A "HELLENISTIC STUDIES CENTRE IN ALEXANDRIA"

CHRISTY PAPADOPOULOU (Athens News)

WITH A capacity of eight million volumes, the Library of Alexandria will host a Centre for Hellenistic Studies as of 2008. The Alexander S Onassis Foundation and the Vardinoyannis Foundation will share the centre's funding as part of their efforts to boost Greek culture abroad and promote the history of the Hellenistic era, during which the ancient library was created.

"We are glad that our agreement coincides with the fifth anniversary of the library's opening and with the recent visit to Greece of Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, who is also the library's greatest supporter," Marianna V Vardinoyanni, Unesco goodwill ambassador and member of the board of directors of the Library of Alexandria, told a press meet on December 17.

Vardinoyanni pointed to the library's central role in ancient times, as well as its function as a cultural bridge between Greece and Egypt. "The ancient library was a meeting point for leading intellectuals and scientists for a period of seven centuries, while maintaining its strong ties with Greece and its culture. Greek was the main language used. It was at this library that the Old Testament was translated for the first time from Hebrew into Greek... And the Macedonian descent of its founder, Ptolemy, underlines the distinct relationship between Greeks and the library and by extension the longterm friendship and collaboration between Greece and Egypt," she said.

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This is good news. I think it's interesting and rather a good sign that the politics of the establishment of this Centre allow for the prominent mention of the translation of the Jewish scriptures into Greek in Alexandria.