Nationally, he was appointed as Executive Director of the General Organization for the Alexandria Library (GOAL) in February 1989, according to presidential Decree 523/88, which established the General Organization of the Alexandria Library. In 1992, Dr. Zahran was appointed Deputy Project Manager for the Bibliotheca Alexandria Project, to represent the Egyptian Government in the Project execution and implementation. In June 1995, he became the acting Project Manager upon the retirement of the Project Manager appointed by UNESCO, thus carrying out the full duties of two positions. He helped in the organization of international meeting, especially for the first meeting of the international Commission at Aswan on 12 February 1990.
During his tenure as Deputy Project Manager, and then Project Manager, he represented the Owner in the preparation for the execution for the award of the contracts for the Design and Engineering of the building, as well as in the Preparations for and the Decision Making Committee for the Tender Actions for Phase # 1 and Phase # 2 construction activities. His work including overseeing and monitoring the execution for the contracts, making sure the Contract Conditions were honored, the payment of invoices are made on time, and that progress was maintained according to the time schedule. He reported all implementation activities regularly to the Follow-up Committee appointed by the Minister for this purpose.
He has also overseen the library services, including building up of the collections, contacts with organizations, institutions in Egypt and abroad. He has ensured that the training of the librarians and other human resources are carried out in parallel with international standards by training in-house and abroad through scholarships, visitships, and internships. He has negotiated with many governments, organizations and institutions for the support of the library building, the new Information System, the Science Museum, the Planetarium, the Archaeological Museum, Calligraphy Museum. Consequently, he concluded 24 protocols on behalf of the Library, which provide financial and in-kind support for the Project, such as books, training, expertise and equipment. The total international financial support raised with his effort has amounted to about US$ 31.5 million. He has also helped the creation of Friends of the Bibliotheca Alexandria in eighteen countries, and followed up their activities and support of the Project through participation in their annual meeting and encouragement to maximize their efforts in support of the Project.
He has been Editor in Chief of all Bibliotheca Alexandria publications, including a quarterly newsletter and many publicity materials in three languages since 1990, as well as well eleven other books about conservation of the rare works and manuscripts in Alexandria.
What really happened to the Ancient Alexandria Library?
SNØHETTA, INHERITING A LEGEND
It has been seventeen years since Snøhetta completed the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt. Tackling such a mythical project brought the Norwegian office immediate international renown, which nevertheless needed confirmation over time – and Snøhetta has lived up to the expectations. The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet House, the Lascaux IV International Centre for Cave Art in Dordogne… These projects have at least two traits in common: their relationship with the landscape and the inclusion, within the building, of public spaces not only for users but for local residents too, and, more broadly, for the general public. Here below, we get a look back on the Alexandria project, completed in 2001
