Ghassan Tueni
| Ghassan Tueni | |
|---|---|
| Born |
5 January 1926 Beirut, Lebanon |
| Died | 8 June 2012 (aged 86) Beirut, Lebanon |
| Resting place | Mar Mitr Cemetery |
| Nationality | Lebanese |
| Alma mater | American University of Beirut |
| Occupation | Journalist, politician, academic, statesman |
| Years active | late 1940s-2012 |
| Spouse(s) |
Nadia Hamadeh (deceased) Shadia al Khazen |
| Children | Nayla (deceased) Gebran (deceased) Makram (deceased) |
| Parent(s) | Gebran Tueni |
Ghassan Tueni (Arabic: غسان تويني; 5 January 1926 – 8 June 2012) was a veteran Lebanese journalist, politician and diplomat who headed An Nahar, one of the Arab World's leading newspapers. He was often referred to as the "Dean of Lebanese Journalism".
Born in Beirut on 5 January 1926 to an Greek Orthodox Christian family, Ghassan Tueni was the son of Gebran Tueni, the founder and publisher of the daily newspaper An Nahar. His hometown was Beit Mary.
Tueni studied at the International College (IC) and then, at the American University of Beirut under Charles Malik who was influential in the development of his thoughts. He received a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from AUB in 1945. He then went to the United States to study at Harvard University where he received his master's degree in government. He had to abruptly interrupt his PhD at Harvard and return to Lebanon to take over the reins of the journal when his father died.
After the sudden death of his father Gebran Tueni, Ghassan, just 22 at the time, returned to Lebanon to continue publishing An Nahar. He became editor-in-chief and publisher of the paper from 1947 to 1999, and from 2003 until his death. He was imprisoned in the 1940s for his objections to censorship. Committed to his father's work, Ghassan developed a new team of journalists, modernising the editorial content and its production. An Nahar was at the time Lebanon's foremost daily and the Arab world's most credible and authoritative newspaper.
He became a member of parliament in 1951, at age 25. Until 1977, he served in different governmental positions, including house speaker, deputy prime minister and minister of the social affairs and labor, industry, information, energy and education. He also served as Lebanon's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) from September 1977 to September 1982, at the peak of the civil war. During his tenure at the UN, he famously addressed the Security Council on 17 March 1978 with the emotional plea: "Let my people live!". Soon, the UNSC adopted Resolution 425, calling for Israel to immediately withdraw its forces from Lebanon. During the Lebanese Civil War, he was against Bachir Gemayel and confessed lobbying in Washington, D.C. against his presidential election. Ghassan Tueni described the 1989 Taif Agreement as the peace of the others.
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