How South Americans with Middle Eastern Roots are Transforming Arabic Cuisine

In a region where the first Arab immigrants arrived in the 19th century and an estimated 18 million people have Middle Eastern roots, Arabic food has become an integral part of the local cuisine in several Latin American countries. A new generation of Arabs on the continent is now seeking to expand the concepts and possibilities of their culinary traditions.

In Brazil, where researchers estimate that at least 10 million people are of Syrian or Lebanese descent, kibbeh and sfiha have become so popular that many people have forgotten their Levantine origin. “Sfiha was mainly brought to Brazil by Armenians from Aleppo,” Lebanese-born chef Georges Barakat told Arab News.

When he arrived in the city of Sao Paulo in 2004, he realized that Brazilians were very interested in Arabic food. Since he opened his restaurant Shahiya in 2012, he has been reinventing Lebanese dishes, giving them contemporary attributes without making them lose their roots.

“As with any other cuisine, the Arabic one can be transformed, but always keeping its essence,” he said.

“I try to offer my clients nostalgic recipes that remind them of the food they used to eat with their grandmothers, but with a modern touch.”

Both in Shahiya, located in an upscale area of Sao Paulo, and in his work as a culinary consultant at the Mount Lebanon Club — one of the most traditional institutions of the Lebanese community in the city — Barakat offers high-level food presentation and a sumptuous atmosphere.

His experiments include grape-leaf rolls stuffed with Portuguese cod, a fusion of the traditional Lebanese dish with a popular filling in Brazil. “I want to please different tastes. Nobody will lose anything with that effort,” he said.

Brazilians have transformed sfiha into their own dish, and now make sausage and even chocolate versions. In Mexico, the historical presence of Arab immigrants has also generated a curious synthesis with the local cuisine. The most notorious example is the taco arabe, a fusion between the Arabic shawarma and the Mexican taco.

It was a creation of Assyrian-Chaldean immigrants who settled in the city of Puebla at the beginning of the 1920s.

“My grandfather and his brother realized that it wasn’t easy to find pita bread, so they began using tortillas,” Zacarias Galiana, the heir of Tacos Bagdad — the pioneering restaurant in the production of tacos arabes — told Arab News.

“They also replaced the yogurt with chipotle sauce, and the preferred meat became pork.”

Galiana, who manufactures the chipotle sauce that his grandfather created, also serves a more Arabized version of the taco, using a tortilla more similar to pita bread and traditional shawarma fillings such as yogurt and onions. “We’re totally connected, and fusion food is a natural consequence,” he said.

In Chile, where at least 600,000 Palestinians form their largest community outside the Middle East, the new generation seems to be eager to innovate.

Jad Alarja, a 33-year-old Palestinian-born chef in the capital Santiago, is a culinary instructor at the online platform Ochomil.cl, and has been teaching viewers how to make traditional Arabic dishes. He is not afraid of experimenting with new flavors and textures.

“The new generations are willing to have new food experiences, but we Arabs tend to be stuck with the same old ways of doing things,” he told Arab News. Alarja’s classes have been shared on social media by Chile’s Palestinian community. At times, he receives negative feedback.

“Once I taught how I prepare tabbouleh and a person said, ‘I come from a family with five generations of cooks, and that isn’t how tabbouleh should be done’,” he said.

“Why do people prefer to compete over who makes things more traditionally instead of creating new things?”

Alarja said during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Arab Chileans began cooking and selling food, something that may contribute to expanding the reach of Arabic cuisine in the country.

The expansion of Arabic food in Latin America is also a result of the influx of Syrian refugees, who have been coming to the region for the last 10 years due to humanitarian visas distributed by countries such as Brazil and Argentina.

Some of them opened restaurants and have been serving the food they used to prepare in Syria, which can at times surprise Latin Americans used to a specific Arabic cuisine.

Haneen Nasser, a 30-year-old Syrian who came to Argentina six years ago, married a Lebanese Argentinian and settled in Santa Rosa, a small city in La Pampa province.

There, they began cooking in 2018 and soon caused some surprise among their clients. “The city doesn’t have a large Lebanese community like Buenos Aires and Cordoba, but people have their established ideas about Arabic food. At times we impact them,” she told Arab News.

That was the case with the mint and cheese sfiha, a traditional dish in her hometown Latakia but until then unknown in Argentina.

“Even my Lebanese mother-in-law didn’t know it. Now it’s a success, especially among vegetarians and kids,” Nasser said.

A graduate in English studies, she never cooked professionally in Syria but fell in love with the idea in Argentina. At time, she asks for help from her mother and aunt in Syria with some recipes.

“We’re now starting a small restaurant with the idea of not only serving food, but also presenting our culture to the people,” Nasser said. “It’s our life project for the future.”

Barakat said: “Many Arab chefs go to Europe for training and end up becoming chefs of foreign food. I’m the opposite: I want to be an ambassador of Lebanese — and Arabic — food all over the world.”

source/contents: arabnews.com

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ARAB WORLD / SOUTH AMERICA

LEBANON: Journalism Student Yasmina Zaytoun Crowned Miss Lebanon 2022

The Forum de Beyrouth played host to a glittering showcase of Lebanese talent on Sunday night as model, journalism student and show host Yasmina Zaytoun was crowned Miss Lebanon 2022, almost four years after the last edition of the pageant.

The host of the educational online platform the @WITHYASMINASHOW beat out fellow contestants Maya Abou El-Hassan, who finished as first runner-up, Jacintha Rashed, who was named second runner up, and Lara Hraoui and Dalal Hoballah who were voted in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Zaytoun is from the village of Kfarchouba in southern Lebanon and is currently studying at Notre Dame University — Louaize. She hosts an Instagram show titled the “With Yasmina Show,” where she interviews media and sports personalities, including politician Paula Yacoubian and actress Enjy Kiwan.

Delayed by years of crises in Lebanon, the much anticipated the show featured 17 candidates from various cities and regions who wowed a judging panel consisting of music composer Michel Fadel, influencer Karen Wazen, General Manager of IP Studios Mohamad Yehya, Miss World 2022 Karolina Bielawska, General Manager of Al-Nahar and Al-Nahar Al-Arabi Nayla Tueni, Caracala dance theatre director Ivan Caracala, TV host Hilda Khalife, and Miss Lebanon 1993 Samaya Chedrawi, who was on hand to represent the Ministry of Tourism.

“Tonight, we’re celebrating Lebanon, not just Miss Lebanon,” Tueni said, explaining the importance of the event.

“Celebrating Lebanon that we miss, the beautiful country, the life in Lebanon. This is the most beautiful image of the real people, the real Lebanese that are suffering and trying to survive. This is a very important message, and I hope that Lebanon will rise again with a very positive message. We will stay strong because we love Lebanon,” she added, noting that the new beauty queen has to “be the voice of the Lebanese people.”

Hosted by Lebanese actress and TV host Aimee Sayah, the event also featured a performance by Lebanese singing icon Nancy Ajram, who started with a rendition of “Ila Beirut Al Ontha” in a tribute to the city, before surprising her fans with “Salmat Salamat” and a performance of her new song “Sah Sah,” which was produced by US DJ Marshmello.

Ajram invited her audience to support Lebanon in the “good and the bad,” adding: “I never thought about how to love Lebanon. There’s no rule as to how you can love your country. I love Lebanon till the end.”

Sayah was dressed by famed Lebanese designer Georges Hobeika, fresh off his runway presentation at Paris Haute Couture Week in July while contestants showed off a number of glamorous looks, including evening gowns and bathing suits, and also demonstrated their ability to keep a cool head under pressure by addressing a range of social issues on stage.

Those issues included divorce, fragmented families, women abuse and violence — both verbal and physical — access to healthcare and education, and women’s empowerment, among others.

The lucky few hit the stage after being prepped and primped by the best in the business, including celebrity makeup artist Bassam Fattouh and hairstylist Wassim Morkos.

Previous Miss Lebanon Maya Reaidy, who was crowned in September 2018, passed the title and the tiara on to her successor, bringing her almost four-year-reign to an end after a series of crises forced the event to be postponed.  

In the run up to the event, billboards dotted roads in Beirut and beyond with the slogan “We missed celebrating Lebanon’s beauty,” which played into the wider #WeMissLebanon campaign touted by the event organizers, The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI) and The Ministry of Tourism.

Organizers also released a glamorous advert featuring a number of the contestants posing in daring outfits, with stunning aerial views of Lebanese tourist hotspots interspersed throughout the 48-second video.

The ceremony reflected the same celebration of the country through the music, which was chosen by Fadel, the setup and decoration with take home flowers.

Chairman and CEO of the Miss World organization Julia Morley, Miss World 2021 Karolina Bielawska from Poland, the first runner-up Miss USA Shree Saini, and Miss World 2019 Toni-Ann Singh from Jamaica and Miss World Events Director Stephen Douglas Morley were also in attendance.

“I have travelled quite a lot and I find that the people are the heart of every country. I can honestly say that Lebanese people are so beautiful and so warm, and even though I’m miles away from my own country Jamaica I feel at home,” Singh said.

The winner was selected from a pool of candidates chosen for their beauty and brains at auditions held between December 2021 and February 2022, with Lebanese young women aged between the ages of 18 and 27 invited to participate.

source/content: arabnews.com

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Journalism student and host of @WITHYASMINASHOW Yasmina Zaytoun with her Miss Lebanon 2022 crown. (Arab News/ Alex Spoerndli)

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LEBANON

EGYPT: Among the Most Powerful CEOs of 2022 – Forbes Highlights Hisham Talaat Moustafa, CEO & MD of the Talaat Moustafa Group

Forbes Middle East has announced its annual list of the 100 Most Powerful CEOs in the Middle East for 2022.

 The American magazine confirmed the status of businessman Hisham Talaat Moustafa, CEO and Managing Director of Talaat Moustafa Holding Group, who ranked 61st, up 6 places from last year’s ranking.

 Forbes Middle East magazine said that Hisham Talaat Moustafa is the youngest son of the founder of the Talaat Moustafa Group, which is currently the largest listed real estate company in Egypt.

 The magazine stated that the assets of Talaat Moustafa Company amounted to 7.5 billion dollars in 2021, while the group owns a portfolio of land with an area of 74 million square meters.

   The group’s revenues amounted to 825 million dollars last year, while the company developed more than 33 million square meters of land, and sold more than 90 thousand housing units.

 Forbes reported that the Talaat Moustafa Group recently launched giant projects, including: Privado – Madinaty, Celia and Noor City.

 The magazine said that the group has extensive investments in the hospitality sector, including: Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh, Four Seasons Nile Plaza, Four Seasons San Stefano Alexandria, and Kempinski Nile  Cairo.

 About the methodology used in the classification, Forbes indicated that its methodology in preparing the list was based on collecting information from financial market disclosures, industry reports, annual reports of companies, financial statements, and other primary sources.

 As for the classification of CEOs, it is based on several factors: the influence of the CEO and the company on society and the country, the markets they supervise, the CEO’s experience in his current position, as well as his general experience.

 Forbes indicated that the factors affecting the evaluation include: the size of the company in terms of revenues, assets, market value, the CEO’s achievements and performance in the past year, the innovations and initiatives he implemented.

 This year, Forbes magazine’s list of the most powerful CEOs in the Middle East includes 100 business leaders from 26 different nationalities, led by the Emiratis with 19 CEOs, followed by the Egyptians with 16 leaders, and the Saudis with 15 business leaders.

  The CEOs in the banking and financial services sector topped the list with 27 CEOs, followed by the leaders of the communications sector with 8 heads, and then 7 leaders in each of the energy and logistics sector.

  The companies on the list run by CEOs are worth more than 5 trillion dollars, while revenue was more than 1 trillion dollar last year.

source/content: egypttoday.com (headline edited)

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Among the most powerful CEOs of 2022 Forbes highlights the CEO of Talaat Moustafa Group

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EGYPT

WORLD RECORD: EMIRATES (U.A.E) : NYU Abu Dhabi Research Scientist to Publish the World’s First Arabic Mars Atlas

NYU Abu Dhabi research scientist Dr. Dimitra Atri has produced the world’s first ever Mars atlas in Arabic, Emirates News Agency reported.

The atlas uses data from the UAE’s Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) — also known as Hope or Al-Amal — in order to make the findings of the probe more accessible to both the UAE’s Arabic-speaking population and the rest of the world.

The Mars Atlas Project combines various images from the Hope probe to map the planet’s surface.

The end result is a comprehensive view of Mars and stunning images of a planet that once had similar atmospheric conditions to Earth.

Dimitra Atri used data from UAE’s Hope probe to map the red planet.

Atri and his team compiled the atlas by processing observational data from EMM’s Emirates eXploration Imager, one of three instruments onboard the orbiter. The device will also assist the team in showing how the planet changes over the course of one Mars year, which is roughly equivalent to two Earth years.

As more data from the Hope probe becomes available, the atlas will be gradually updated.

The data will help scientists gain a better understanding of the planet’s atmospheric thinning, which has caused it to cool and dry over the last 4 billion years.

Atri predicts that the collected data will be used to answer unsolved scientific questions about the erosion of Mars’ atmosphere.

The findings could help the international scientific community to better understand Earth’s atmospheric processes, he said.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

RECORDS: SAUDI ARABIA: Al-Jum’ah Mosque in Madinah, where the Prophet (pbuh) Performed the First Friday Prayer after Migration from Makkah

As a site of historical significance with a prominent role in Islamic history, today it sees a number of visitors who come to perform their prayers.

Madinah is home to a number of mosques and historic Islamic sites, a veritable tourist destination where visitors can explore places from Prophet Muhammad’s life.

Al-Jum’ah Mosque is one such place, linked to the migration of Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to Madinah.

The mosque is the site where the prophet stopped in the Wadi Ranuna region and performed the Jum’ah, or Friday, prayer.

Al-Jum’ah Mosque holds different names, such as Al-Wadi Mosque and Atikah Mosque.

As a site of historical significance with a prominent role in Islamic history, today it sees a number of visitors who come to perform their prayers.

It is situated southwest of Madinah, near Wadi Ranuna, 900 meters north of the Quba Mosque and 6 kilometers from the Prophet’s Mosque.

It was built with rocks initially then demolished and renovated several times. Before the last expansion, the mosque was built over a small mound, with one dome made of red bricks. Then it was rebuilt and expanded to accommodate 650 pilgrims.

The mosque also includes a minaret, a main dome in the middle of a praying area and four small domes on its sides.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Al-Jum’ah Mosque in Madinah. (SPA)

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SAUDI ARABIA

Omani Olive Oil Bags Five Awards in the London International Olive Oil Competitions

 Olive oil of the Royal Court Affairs (RCA), represented by the Royal Gardens and Farms, have won five medals at the London International Olive Oil Competitions.

The olive oil products of Riyad al Jabal Farm in Jabal Akhdar were awarded two gold, two silver and a bronze, confirming the continuation of a high-profile record in international competitions. The prizes will be handed over to the winners at a ceremony on July 11, said a report.

Hilal bin Mohammed al Waeli, Head of Horse and Camel Affairs, Farms and Royal Gardens, said, “Omani olive oil products continue to shine and lead, as it deservedly won a total of 12 international awards this year through participations in three competitions.”

He added that these achievements are a clear evidence of the quality of the extra virgin olive oil produced at the Riyad al Jabal Farm.

“All stages of its production, starting from choosing the site for planting olive trees, the technical and scientific care of agricultural process, to the accurate harvesting methods and extraction utilising the best modern methods are managed by a highly skilled and dedicated workforce.”

source/content: muscatdaily.com

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Oman wins five prizes at London Olive Oil Awards

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OMAN

4 Arab Cities Listed Among World’s Best

Time Out magazine ranks Marrakech 7th among top 53 cities. List also includes Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha

Marrakech has been ranked seventh in a new list of the world’s 53 best cities, compiled by British events magazine Time Out.

Dubai (40), Abu Dhabi (45) and Doha (53) were the other Arab cities receiving plaudits for their offerings in nightlife, liveability, and practical issues such as walkability and sustainability.

The magazine’s annual ranking this year was the first since 2019 to not revolve around resilience to the COVID-19 pandemic, instead focusing on the fun and practical frills that each city has to offer.

Time Out said it had “added extra weight to the things that make cities great places to visit as well as to live.”

It added: “Our top cities this year are the ones with thriving nightlife, amazing food and drink, and art, culture and museums galore.

“We’ve highlighted places that aren’t boring or overly expensive or overrated, and we’ve ensured that our top picks also score well for practical stuff like walkability, good public transport and safety, as well as sustainability.”

The editors were charmed by the “community, creativity and faith in the future” that made Marrakech “come roaring out of the pandemic with a new lease of life.”

Time Out spoke to local guides and experts to get a feel for what is particularly excellent about each urban hub.

Highlighting the new international storytelling festival in February, it said post-pandemic Marrakech has attracted “big players like La Mamounia” that were “sporting sassy new looks.”

The Moroccan cultural capital was described as “thriving,” with the magazine pointing to a range of exhibitions.

It added that El-Fenn had launched “the hottest Sunday music nights in town,” with visitors desperate to return.

Time Out said Dubai “has all the stuff you’d want from a travel destination — from incredible restaurants and buzzing nightlife to some of the world’s best shopping and simply stunning beaches.”

It also pointed to its modernity and cleanliness, highlighting that 97 percent of the locals say the city is clean.

Dubbed “a city of superlatives,” Time Out pointed to the emirate boasting the world’s highest infinity pool, tallest building and largest manmade island. Dubai heard the phrase “go big or go home” and truly took it to heart.

But while those “world’s largest” structures are static, the city is anything but. A vibrant events scene has introduced the newly opened Museum of the Future, with Time Out recommending that you follow your visit “with a beach club crawl along the rapidly expanding Palm West strip and a DJ set at Electric Pawn Shop.”

Time Out noted that Emirati capital Abu Dhabi is also the “unofficial arts and culture capital” of the UAE.

Pointing out that the city’s safety and cleanliness made it popular with expats, the magazine referenced the constant stream of exciting things to do, “from cutting-edge restaurant openings to major new museums including the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the National History Museum Abu Dhabi,” both of which are on the horizon.

Local expert Heather Cichowski, from Time Out Abu Dhabi, said the city “ranks among the least dirty, stressful and rude. In short, it’s an all-round comfortable and pleasant place to live and work.”

Like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Doha was similarly praised for its cleanliness, but locals and expats have also lapped up the Qatari capital’s stream of events and activities.

As Doha gears up to host this year’s FIFA World Cup, the pinnacle of the world’s most popular sport, the city has been promoting its local events for every taste and persuasion.

Time Out said: “There’s loads of great stuff to see and do here, whether you fancy heading out to one of the city’s many cafés for breakfast (and we mean many, Doha’s coffee-and-cake culture is absolutely thriving), touring public art spots from Al Sadd Metro Station to Katara Cultural Village, or visiting a bar after hours.”

Boasting a slower and less stressful pace of life, the city is pouring attention into its arts scene.

The magazine said from now until the turn of 2023, some 17 new exhibitions are set to open, including an “immersive light installation from Pipiliotti Rist at the National Museum of Qatar,” which it described as “particularly stunning.”

source/content: arabnews.com

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Marrakech. (Shutterstock)

A view of the downtown skyline is seen from the Museum of the Future in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 23, 2022. (REUTERS)
Buildings are seen on a coast line in Doha, Qatar. (REUTERS)

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MOROCCO / QATAR / SAUDI ARABIA / UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

 Saudi Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel Names Dr. Samiha Sinan a Retired Doctor as the ‘Mother of Volunteers’

Dr Samiha Sinan worked as an internal medicine doctor for 43 years in several Saudi hospitals

Saudi Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel has named 65-year-old retired doctor and volunteer Dr. Samiha Sinan the “Mother of Volunteers.”

“One retires from office work, not from serving pilgrims,” Al-Jalajel said, praising Sinan’s efforts in providing health care to pilgrims.

Sinan told Arab News that volunteering to serve pilgrims is a work of great honor if done sincerely and honestly. 

She worked as an internal medicine doctor for 43 years in several Saudi hospitals, retiring four years ago.

As soon as the pandemic hit across the world, placing great pressure on the health sector, Sinan jumped back into the field to help out.

“I am still able to give, and I tried to think of how a person could serve their religion, country and king, so I submitted a request on the volunteer platform at the Ministry of Health. I was afraid I would be rejected given my age, but my instinct told me to apply because I wanted to give and serve. The Ministry of Health approved my request, and I immediately decided to get back in the field and fight the pandemic,” she said.

Sinan added: “The Makkah health authorities tried to put my comfort first and asked me to work in a small medical clinic in Makkah, but I refused since the pandemic was growing stronger. I headed directly to a COVID-19 center in an isolated area in Al-Masfalah, in Makkah. No one was allowed to enter or leave, but we worked in a comfortable environment thanks to the measures the state had taken to support citizens. I volunteered there for two years, 12 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Even though COVID-19 has witnessed a steady decline in the Kingdom over the past few months, Sinan still volunteers in one of the squares at the Grand Mosque by providing medical care to injured pilgrims. 

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Dr Samiha Sinan volunteers by providing medical care to injured pilgrims at the Grand Mosque. (Supplied)

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SAUDI ARABIA

LEBANON: Google Doodle Honours Lebanese Doctor Saniya Habboub

Medical pioneer was one of the first women from the country to study abroad.

The life of doctor Saniya Habboub is being celebrated by Google’s Doodle on Friday, commemorating her graduation from medical school on June 10, 1931.

Born in 1901 to a Lebanese leather merchant and Turkish mother, Habboub was one of the first female doctors from Lebanon to study medicine abroad, in the US.

When she returned to Beirut she opened her own practice, inspiring other Lebanese girls and women to get an education of their own, according to Google’s description.

In 1926, Habboub was one of the first three students to graduate from the American Junior College for Women in Beirut, going on to study at the American University of Beirut.

In 1931, she received her degree in gynaecology and obstetrics from the Women’s Medical College in Pennsylvania and, in gratitude, left future students with a scholarship in her name.

She started her own practice two years later, in Bab Idriss, and went on to co-found the Lebanese Red Cross Association, as well as served as a board member for the Muslim Orphan’s Home, the Young Women’s Muslim Association and Maqassed Hospital.

In 1982, in honour of her devotion to medical services, the Lebanese government awarded her with a Health Medal of Merit, and there’s even a street in Beirut named after her.

Habboub died aged 82 in September 1983.

“Dr Saniya was an inspiring figure who paved the way for future generations of women to come,” Google says.

Dr William Stoltzfus, former president of Beirut University College, described her life as a “get-started signal” for the professional lives of many Arab women, according to AlRaida, the bi-annual journal published by the Arab Institute for Women.

The Doodle can be seen on devices across the Middle East and North Africa.

source/content: thenationalnews.com

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Dr Saniya Habboub died in 1983 aged 82. Photo: Public Domain

Google Doodle of Dr Saniya Habboub. Photo: Google

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LEBANON

Omar Sharif: Lawrence of Arabia

July 10 marks the death anniversary of the late iconic international Egyptian actor Omar Sharif. 

On this occasion Egypt Today looks back at some of the milestones that led to his international debut. 

Sharif’s childhood 

Born in Alexandria as Michel Dimitri Chalhoub on April 10, 1932, he was of Lebanese descent, but was born and bred in Egypt. His parents were of good social standards; his father in the wood business and his mother a notable society hostess who often hosted King Farouk to play cards. 

Growing up, Sharif easily became multilingual as he was brought up by his French speaking mother and attended an English boarding school and Victoria College; he also became fluent in Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. 

After graduating from Cairo University with a mathematics and physics degree, he attempted to follow his father’s path of work but quickly receded and went on to London to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. 

Sharif realized his passion for acting at the tender age of 13 when he participated in his English boarding school’s theatre program. 

This horrified his father, since it would stop his son from following in his footsteps and becoming a timber merchant. Later, Sharif’s talent overcame all obstacles and he became a world-renowned actor. 

The immortal cinematic and romantic couple Sharif and Hamama 

In 1954, Sharif starred in “The Desert’s Devil” (Shaytan al-Saharaa), but his break was the same year when he acted in “Struggle in the Valley” (Sira’ Fi al-Waady) alongside his wife, the late great Egyptian actress Faten Hamama. 

The love story of Hamama and Sharif began when they worked together in Youssef Chahine’s “Struggle in the Valley.” 

Despite being born Catholic, he changed his name and converted to Islam to marry her in 1955. A marriage that lasted for 20 years, the famed couple were the symbol of love to all the Egyptian audience. 

They portrayed their love in a number of successful movies that will live on for years after their death; movies that taught us the true meaning of love, such as “Ayamna el Helwa” (Our Beautiful Days), “Nahr El Hob” (River of Love), “ Saydet el Kasr” (The Palace Lady), “Sra’a fe El Mena” (Struggle in the Port), among others. 

El Sherif’s international Stardom 

He achieved international stardom in 1962 by acting in Lawrence of Arabia alongside Peter O’Toole. 


He maintained his status as a foreign heartthrob by leading in films like Dr. Zhivago and Funny Girl, which caused outrage in Egypt due to the romance with his leading co-star, Barbara Streisand, who won an Oscar for her role. 

Funny Girl was based on a play with the same title also starring Streisand. This musical comedy drama is a biographic, based on the life of Fanny Brice, a famous female Jewish comedian of the 1900s who dreams of stardom in New York City’s Broadway. 


Against all odds she rises to the top and falls for Nick Arnstein, played by Sharif, a businessman and compulsive gambler. 

While the 60s were the best and busiest years of Sharif’s acting career, they were the ones which took a toll on his marriage with Hamama, and the couple shocked their fans by getting a divorce in 1974. 

A resonating talent 

His impeccable acting skills speak for themselves, but his mastery of contract bridge also precedes him. He wrote books on bridge, his favorite card game, and even established the Omar Sharif Bridge Circus. 

However, his addiction to gambling eventually caused him money troubles, which led to his acting flops and his downward spiral. 

Living alone and with little money, Sharif spent his later days living in hotels in Paris and London until he made a brief comeback with his role in the 2003 French film “Monsieur Ibrahim.” 

The film received positive reviews, and Sharid even won the audience award for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival. 

Sharif was always keen to support and encourage young talents such as the famed Egyptian actor Mohamed Ramadan, who had a small role in Sharif’s only Egyptian soap opera “Hanan w Hanin” ( Tenderness and Nostalgia). 

Ramadan previously announced in a number of TV interviews that Sharif encouraged him a lot and praised his acting talent, predicting at that time that he will be a superstar in the future. 

“When I first met Omar Sharif, he greeted me as if I was family. He was someone who really loved people; when he found out that we were [both] Egyptian, we bonded instantly. 

The main piece of advice he gave me was to start in Egypt and get that experience under my belt before trying to have a career internationally,” recounted the Egyptian rising international actor Amir El-Masry in an interview with Egypt Today. 

The End 

Sharif moved back to Egypt to spend his final days while struggling with Alzheimer’s disease. Sharif passed away at the age of 83 due to a heart attack on July 10, 2015. Sharif is a cheerful, handsome, talented and iconic artist who will remain forever alive in the hearts of his audience around the world. 

source/content: egypttoday.com

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pix: goodreads.com

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EGYPT