Serageldin … Man of the year at Al-Karine Cultural Festival
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The Kuwaiti national Council for Culture, Arts and Literature nominated Dr. Ismail Serageldin to be Man of the year at Al-Karine Cultural Festival. The Council has set the date of 16/01/2002 to celebrate this event in which Dr. Serageldin will give a lecture entitled (Scientific Culture and the Revolution of Knowledge).
Dr. Serageldin was chosen to be Man of the year due to his outstanding role in enriching culture and his enlightening and valuable contributions to the world of knowledge, stated Dr. Mohamed Al-Romaihy; Secretary General of the Kuwaiti National Council.
Dr. Serageldin who is currently the Director of the Library of Alexandria was vice President of the World Bank. Born in Giza, Egypt in 1944 and a contemporary of July Revolution in Egypt, he obtained his B.Sc in Engineering at the University of Cairo in 1964, his M.Sc with honors at the University of Harvard in 1968 and his Doctorate at the same University in 1972. His doctorate thesis was about (The Role of Education in Development).
He received 13 honorary doctorate degrees from various universities in Romania, Australia, Italy, India, U.S.A. and Egypt and has worked at the World Bank from 1972 to year 2000.
Dr. Serageldin was Chair of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research [CGIAR], the International Water Program and the International Water Commission for the Twenty First Century.
Education and Social development issues have always been two of the main interests of Dr. Serageldin. During his long years of experience and work at the World Bank, he has concentrated on the education related issues such as educational policies, educational curricula and employment development. As Chair of the CGIAR, he was responsible for the activities of 16 international agricultural research centers around the world and has contributed, though providing them with scientific programs, to turn them into highly distinguished research centers.
He was one of the pioneers in leading a campaign that aimed at turning the cultural activities to become an integral part of the responsibilities and activities of the World Bank. This was done though organizing the International Conference on Culture and Development in 1992 which was cosponsored by UNESCO and the World Bank.