Fathi Saleh

Fathi Saleh (born 22 January 1939) is an Egyptian professor of computer engineering at Cairo University. He founded the Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage (CULTNAT), affiliated with Bibliotheca Alexandrina and supported by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. He is a member of the Supreme Council of Culture and leads the Association for the Documentation, Preservation and Valorisation of Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Heritage (Herimed). He was the Cultural Counsellor at the Embassy of Egypt in Paris and the Ambassador of Egypt to the UNESCO from 1995 to 1999. His work primarily involves the application of new technologies in cultural and natural heritage.

Early life and education Saleh was born in Cairo, Egypt, on 22 January 1939. He received a B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from Cairo University in 1960. He worked for the Egyptian broadcasting organisation until 1966, then moved to France for doctoral studies. He earned his Ph.D. degree in computer engineering from the University of Paris in 1970. Afterwards, he returned to Cairo University as an associate professor of computer engineering.

Career and research Saleh was the director of the Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage (CULTNAT) from 2000 to 2010. CULTNAT is a research centre that documents and preserves the cultural and natural heritage of Egypt and the Arab world using technologies like digital imaging, geographic information systems, virtual reality, and multimedia. CULTNAT is part of Bibliotheca Alexandrina and is supported by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. He leads the Association for the Documentation, Preservation and Valorisation of Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Heritage (Herimed), an organisation that promotes cooperation and exchange among Mediterranean region countries in the field of cultural heritage. He has received additional awards from national and international organisations for his work in cultural and natural heritage.

In 2004, the Stockholm Challenge Award Awarded Dr Fathi Saleh the first prize for Culture Category for his work with CULTNAT . The Stockholm Challenge Award was a significant international program recognizing pioneering IT projects using technology for social/economic benefit, focusing on positive societal impact (like healthcare, education, democracy) rather than tech itself, running from the late 90s to the 2000s, highlighting innovative ICT solutions and building global networks for entrepreneurs, often seen as an "IT Nobel Prize" for positive change, with a strong focus on developing regions.