Honoring the Legacy of Suheil Bushrui
It saddens us to share with you that Professor Suheil Bushrui, a distinguished author, poet, critic, and translator, passed away on September 2nd, 2015 at the age of 85. He was the holder of the Gibran Chair at the University of Maryland and an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Anthropology.
Professor Bushrui earned a B.A. in English Literature from Alexandria University in 1954, and a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Southampton in 1962.
From 1992-2005, Professor Bushrui held the University of Maryland’s Baha’i Chair and since 2006, he served as the University of Maryland’s George and Lisa Zakhem Kahlil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace.
Bushrui was the foremost authority on the works of Khalil Gibran. He continued Khalil Gibran’s vision of creating unity amid diversity and his work embodies Gibran’s ideals.Professor Bushrui was an active member in several international organizations including: International Dialogue on Transition to a Global Society; the Board of Governors of The Temple of Understanding; and the Temenos Academy in London- dedicated to promoting peace and conflict resolution. He taught and gave presentations at several universities around the world including in the U.K., Canada, and Nigeria.The projects of Bushrui centered on creating peace by promoting international and interfaith dialogue. His work is recognized globally and he is the recipient of numerous prestigious and honorary awards.
Professor Bushrui’s work is extensive and has been translated into several languages. He published several books including Love Letters: The Love Letters of Kahlil Gibran to May Ziadah,The Literary Heritage of the Arabs, and The Wisdom of the Arabs.
In 2004, Professor Bushrui was asked to serve as an Affiliate Faculty member with the University of Maryland’s Center for Heritage Resource Studies (CHRS), an interdisciplinary program that promotes the study of culture, architecture, and archaeology. In this role he delivered the keynote address “Heritage: Poetry and Archaeology as the Common Language of the Past, the Present, and the Future” at the Archaeology and Interpretation shared training program organized by the CHRS and the U.S. National Park Service.
In 2014, Professor Bushrui edited with David Cadman Speeches and Articles 1968-2012: His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. This two volume set contains the speeches of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and covers his principal interests and activities and includes: the natural environment, expressed both as farming, forestry and fisheries, and then as climate change; architecture and the built environment; integrated medicine and health; society, religion and tradition; education, The Prince’s Trust and Business in the Community.
In February of 2015, Suheil Bushrui was featured on “Arabian Candles”, a radio program that is broadcasted internationally. Professor Bushrui spoke about Mikhail Naimy, and his pioneering work on introducing modern criticism into Arabic literature. He was featured again on “Arabian Candles” in April to talk about the establishment of ar-Rabitatu’l Qalamyiah, or “Pen Bond”. The Pen Bond symbolized a new literary era for the Arab world, and three of its most famous members (Kahlil Gibran, Mikahil Naimy, and Ameen Rihani) went on to create the most renovating and revolutionary movement that Arabic literature had known in modern times.
Published in 2015, Professor Bushrui compiled and editedDesert Songs of the Night: An Anthology of Arabic Literature from pre-Islamic to Modern Timeswith James M Malarkey. This unique anthology of Arabic literature offers a wide-ranging selection across virtually all genres of poetry and prose to appeal to the student of culture and history who seeks acquaintance with gems of Arab thought and expression from classical times to the present.
Professor Paul Shackel, Chair of the Department of Anthropology, noted that, “Professor Bushrui leaves an amazing legacy. His warm heart and persistent pursuit to incorporate spiritualty and ethics into the curriculum provides a guideline for generations to come. He has touched us all - students, faculty, and administrators. His work will live on in many of us.” He touched the hearts of many and will be greatly missed by all.
Read Professor Bhuhrui’s full Curricula Vitae: http://bahai.haifa.ac.il/pdf/bushrui_cv.pdf and for more information visit, The Baha’i World News Service: http://news.bahai.org/story/1065
Photo courtesy of The Bahá'í Chair for World Peace
Published on Mon, 09/14/2015 - 11:56