The speaker speaks about the experience of the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina as a civilizational and scientific project that links the knowledge roots of Egyptian culture with modern technological means. They highlight their pride in the architectural building and the digital capabilities that allow preserving manuscripts and making them available to researchers.

Preservation and digitization efforts
They explained the digital library project supervised by a team led by Dr. Ismail, where the full texts of manuscripts are provided with descriptive information, and the researcher can browse pages enlarged and see manuscript details without touching the original, and texts are converted into translations in languages such as English and French.

The importance of the manuscripts and their content
They presented valuable collections of manuscripts: old Gospel copies and scientific works and books from the early nineteenth century and evidence of a scientific renaissance before the French campaign, in addition to rare texts such as Sunan Ibn Majah and travelogues and medical and linguistic manuscripts and the Christian heritage in North Africa.

Cultural and religious convergence
The speaker pointed to the library’s policy of bringing cultures together and searching for points of convergence between Christian, Islamic and Byzantine heritage — for example the existence of pages that begin with different religious phrases and artistic decorations influenced by Byzantine and Islamic styles — while preserving the value of each heritage and highlighting it.

Exhibits and special pieces
The presentation included rare and valuable pieces restored to their Egyptian form, digital collections sent to international libraries, and occasional items such as the Kaaba covering (it arrived at the library in a certain condition) and some Coptic artifacts that are displayed with pride to highlight Coptic heritage.

Spiritual and educational dimension
The lecture calls for national and spiritual awareness: that every Egyptian should visit the library and appreciate the heritage, and that the Church and cultural centers work together to preserve Egyptian Coptic heritage and make it available to researchers and the public, benefiting from technology without compromising the original.

Closing invitation
Visitors and scholars were welcomed and the role of His Holiness the Pope in participation and support was appreciated, and the importance of such scientific and cultural meetings was emphasized to strengthen the connection between the Church, society and scholarship.

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