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About the Summit

The 4th International Summit of the Book

6-7 November, 2015

The "International Summit of the book" is one of the important initiatives launched by the Library of Congress to emphasize the key position of the book and libraries in preserving national cultural identities and human civilization.

The first International Summit of the Book was held at the Library of Congress, Washington DC on 6–7 December 2012, with the theme “The Culture of the Book.” The Summit brought authors, scholars, officials and experts together to promote the knowledge that comes from books and to discuss their current role across the globe.

The second meeting of the Summit was held at the National Library Board Singapore (NLB) on 16th August 2013, with the theme “A Book By Any Other Name.” The one-day event focused on the meaning and future of the book, from an Asian and global perspectives.

The third meeting of the Summit was convened in Paris at the Grand auditorium, Quai François Mauriac, organized by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) in partnership with the Centre national du livre (CNL) on 13th October, 2014. The Summit laid emphasis on the role of translation as the source of a European way of thinking and on digitization as a new memorial space.

This year, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is hosting the fourth International Summit of the Book in view of its leading cultural role nationally, regionally, and globally. The theme of Summit is "Book, Reading & Technology", and it will be held 6–7 November, 2015 in Alexandria. This Summit is expected to be attended by international eminent figures, distinguished speakers, intellectuals, academics, and professionals in the field of books, libraries, culture, publishing and technology.

This important cultural event, held for the first time in Africa and the Arab world, will discuss key issues on technology and manuscripts, including the role of translation in the preservation and transmission of culture, and the book as an important tool in cultural exchange. The Summit will also discuss the development of books into electronic formats, and its impact on reading; the challenges facing books and the publishing industry, particularly in Africa and the Arab world; and the role of books and reading in societies.

The Summit revolves around the following sub-themes:

• Technology and Manuscripts
• Books & Cultural Exchange
• E-Books Versus Print Books
• The Crisis of the Book in Developing Countries