Ghassan tueni biography of michael

Lebanese journalist and politician (–)

Ghassan Tueni (Arabic: غسان تويني&#;; 5 January – 8 June ) was a Lebanese journalist, politician and diplomat who headed An Nahar, one of the Arab world's leading newspapers.^[1] Some call him "The Dean of Lebanese Journalism".^[2]

Early life

Born in Beirut on 5 January to a Greek Orthodox Christian family from Achrafieh, Beirut for more than 3 centuries.^[3] Ghassan Tueni was the son of Gebran Tueni, the founder and publisher of the daily newspaper An Nahar.^[4] His hometown was Beit Mary.^[5]

Ghassan Tueni joined the Syrian Social Nationalist Party founded by Antoun Saadeh in the early s.

According to Tueni, it was Yusuf al-Khal who recruited him to join the party. While at the American University of Beirut, Tueni was the general executive head of student affairs within the SSNP and later rose to the position of assistant cultural dean of the party. In , he met Antoun Saadeh for the first time in Dhour El Choueir and was blown away by Saadeh's striking charisma.

While studying for his master's degree in the United States, Antoun Saadeh was in forced exile ,and the two exchanged letters between and Later that year, he left the SSNP after it dismissed Yusuf al-Khal, Fayez Sayegh and others.

Tueni made a swift comeback to the SSNP after its party leader was summoned and executed in a trial that took less than twenty four hours by the Lebanese authorities in Saadeh's execution was dubbed by many as the worst kangaroo court trial in Lebanese legal history.

The execution prompted Tueni to write a front-page column in the Nahar newspaper where he hailed Saadeh as a national hero forsaking his life for the national cause and condemning the execution. The article created a widespread political storm that caused much worry among the establishment ,and was soon sent to prison. In , Tueni was appointed by the SSNP leadership to represent the party in the Popular Socialist Front led by Kamal Jumblatt which forced the resignation of Lebanese president Bechara El Khoury.

Education

Tueni studied at the International College (IC) and then, at the American University of Beirut under Charles Malik who was influential in the development of his thoughts. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from the American University of Beirut in ^[4][6] He then went to the United States to study at Harvard University where he received his master's degree in government.^[6][7] He had to abruptly interrupt his Ph.D.

studies at Harvard and return to Lebanon to take over the reins of the journal when his father died.^[4]

Career

After the sudden death of his father Gebran Tueni, Ghassan, just 22 at the time, returned to Lebanon to continue publishing An Nahar. He became editor-in-chief and publisher of the paper from to , and from until his death.^[1][4] He was imprisoned in the s for his objections to censorship.^[8] Committed to his father's work, Ghassan developed a new team of journalists, modernising the editorial content and its production.

An Nahar was at the time Lebanon's foremost daily and the Arab world's most credible and authoritative newspaper.^[9]

He became a member of parliament in , at age ^[4] Until , he served in different governmental positions, including house speaker, deputy prime minister and minister of the social affairs and labor, industry, information, energy and education.^[10][11][12] He also served as Lebanon's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) from September to September , at the peak of the civil war.^[1][7][13] During his tenure at the UN, he famously addressed the Security Council on 17 March with the emotional plea: "Let my people live!".

Soon, the UNSC adopted Resolution , calling for Israel to immediately withdraw its forces from Lebanon.^[4] During the Lebanese Civil War, he was against Bachir Gemayel and confessed lobbying in Washington, D.C. against his presidential election.^[14] Ghassan Tueni described the Taif Agreement as the peace of the others.^[15]

After his son Gebran Tueni's assassination, Ghassan Tueni became the candidate for his son's seat in parliament and won the election.^[2][16] In June , he published an article in An Nahar in which he praised Abdul Halim Khaddam's, former vice president of Syria, resignation from the Baath Party.^[17] In , following clashes between pro- and anti-Syrian factions in Lebanon, he, along with other PMs, signed the Doha Agreement that ceased Lebanon's worst fighting since the civil war.

Tueni's tenure at the parliament lasted until and his granddaughter Nayla Tueni won the same seat from Beirut.^[2]

Personal life

Tueni married Nadia Hamadeh in ^[18] who died in after battling cancer for several years.^[7] He was predeceased by all three of his children.^[12] His son, the MP and journalist, Gebran Tueni was assassinated in At his son's funeral, he stood at the altar and pleaded, "Let us bury hatred and revenge along with Gebran".^[2] His only daughter, Nayla, died at age 7 from cancer.^[4] Makram, his youngest son, was killed in a car crash in Paris in at age ^[4] A granddaughter, Nayla, is a journalist and a member of the Lebanese Parliament, like her late father, late Gebran Tueni.^[19]

Work

Ghassan Tueni's writings are extensive.^[14] In , his book Une Guerre Pour les Autres (A War of Others) was published.^[20] He published another book, Enterrer La Haine Et La Vengeance (Let us bury hate and revenge), in , which he dedicated to his late son Gebran.^[21][22]

Awards

In addition, Tueni was awarded an honorary degree from the American University of Beirut in June ^[8][14] In December , Tueni was given the Lebanese Order of Merit for his achievements in politics.^[24] In , he was also the recipient of the Life Time Achievement Award of the Arab Thought Foundation.^[23]

Moreover, in , Tueni was awarded an honorary degree from the American University of Science and Technology.

Death

Ghassan Tueni died on 8 June after a long illness at age 86;^[25] he spent the last month of his life at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, in Beirut.^[19] He was survived by his second wife, Shadia al Khazen^[7] and four granddaughters.^[2]

His funeral was held in Beirut on 9 June ^[26]The Order of the Cedar was placed on his coffin.^[26][27] He was buried at Mar Mitr Cemetery.^[19]

On 9 June , King Abdullah II sent a cable of condolences to the Tueni family^[28] as did King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.^[29] The other statesmen sent their condolences included François Hollande, Laurent Fabius, and Shiekh Sabah al Ahmed al Sabah.^[30]

Notes

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