Ismail Serageldin delivered a thoughtful and evocative closing address to the conference on “Convergences 03” organized by the UNU and the UNDL foundation at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA), which started on 2 December 2003. The address combining reflections on language, culture and the meaning of meaning and reviewing the current state of work on machine-based translation was well received by the distinguished audience. The text of the speech “From Barrier to Bridge” is available on this website .