At a key address, Dr Abdul Halim Nur Eddin, Chair of the conference and Dean of the Faculty, said that water has always played a major role in the life of nations.

    Without the Nile, Egypt would not have ever had an ancient civilization. Research papers read at the conference looked at water resources from many perspectives; archaeological, geological, geographical, engineering, tourist and environmental

    Dr Nur Eddin said that the Nile was not only instrumental in agriculture but played a social, religious and political role. He said that the River harbors were a link between cities, serving various aspects of economic, industrial and religious life.

    The conference recommended creating an archaeological data-base of Nile harbors.

    One of the research papers focused on the flood level each year by measuring water height against marks on a stone.

    The conference papers also dealt with conflict over the Nile in the 14th and 15th century, when the crusaders attempted to divert the course of the Nile in Ethiopia to starve the Egyptians. All attempts failed.

    The research highlighted the festivities, related to the Nile flood, which were all inscribed on a stele at Selsela Mountain in Aswan, dating back to the reign of Ramses II.

    A further topic discussed at the conference was ways of protecting the Nile against pollution and encroachments.