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Statement Of 99
The Statement of 99 was a statement made by 99 Syrian intellectuals on 27 September 2000, during the Damascus Spring that followed Hafez al-Assad's death in June of the same year. The intellectuals called for the state of emergency to be ended, for political prisoners to be pardoned, for deportees and exiles to be allowed to return, for legal protection for free speech and freedom of assembly, and to "free public life from the laws, constraints and various forms of surveillance imposed on it". Prominent signers included Abdulrazak Eid, Anwar al-Bunni, Mamdouh Adwan, Haidar Haidar, Ali al-Jundi, Ali Kanaan, and Michel Kilo. After his death, it became known that Syrian renowned documentary filmmaker Omar Amiralay wrote the first draft of the statement, and developed it in collaboration with fellow filmmaker Usama Muhammad Ossama Mohammed ( ar, أسامة محمد; born 21 March 1954) is a Syrian film director and screenwriter. His film, ''The Box of Life'', was screened in the Un C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Damascus Spring
The Damascus Spring ( ar, ربيع دمشق, ) was a period of intense political and social debate in Syria which started after the death of President Hafiz al-Asad in June 2000 and continued to some degree until autumn 2001, when most of the activities associated with it were suppressed by the government. It started with the Statement of 99 and the establishing of the Committees of Civil Society, then the Statement of 1000 was issued carrying the signature of 1000 Syrian intellectuals in 2001. Background Officially a Republic, Syria has been governed by the Baath Party since 1963 and was under Emergency Law from 1963 until 2011; the head of state since 1970 has been a member of the Assad family. Under Hafez al-Asad, president of Syria from 1970 until his death in 2000, political activity had been strictly controlled, and from 1980 onwards effective opposition activity became almost impossible. Five principal security agencies served primarily to monitor political dissent: ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ali Al-Jundi
Ali al-Jundi (March 17, 1928 - August 7, 2009) was a renowned Syrian poet. He is considered one of the pioneers of Arabic free verse poetry. Biography Ali al-Jundi was born in Salamiyah, Syria in the Hama Governorate. He was from a well-known Ismaili family, although he himself rejected organized religions. His brother was politician Sami al-Jundi, and his cousin was Abd al-Karim al-Jundi. After graduating with a BA in Philosophy from Damascus University in 1955, he worked as a teacher and journalist in Damascus and Beirut, then as head of the Directorate of News and Media in Syria. He eventually became the editor of the main government newspaper, where he worked until his retirement. He was one of the founding members of the Arab Writers Union in 1962, of which he was made vice president in 1969. Following the death of Hafez al-Assad in 2000, he joined 98 other prominent Syrian intellectuals as a signatory of the Statement of 99. He wrote poetry throughout most of his life. He d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Al-Hayat
Al-Hayat ( ar, الحياة meaning "Life") was a London-based, pan-Arab newspaper owned by Saudi Prince Khalid bin Sultan, that had a circulation estimated over 200,000. It was the newspaper of record for the Arab diaspora and the preferred venue for liberal intellectuals who wish to express themselves to a large public. Founded in 1946, the paper closed in March 2020 after years of financial problems. Though rather pro-West and pro-Saudi with respect to articles concerning the Arabian peninsula, it was quite open to various opinions concerning other regional questions. ''Al-Hayat'' prints in London, New York, Frankfurt, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Beirut and Cairo. The newspaper had offices in London, Paris, Washington, New York, Moscow, Riyadh, Jeddah, Beirut, Cairo, Baghdad, Dubai, Amman, and Damascus, among others. The newspaper was "regarded as by far and away the best and most intensely read Arab newspaper", according to a 1997 article in ''The New York Times''.Ibra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mouaffaq Nyrabia
Mouaffaq Nyrabia ( ar, موفق نيربية; born 28 November 1949) is a Syrian dissident, politician, political writer and mechanical engineer, best known for his pivotal role in the creation of Damascus Declaration, a prominent Syrian Opposition structure until the Syrian Revolution erupted in March 2011. Since he left Syria, in early 2013, he has been an active member of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, a member of its executive board, representing the secular political current ''Muwatanah'' (Arabic for "Citizenship"). Nyrabia worked on founding a democratic bloc inside the Syrian Coalition and joined the similar attempts led by dissident writer and politician Michael Kilo. In June 2014, the democratic bloc, which became a major force inside the coalition, voted Nyrabia to be its candidate to preside over the coalition, after Ahmad Jarba, who is a member of the same bloc. However, in March 2016, Nyrabia was elected as First Vice Presiden ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Usama Muhammad
Ossama Mohammed ( ar, أسامة محمد; born 21 March 1954) is a Syrian film director and screenwriter. His film, ''The Box of Life'', was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. He is currently living in exile in Paris, where he collaborated on ''Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait''. Filmography * '' Khutwa Khutwa (Step by Step)'' (1978) * ''Stars in Broad Daylight'' (1988) * ''Al-Lail'' (Screenwriter) (1992) * ''The Box of Life'' (2002) * ''Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait ''Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait'' ( ar, ماء الفضة, french: Eau argentée, Syrie autoportrait) is a Syrian documentary film about the Syrian Civil War, directed by Ossama Mohammed and Wiam Simav Bedirxan. The film premiered in the Sp ...'' (2014) References External links * 1954 births Living people Syrian film directors Syrian screenwriters People from Latakia Syrian exiles {{Syria-bio-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Omar Amiralay
Omar Amiralay ( ar, عمر أميرالاي) (1944 – 5 February 2011) was a Syrian documentary film director and civil society activist. He is noted for the political criticism in his films, and played a prominent role in the events of the Damascus Spring of 2000. Life and work Amiralay was born in Damascus in 1944. Amiralay studied in Paris at Théâtre de la Ville between 1966-7 and later at La Fémis, before returning to Syria in 1970. He thus had a different artistic formation from the majority of Syrian film-makers, who studied in the Soviet Union or in Eastern Europe. His films include a trilogy of documentaries concerning the Tabqa Dam on the Euphrates. The first, ''Film Essay on the Euphrates Dam'' (1970), is a tribute to Syria's greatest development project, but the second and third take a more critical approach. '' Everyday Life in a Syrian Village'' (1974) shows the dam's ambiguous impact on the lives of ordinary people in a nearby village, and portrays their relati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michel Kilo
Michel may refer to: * Michel (name), a given name or surname of French origin (and list of people with the name) * Míchel (nickname), a nickname (a list of people with the nickname, mainly Spanish footballers) * Míchel (footballer, born 1963), Spanish former footballer and manager * ''Michel'' (TV series), a Korean animated series * German auxiliary cruiser ''Michel'' * Michel catalog, a German-language stamp catalog * St. Michael's Church, Hamburg or Michel * S:t Michel, a Finnish town in Southern Savonia, Finland People * Alain Michel (other), several people * Ambroise Michel (born 1982), French actor, director and writer. * André Michel (director), French film director and screenwriter * André Michel (lawyer), human rights and anti-corruption lawyer and opposition leader in Haiti * Anette Michel (born 1971), Mexican actress * Anneliese Michel (1952 - 1976), German Catholic woman undergone exorcism * Annett Wagner-Michel (born 1955), German Woman Internatio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ali Kanaan
Ali Kanaan (born 12 December 1985 in Beirut, Lebanon) is a Lebanese Canadian basketball player currently playing for Byblos and the Lebanon national basketball team. Early life and education Born to Anis Kanaan and Amira El-Fares of Beirut, Lebanon, Kanaan immigrated to Canada. He played in Vanier College (Ville Saint Laurent, Quebec) and College Montmorency (Laval, Quebec). He played in the NCAA for 4 years with the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Career Early career (Highschool and College) He played four years at Georges-Vanier high school in the Province of Quebec, Canada. Ali played for the University of Massachusetts Lowell. for four years, a Division II school who is in the Northeast 10 conference. He played his freshman year for them during the 06-07 season where he averaged 3.8 points and 4.0 rebounds a game during his freshman season. Pro career In 2010 after the 2010 FIBA World Championship and after graduating from college Ali became pro and he signed wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Haidar Haidar
Haidar Haidar ( ar, حيدر حيدر, born 1936 in Husayn al-Baher) is a Syrian writer and novelist. His novel ''Walimah li A'ashab al-Bahr'' was banned in several Arab countries, and even resulted in a belated angry reaction from the clerics of Al-Azhar University upon reprinting in Egypt in the year 2000. The clerics issued a Fatwa banning the novel, and accused Haidar of heresy and offending Islam. Al-Azhar University , image = جامعة_الأزهر_بالقاهرة.jpg , image_size = 250 , caption = Al-Azhar University portal , motto = , established = *970/972 first foundat ... students staged huge protests against the novel, that eventually led to its confiscation. BBC 12 May 2000 Works |
Hafez Al-Assad
Hafez al-Assad ', , (, 6 October 1930 – 10 June 2000) was a Syrian statesman and military officer who served as President of Syria from taking power in 1971 until his death in 2000. He was also Prime Minister of Syria from 1970 to 1971, as well as regional secretary of the regional command of the Syrian regional branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party and secretary general of the National Command of the Ba'ath Party from 1970 to 2000. Assad participated in the 1963 Syrian coup d'état which brought the Syrian regional branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party to power, and the new leadership appointed him commander of the Syrian Air Force. In February 1966, Assad participated in a second coup, which toppled the traditional leaders of the Ba'ath Party. Assad was appointed defence minister by the new government. Four years later, Assad initiated a third coup which ousted the ''de facto'' leader Salah Jadid and appointed himself as leader of Syria. Assad impose ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mamdouh Adwan
Mamdouh Adwan ( ar, ممدوح عدوان, 23 November 1941 – 19 December 2004) was a prolific Syrian writer, poet, playwright and critic. He published his first collection of poetry, ''al-Dhul al-Akhdhar'' he Green Shadowin 1967 and afterwards published 18 further collections. He also published two novels, twenty-five plays, translated twenty-three books from English into Arabic, including the ''Iliad'', the ''Odyssey,'' a biography of George Orwell, the ''Report to Greco'' by Nikos Kazantzakis, and wrote a number of television series. He wrote regularly on Arab current affairs, and also taught at the Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts in Damascus. Only few of his works have been published in English, notably in Banipal magazine. Biography Mamdouh Adwan was born in the village of Qayrun near Masyaf, Hama Governorate, the first child of Sabri Adwan. After finishing his schooling in Masyaf, he moved to Damascus to study English literature at Damascus University. He was marri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anwar Al-Bunni
Anwar al-Bunni ( ar, أنور البني, born 1959) is a Syrian human rights lawyer who has defended clients such as Riad al-Turk, Riad Seif, the owner of ''The Lamplighter'', (an independent newspaper shut down by the Syrian government), Kurdish protesters, and "dozens of others." Al-Bunni was born in Hama to a Christian family active in dissident leftist politics.Wright, Robin, ''Dreams and Shadows : the Future of the Middle East'', Penguin Press, 2008, pp. 257, 8, 9. According to an interview with American journalist Robin Wright, he became interested in defending dissidents after being beaten, bayonetted, and having his beard set on fire by Syrian soldiers during a military sweep of Hama in 1981. Wright describes him as having spent "most of his life" defending Syria's political dissidents, often pro bono, and having sold his automobile and office to pay his bills as a result.Wright, Robin, ''Dreams and Shadows : the Future of the Middle East'', Penguin Press, 2008, p. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
