Prominent journalist, poet Al Sayegh passes away
He was considered one of the pioneers of UAE’s new poetry movement
Eminent Emirati poet Habib Yousuf Abdallah Al Sayegh, editor-inchief of Al Khaleej newspaper, chairman of the Emirates Writers Union and secretary-general of the Arab Writers Union, passed away yesterday.
“Today, the UAE has lost one of its icons of media, journalism and literature. May God bestow his mercy upon Habib Al Sayegh and place him in paradise. His work, poetry and writings will remain as a testimony of his great love of the nation, as well as the greatest legacy he left behind. The nations will always remain as a testament to persons of letters. May Allah grant his family patience and solace,” His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, tweeted.
Eminent Emirati poet Habib Yousuf Abdallah Al Sayegh, who passes away yesterday, is considered one of the pioneers of the new poetry movement in the UAE and the Gulf region. His poems have been translated into English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Chinese.
The UAE Journalists Association honoured him in 2008 as the first journalist to spend 35 years in the national press service. In 2004, he received the Taryam Omran Award – Pioneers of Journalism Category, from His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
In 2007, he was presented the State Merit Award (Arts) by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Dr Shaikh Sultan also honoured him as the Personality of the Year for Cultural Exhibition of Sharjah International Book Fair 2012.
Al Sayegh was born in Abu Dhabi in 1955. He earned a Bachelor of Philosophy in 1977 and did his Masters in Comparative Linguistics from the University of London. He served as director of internal media at the Ministry of Information and Culture in 1977 and deputy editor of Al Etihad newspaper in 1978.
Rich tributes
Dr Shaikh Rashid Bin Hamad Al Sharqi, chairman of the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority, said: “With the departure of Emirati writer Habib Al Sayegh, the Emirati culture and literary world has lost a creative and brave writer who cared about humanitarian issues.”
The Emirates Journalists Association also mourned the death of Al Sayegh describing him as a creative writer and a symbol of journalism and culture in the UAE.
The association extended its heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the family of the deceased, Al Khaleej Arabic daily newspaper, Emirates Writers Union and Arab Writers Union.
Achievements
Al Sayegh founded and became the editor of Awraq cultural magazine. He was the chairman of the Union of the Emirates Writers, secretary general of the General Conference of the Emirates Writers and Authors; assistant secretary-general of the General Union of Arab Writers and deputy editor of the Arab Writer magazine published by the General Union of Arab writers. He was also chairman of the National Committee of Ethical Journalism in the UAE.
He worked as vice-chairman, Emiratisation and Human Resources Development, in the state media sector and served as director-general of the Sultan Bin Zayed Centre for Culture and Media and head of the UAE delegation to the Civil Society Forum for the Future.
An Associate Press writer in the UAE, Al Sayegh ran a daily column that had not been interrupted since February 1978.