To Ai or not to Ai,
that is the question!
Artificial Intelligence has been around for several years but recently it became the main discussion topic, even over social dinners! This is mainly due to advancement in Gen Ai (Generative Artificial Intelligence) which enabled chatbots like ChatGPT to hold a conversation and assist us by understanding human questions & conversation……to some extent!
Gen Ai advancement are going very fast, faster than what the general public are able to absorb. And I have seen some people worried if Ai is going to take over human life, while others are utilising Ai to help them in their daily life and work activities.
We, in the British Egyptian Society (BES), decided to hold Ai awareness webinars for our members and anyone who is interested to join to learn about Ai. We will be inviting expert speakers to explain Ai in non technical language in the first webinar. Following webinars, we will be inviting speakers from both countries, UK & Egypt to talk about what each country could be using or are already using; Ai in Education, Ai in Healthcare, Ai in Art. We will be exploring how UK and Egypt are using this new technology in those fields with the aim to build more bridges between the two countries in those new fields.
The webinars will start beginning of 2025 and will be online so that people can join from UK and Egypt. So, watch this space for more news about the speakers who are joining us and the start date.
Asser Elghoneimi
Technology Consultant
BES Board Member
Books which will make very good presents
The incredible life story of legendary cardiac surgeon and scientist Magdi Yacoub,
an outsider who succeeded against the odds –
see events for more details.
Dr Ahmed El-Mokadem book My Story was chosen as one of the best five books at the Frankfurt Book Festival
Welcome to the British Egyptian Society.
We are a non-political private, non-profit society
We are a diverse society with members in many countries.
Our common bond is our interests in Egypt and Great Britain.
We focus on the Culture, Education and History of both countries.
The Society is committed to working with universities, institutions of fine art, religious and research institutions, museums, theatres and Egyptologists.
We offer inspirational talks, presentations, debates, seminars emphasizing subject matters that contribute to intellectual enrichment and foster bi-lateral understanding.
In 2021 we have launched 2 exciting initiatives
The Book Prize for the book that best improves understanding of the history, economy, culture, arts, music, literature, religions, beliefs and practices of Egypt
An Essay Prize The general topic of the essay is ‘Egypt in the 21 century – the constituents of the future’.
Please explore our website to discover more about our society, which we hope you will consider joining.
About Us
The British Egyptian Society (BES), a registered UK charity, has existed since 1990 and was created by Ambassador Mohamed Shaker and Sir Michael Weir. The charity is run by 6 Trustees and a Supervisory Board of 16 members.
BES was set up in 1990 by Ambassador Mohamed Shaker and Sir Michael Weir to further British Egyptian relations outside politics. We hold regular public meetings, lectures, debates and events in the UK in support of this aim and we often contribute grants in support of Egyptian scholars of Egyptian museum specialists and conservators on attachment to the British Museum. Our mission is to exchange ideas and knowledge, and to improve understanding of the history, culture, arts, music, literature, religions, beliefs and practices of Egypt.
The Society and charity is run by 6 Trustees and a Supervisory Board of 16 members.
Mission Statement
The BES enables Egyptian and British people in the UK to exchange ideas and knowledge, and to improve understanding, of the history, culture, arts, music, literature, religions, beliefs and practices of Egypt.
What we do
We rely on our member’s enthusiasm and contribution to keep our society unique and continue its high-quality events. We trust you’ll have a great time connecting with us.
Our members benefit from our unique annual cultural visits to Paris and Turin to view the Egyptian museums, and have an excellent relationship with the British Museum. For the past, several years we have collaborated with the Curators from museums in Egypt to attend the British Museum for a fellowship summer training program. The Society, whose funds come from annual membership subscriptions and private donations, makes an annual contribution to the British Museum to enable this fellowship summer program for Egyptian archaeologists to study in the Museum. The Keeper of the Ancient Egypt and Sudan Department has been on our Board since we were founded and continue to have a big impact on our societies exposure.
We have had Private Views of major exhibitions at the British Museum, launched books by major authors and continue an excellent working relationship with Egyptian related sites including the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, the University of Cambridge, The Louvre in Paris, a private view of the Book of the Dead Exhibition, the Hajj Exhibition and Ancient Lives at the British Museum.
Apart from attracting quality speakers to our Annual Flagship Lecture, the Sir Michael Weir Lecture which takes place in December. We are starting in April the first in a series of annual debates with a Middle East theme, lead by 6th formers from 4 important secondary schools from the State and Independent sectors.
The British Egyptian Society (BES), a registered UK charity, has existed since 1990 and was created by Ambassador Mohamed Shaker and Sir Michael Weir. The charity is run by 6 Trustees and a Supervisory Board of 16 members. The society was set up to enhance the Cultural and Educational links between the United Kingdom and Egypt in the belief that it would strengthen the understanding between these two Nations.
Friends of the British Egyptian Society
