English 
Professor Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of Alexandria University, witnessed the closing ceremony of the "Flow and Foresight" workshop, organized by the Faculty of Engineering at Alexandria University in collaboration with the University of Toulon and the Barcelona Advanced Computing Centre. The workshop that was part of the Pharos project, funded by the government of the Southern France region, aimed to discuss climate change and hydrodynamic processes to enhance resilience to marine and submersion hazards. The two-day event was held at the Faculty of Engineering, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and the French Cultural Institute.
The closing ceremony was attended by Engineer Amira Salah, Deputy Governor of Alexandria, Ms. Lina Blin, Consul General of France in Alexandria, Dr. Walid Abdelazim, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Dr. Marwa El-Wakil, Head of the Academic Research Sector at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Dr. Sameh Riad, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Environment, Dr. Mohamed Ghattas, Chairman of the General Authority for Coastal Protection, as well as representatives from the University of Djibouti, the Environmental Affairs Agency, the National Institute for Coastal Protection, the Coastal Protection Agency, the National Institute for Oceanography, and the Alexandria Businessmen Association.
During his speech, Dr. Konsowa praised the existing academic and research cooperation between Egyptian and French universities and the joint agreements between Alexandria University and French universities in the field of education and scientific research, in light of the distinguished relations between Egypt and France. He praised the development of the level of cooperation to reach the stage of strategic partnership, and pointed out that this partnership can contribute to the exchange of experiences and enhancing the research capabilities of students and faculty members, and openness to international universities.
The university president also stressed the importance of cooperation and coordination between the various Mediterranean countries to confront the negative effects of global warming and climate change and to protect people, the environment and infrastructure on both shores of the Mediterranean. He pointed out the university’s participation in the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 with several research programs and projects to transform industrial projects into green projects and reduce their heat emissions. The university president also pointed to the role of the Alexandria University Centre for the Greener Blue Economy, which the university established in cooperation with the General Union of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce and the Union of Mediterranean Chambers (ASCAME), which includes 31 chambers of commerce and industry from Mediterranean countries, as a model that can contribute to creating success stories in facing multiple challenges, as the Mediterranean basin is considered one of the most important centres of marine biodiversity and vital resources for economic activities. Dr. Konsowa emphasized the need for cooperation in the field of green hydrogen, which represents a key component of the world's energy future. He hoped to produce a working paper with recommendations and a roadmap for completing the research and application process to address the impact of climate change.
Engineer Amira Salah highlighted the importance of the timing of the workshop in light of accelerating climate change and increasing carbon emissions, and Alexandria's exposure to the repercussions of these changes and their impact on infrastructure. She noted the Alexandria Governorate's adoption of several initiatives in the fields of smart green projects, clean energy, sustainable transportation, and waste recycling.
Ms. Lina Blin expressed her appreciation for Alexandria University's role in serving the environment at both the local and international levels, noting the academic cooperation between Alexandria University and French universities in light of the strategic relationship between Egypt and France. She emphasized the importance of organizing more joint events to organize the ideas of scientists and researchers and formulate them into executive policies in this field.
Dr. Ziad El Sayyad, Associate Professor of Architecture at the Faculty of Engineering, highlighted the need for direct academic collaboration between scientists from various disciplines to achieve a better understanding of the impacts of climate change on coastal areas. He emphasized the importance of the Pharos project, funded by the government of the Southern France region and in collaboration with Alexandria University, the University of Toulon in France, and the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, to discuss various aspects of climate change and its impact on sea and ocean coasts, with a focus on the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts, whether in terms of urban planning, coastal protection, or marine life. The final recommendations will be presented as contributions from the project and the Southern France region at the Seas and Oceans Summit in France in June 2025.
Dr. Marwa El Wakil emphasized the Bibliotheca Alexandrina's commitment to hosting cultural and scientific events that bring together cadres capable of providing solutions to societal problems. She praised the collaborative efforts between Alexandria University and academic institutions in Mediterranean countries in general, and France in particular, to discuss the challenges of climate change.
The session featured a presentation by Drs. Jacques Piazzola, Mehmet Ersoy, and Michel Dimou, professors at the University of Toulon, on the Pharos project, the impact of climate change, and risk management for expected scenarios in the context of population growth around the Mediterranean.
