Remembering the Arabs We Lost in 2016
BY: Nisreen Eadeh/Staff Writer
The Arab world lost many talented figures in 2016 that everyone will miss. Throughout the year, Arab America tracked the unfortunate deaths of famous Arabs who were beloved internationally. Here are just 9 Arabs whose passings were felt by the Arab American community this year.
René Angélil – January 14
René Angélil died from cancer on January 14, 2016, two days before his 74th birthday. He was best known as the manager and husband of international songstress, Céline Dion.
Angélil grew up in Canada as the son of Arab immigrants. His father was of Syrian ancestry and his mother was of Lebanese descent, both rooted in the Melkite Rite.
Boutros Boutros-Ghali – February 16
Boutros Boutros-Ghali died at the age of 93 after being admitted to a hospital for a broken leg on February 16, 2016. He was an Egyptian politician and diplomat best known for his tenure as the United Nations Secretary-General from 1992 to 1996 during the tumultuous Rwandan and Bosnian Genocides.
Boutros-Ghali was born into a Coptic Christian family in Cairo. He was the descendent of prominent Egyptian public figures.
Mohamed Heikal – February 17
Mohamed Heikal died at the age of 92 of renal failure on February 17, 2016. He was a political commentator for over 50 years, working initially with Egypt’s President Gamal Abdel Nasser to articulate Pan-Arabism and the peace deal with Israel. Later, he became the editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram, the largest circulating daily newspaper in Egypt.
Heikal was born to a wealthy merchant family in Cairo. He was a Pro-Arabist who reported on many of Egypt’s most historic events.
Nabil Maleh – February 24
Nabil Maleh died at the age of 79 of lung cancer on February 24, 2016. He was a Syrian film director, screenwriter, poet, and artist often referred to as the father of Syrian cinema. Over his lifetime, he made over 150 films, earned more than 60 international film awards, and became a staple in film studies curriculum.
Maleh was born to a middle class family in Damascus. He was an outspoken critic of Gamel Abdel Nasser, who controlled Syria during his lifetime.
Zaha Hadid – March 31
Dame Zaha Hadid died at the age of 65 of a heart attack while in a Miami hospital on March 31, 2016. She was a famed Iraqi architect, who lived and worked in London for most of her long career. Hadid’s legacy lives through her buildings, which include the Evelyn Grace Academy, Guangzhou opera house, Sheikh Zayed Bridge, London aquatics center, Heydar Aliyev cultural center, and Galaxy Soho.
Hadid was born to a reputable, wealthy family in Baghdad. She was a naturalized citizen of the United Kingdom after setting up her London-based practice in 1980.
Clovis Maksoud – May 15
Clovis Maksoud died at the age of 89 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage on May 15, 2016. He was an Arab American academic, journalist, and diplomat best known for his tenure as Ambassador of the Arab League to India, the United Nations, and the United States.
Maksoud was born in Oklahoma to Lebanese parents of Orthodox and Maronite Christian backgrounds. He was a student and leader of the Pan-Arabism movement.
Ahmed Zewail – August 2
Ahmed Zewail died at the age of 70 after a long battle with cancer on August 2, 2016. He was an Arab American scientist and Nobel Prize winning chemist, often refferdd to as the father of femtochemistry. Dr. Zewail was a groundbreaking researcher, professor, and trusted scientific advisor to President Obama.
Dr. Zewail was born in Damanhour, Egypt and raised in Desouk. He moved to the United States in 1976 to earn his PhD and became a naturalized citizen.
Khalid Jabara – August 12
Khalid Jabara died at the age of 37 from a gunshot wound in a hate crime that shook the Arab American community. Jabara and his family were harassed for several years by their neighbor, Stanley Majors, who often called them derogatory words like “dirty Arabs” and “filthy Lebanese”.
Jabara was born and raised in Oklahoma to Lebanese Christian immigrants. He was a well-liked man by all and ran the family’s catering business.
Melhem Barakat – October 28
Melhem Barakat died at the age of 71 from cancer. He was a Lebanese singer and songwriter with a career that spanned over 50 years. Barakat was famous across the Arab world and left a legacy with hit songs, such as “Amaren,” “Farah Ennass,” and “Habibi Inta.”
Barakat was born in Kfarshima, Lebanon to a Christian family. He was influenced by prominent Egyptian singer Mohammed Abdel Wahab, and was known for singing in the Lebanese Arabic dialect.