UNESCO Appeal

In Support of the Revival of the Library of Alexandria


Alexandria, standing at the crossroads of the main communication routes of Africa, Europe and Asia, was ... a major center of science, philosophy and art, an intellectual meeting place for eminent representatives of the Egyptian, Greek, Persian and other cultures, where they could dialogue and receive mutual benefit from their contacts. It was in such a climate that the first universal library in history, which was also a research institute and a museum, came into being at the beginning of the fourth century B.C., having as its aim the bringing together and conservation of the writings of all nations and at the same time welcoming their leading scholars and thinkers. ...From a very early point in its history, at least one copy of every work written in Greek, and subsequently of translations of the most important works written in other languages, was added to its collections.

All ships passing through the port of Alexandria were required to allow copies to be made of any scrolls they had on board, if they were of interest to the Library.

By the middle of the first century B.C., the Library had in its possession 532,800 manuscripts, which were listed, filed and preserved by highly sophisticated methods. One of its finest achievements was the "Pinakes" of Callimachus, a catalogue of all existing works, which not only gave their titles but also supplied detailed information on the authors and their works, as well analyzing each text. This gigantic bibliography, now lost, was for a long time the essential reference work for Greek literature.

The Library of Alexandria was one of the leading intellectual centers of the world. Having assembled a unique collection of scientific, philosophical and literary works, it was also a haven over the centuries for numerable authors who found their source of inspiration there... The Egyptian government has done all it can to provide the best possible conditions for the implementation of this project.

A Higher National Council of the Library of Alexandria has been set up under the patronage of the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt. In order that this exceptional undertaking should have its proper world-wide dimension, however, the Egyptian Government plans to involve the entire international community therein. For this reason it has asked UNESCO to support its action, in particular by means of an appeal to universal solidarity.

The Executive Board of the Organization thus invited me, at its 126^th session, to launch such an appeal. I therefore call on the governments of all States, international governmental and non-governmental organizations, public and private institutions, funding agencies, librarians and archivists, and last but not least, the peoples of all countries to participate, by means of voluntary contributions in cash, equipment or services, in the immense effort undertaken by the Egyptian Government to reconstruct and equip the Library of Alexandria, constitute and preserve its collections and train the requisite personnel.

I call on all intellectuals, artists and writers, historians and sociologists, and on all those whose work it is to inform journalists, columnists, professionals, of the press, radio, television and cinema, to help to develop an awareness by the public in all countries of the universal dimension of the project for the revival of the Library of Alexandria, and to encourage them to contribute to its implementation.

I especially invite the publishers of literary, scientific and artistic books and periodicals the world over to send two copies of each of their publications to the Library of Alexandria, beginning on 1, January, 1988. It is my hope that the contributions will be commensurate with the vast task ahead, and that all those who are concerned for the conservation of the universal documentary heritage and wish to promote the widest possible use thereof by researchers and members of the public all over the world will participate with enthusiasm in the international campaign for the revival of one of the most prestigious institutions in the history of mankind.