The Arab Encyclopedia of Life (AEOL): First Preparatory Meeting
14 April 2010
On the sidelines of BioVisionAlexandria 2010 Conference, the first preparatory meeting of the Arab Encyclopedia of Life (AEOL) project was held.
After the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in December 2009, with the Smithsonian Institution, USA (on behalf of the EOL) an Arab Encyclopedia of Life website will be launched.
The Arab Encyclopedia of Life project aims to serve the Arab region by creating a documented Arabic database of species known to science, either through providing new information on species distributed in the Arab world and digitizing biodiversity literature published in Arabic; or translating into Arabic sections of the material in the EOL.
In the First Preparatory Meeting of the Arab Encyclopedia of Life (AEOL) Project Arab scientists and researchers representing the Arab World discussed the primary work plan and subgroup project activities.
This project will be executed by the Arab Biodiversity Committee (ABC), a committee composed of high caliber scientific experts in the field of biodiversity from all over the Arab region, and sponsored by the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development.
The meeting was a closed meeting, only by invitation.
Dr. Ismail Serageldin welcoming the Biodiversity scientists of the Arab Region during the meeting's opening session
Arab Biodiversity scientists during the 1st AEOL Preparatory meeting session
Prof. Mahmoud Duwayri, Ex-Minister of Agriculture; and President of Ajlon National Private University, during the Plant subcommittee discussions
Dr. Ismail Serageldin during the meeting's opening session briefing about the AEOL project to the Arab Biodiversity scientists
Ms. Omneya Darwish, Deputy Director, Center for Special Studies and Programs (CSSP), Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Arab Biodiversity scientists during one of the sessions
From right: Prof. Nadia Haider and Prof. Bassam El Safady during the Plant subcommittee discussions
Prof. Mohamed Chaieb checking the meeting's material
Prof. Dawood Eisawi, University of Jordan, during the Plant subcommittee discussions
From left: Dr. Dana Jawdat, Prof. Fawaz Kurdali and Prof. Nizar MirAli during the Plant subcommittee discussions
From left: Dr. Bassem El AlSamman, Prof. Mussa Fayad, Prof Saud Al-Rowaily and Dr. Bayan Muzhar during the Plant subcommittee discussions
From left: Prof. Abdulaziz Qarawei and Prof. Sammar El Nahhas during the Microbiology subcommittee discussions