments that marked a turning point in both the scientific and social domains of life on Earth almost like no other. The exhibition will be on display at the BA from 9 November till 5 December 2009.