An Integrated Program Documenting Egypt’s Contemporary and Modern History
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Alexandria, 7 February 2006—the BA finished preparation of an integrated program to digitize Egypt’s contemporary and modern history during the period from the nineteenth century to date.
Dr. Serageldin, Director of the Library of Alexandria, stated that the infrastructure of the information and communication technology at the BA plays a crucial role in this program, in addition to the role of specialized research centers, such as the International School for Information Sciences (ISIS), which provides the program with relevant tools. The Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage (CULTNAT) is also participating in documenting and disseminating relevant information through:
•Implementing the national plan for the documentation program using the state of the art information technology in cooperation with specialized local and international organizations
•Spreading awareness on natural and cultural heritage using different media
•Preparing a data base of professionals in preserving and documenting cultural and natural heritage
The Media department participates in the program by collecting and classifying referential and historical material. Dr. Magdi Nagy, Head, BA Information and Communication Technology Sector, stated the program started with the revival of L’Institute d’ Egypte, founded by Napoleon Bonaparte in Cairo 200 years ago, through digitizing the collection amounting to 35000 volumes of rare and ancient books and periodicals in five languages. The project started with the digitization of ten volumes of Description de l’Egypte, followed by other collections, including the complete works of Voltaire (69 volumes), Des Mille Nuits et Une Nuit (16 volumes), and Geographie Universelle (15 volumes).
He added that the project aims at digitizing, preserving, classifying, and cataloguing the complete library of L’Institute d’ Egypte to eventually be uploaded on the internet, which is considered an unprecedented attempt.
The project includes digitizing libraries of several Egyptian distinguished politicians, authors, and historians, in addition to materials from all over the world relevant to modern history of Egypt in 200 years with the aim of copying, classifying, and cataloguing the collection in a searchable manner. The collection of Late President Gamal Abdel Nasser was part of the project and work on the collection of Late President Anwar El-Saddat and Mohamed Pacha Mahmoud is underway.
Cultnat plays a major role in documenting Egypt’s contemporary and modern history, and Dr. Fathi Saleh, Director, Cultnat, stated that the center is implementing several ongoing documentation programs:
1. Archeological Map of Egypt
2. Architectural Heritage of Cairo
3. Natural Heritage of Egypt
4. Folkloric Heritage
5. Arabic Music Heritage
6. Photographic Heritage of Egypt
7. Manuscripts Documentation
Several projects were added to the Cultnat’s mission:
1.Digitization of Dar El-Kotb collection (started in July 2005 for four years)
2.Documentation of Coptic Heritage
3.Documentation of Old Egyptian papers
4.Documentation of Heliopolis Company Documents
5.Documentation of Talat Harb Bank and Misr Bank Documents
6.Documentation of Egyptian Presidential Palaces
7.Documentation of Egyptian Geographic Association Documents