Dr. Moustafa Elfeki, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, inaugurated a new Embassy of Knowledge at the Authority’s headquarters on Wednesday, 23 June 2021. The event was attended by a host of key representatives from the BA and the Suez Canal Authority.
This is the 23rd Embassy established by the BA, and the first of its kind outside the scope of universities.
Admiral Rabie took Dr. Elfeki and the accompanying delegation on a cruise of the new Canal, after which they headed to the Marina Building east of the Canal, where a seminar was held to discuss Egypt’s regional and international role and position. Admiral Rabie also added that this collaboration is a new step towards promoting digital transformation at the Suez Canal Authority, through applying the latest information technologies that link the Embassy of Knowledge inside the Canal Authority to the BA and all its affiliated Embassies.
Dr. Elfeki said that he was proud to be present at one of the major landmarks of Egypt, highlighting the fact that it was natural for the BA to extend its outreach initiatives beyond its traditional bases (namely the Egyptian universities), and select the Suez Canal Authority as it embodies and reflects the modern history of Egypt.
The Embassy of Knowledge at the Suez Canal Authority consists of two halls; one of them comprises a set of computers linked directly to the BA via an automated system, whereby staff at the Authority can access books, dissertations, magazines, and periodicals available at the BA in a digital format through the Library’s Digital Assets Repository (DAR).
The second hall accommodates 32 people, and is dedicated to organizing seminars and workshops that shed light on local and international events.
At the end of the visit, Admiral Rabie granted Dr. Elfeki the Shield of the New Suez Canal, in honor of his diplomatic efforts and role in the dissemination of culture and knowledge. Dr. Elfeki, in turn, presented Admiral Rabie with the Shield of the Library of Alexandria.