Hanan Ashrawi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hanan Ashrawi
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Ashrawi at the Duisburg Audimax Campus, 29 November 2007
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Hanan Daoud Mikhael Ashrawi
8 October 1946 |
| Education | American University of Beirut (BA, MA) University of Virginia (Ph.D.) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Spouse(s) | Emile Ashrawi |
| Children | Amal Zeina |
| Parent(s) | Daoud Mikhail, Wadi'a ...'ad |
Hanan Daoud Mikhael Ashrawi is a well-known Palestinian leader, activist, and a smart scholar. She was born on October 8, 1946.
Hanan Ashrawi started her career at Birzeit University. In the 1990s, she became a key member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). She was the official spokesperson for the Palestinian team during the Madrid Peace Conference of 1991. This was a big meeting to talk about peace in the Middle East.
In 1996, Ashrawi became the Minister of Higher Education and Research for the Palestinian Authority. She was also elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council for Jerusalem in 1996 and again in 2006. In 2009 and 2018, she was chosen to join the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). She was the first woman to be part of this important group. She stepped down from this role in 2020.
Besides her political work, Hanan Ashrawi is also a strong supporter of human rights. In 1994, she started the Independent Commission for Human Rights. She led this group until 1995. In 1998, she founded MIFTAH. This group helps promote talks and democracy for Palestinians. She still leads its board today. In 1999, Ashrawi also started the National Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN).
Hanan Ashrawi has received many awards from around the world. These include the French “Legion of Honour” in 2006. She also won the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace and Reconciliation in 2005. Other awards include the Sydney Peace Prize in 2003 and the Olof Palme Prize in 2002. She has also been given eleven honorary doctorates from universities. These are special degrees given to people who have achieved great things.
She has written several books, articles, poems, and short stories. These writings are about Palestinian politics, culture, and literature. Her book This Side of Peace (1995) became very famous worldwide.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Hanan Ashrawi was born on October 8, 1946. Her family were Palestinian Christians. She was born in the city of Nablus, which was then part of British Mandate for Palestine. Today, Nablus is in the West Bank.
Her family lived in Nablus and then moved to Tiberias. In 1948, her family had to leave Tiberias because of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. They moved to Amman, Jordan. Her father, Daoud Mikhail, joined them later.
In 1950, her family settled in Ramallah. At that time, Ramallah was part of the Jordanian annexed West Bank. She went to the Ramallah Friends Girls School, which was a Quaker school. Her father inspired her to become an activist. He believed women should have a bigger role in society. He was sometimes put in prison for his political activities.
Hanan Ashrawi studied literature at the American University of Beirut (AUB). She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees there. In 1967, while she was a student in Lebanon, the Six-Day War happened. Because of the war, Israel would not let her return to the West Bank. For six years, she continued her education. She earned her Ph.D. in literature from the University of Virginia. In 1973, she was finally allowed to return to her family in the West Bank.
Personal Life and Achievements
On August 8, 1975, Hanan Ashrawi married Emile Ashrawi. He is a photographer and a theater director. They have two daughters together.
Hanan Ashrawi has received many honorary doctorates. These are special degrees from universities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and the Arab world. Some of these universities include The American University of Beirut (2008) and The American University in Cairo (2003). She also received degrees from Saint Mary’s University (2000) and Smith College (1999).
She is also a member of many important international groups. These groups work on different topics like peace, human rights, and democracy. She has been part of the U.S./Middle East Project and the Council on Foreign Relations. She also advises groups like Mercy Corps International and The Carter Center.
In 2009, Hanan Ashrawi described her role in an interview. She said, "I think of myself essentially as a human being with a multidimensional mission. Basically, I am a Palestinian, I am a woman, I am an activist and a humanist, more than being a politician." She believes her work is about helping people and promoting human values.
Politics and Activism
While she was a student in Lebanon and could not return home, Hanan Ashrawi became a spokesperson for Palestinian students. She helped organize groups for women. She also guided foreign reporters who visited Palestinian refugee camps.
Ashrawi returned to the West Bank in 1973. She then started the English Department at Birzeit University. She was the head of this department for many years. From 1986 to 1990, she was the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the university. She taught at Birzeit University until 1995. During this time, she wrote many poems, stories, and articles about Palestinian culture and politics.
Hanan Ashrawi's political work began early in her career. In 1974, she created a group at Birzeit University to help with legal aid and human rights. Her political work grew during the First Intifada in 1988. This was a time of Palestinian protests. She joined the Intifada Political Committee. From 1991 to 1993, she was the official spokesperson for the Palestinian team in peace talks.
After the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993, Palestinian self-rule began. Ashrawi led a group that worked on citizens' rights in Jerusalem. Since 1996, she has been an elected member of the Palestinian Legislative Council for Jerusalem.
In 1996, Ashrawi became the Minister of Higher Education and Research. However, she resigned in 1998. She left because she was concerned about political corruption. Later that year, she founded MIFTAH. This group works to promote human rights, democracy, and peace for Palestinians.
In 2011, she met with the Canadian Foreign Minister, John Baird. She encouraged him to visit the Palestinian territories.
In 2018, Ashrawi spoke at the United Nations. She said that the actions of the Trump Administration made a "two-state solution" difficult. This solution would create two separate states, one for Israelis and one for Palestinians. She believed that Israel's actions were making it harder to achieve peace.
In August 2020, Ashrawi spoke out against a peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. She said that Israel was being rewarded for its actions in Palestine.
Sydney Peace Prize
In 2003, Hanan Ashrawi received the Sydney Peace Prize. This award honors people who work for peace and justice. Important leaders like Mary Robinson, a former President of Ireland, and Desmond Tutu, an Archbishop, praised her selection. Madeleine Albright, a former U.S. Secretary of State, also supported her. Albright called Ashrawi a "brilliant spokeswoman for her cause."
However, some groups did not agree with her receiving the prize. Some people called her "an apologist for Islamic terror." But others defended her. Israeli politician Yael Dayan said Ashrawi was "very courageous" and helped the peace process. A sociologist from the Hebrew University, Baruch Kimmerling, also supported her. He said he was sorry that some Jewish community members were against her nomination.
Works Published
- Anthology of Palestinian Literature (editor)
- The Modern Palestinian Short Story: An Introduction to Practical Criticism
- Contemporary Palestinian Literature under Occupation
- Contemporary Palestinian Poetry and Fiction
- Literary Translation: Theory and Practice
- This Side of Peace: A Personal Account (ISBN: 0-684-80294-5)
Images for kids
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Ashrawi at the Duisburg Audimax Campus, 29 November 2007
See also
In Spanish: Hanan Ashrawi para niños
