Bibliotheca Alexandrina Maps the Foundations of Egyptian Identity

Bibliotheca Alexandrina Maps the Foundations of Egyptian Identity

On the Mediterranean shore, where the sea wind carries salt, the memory of a library said to have held the ancient world’s knowledge stands. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, opened in 2002 as a modern heir to that lost institution, wears its ambition on its outer wall, which is carved with letters from scripts around the world.  From 21 to 23 September, Egypt held a conference on national identity, under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah al-Si…