Humanity was his cornerstone
- 30 Jan 2024
Jehan Shoeib, Staff Reporter
Years pass, one after another, and today marks the 10th anniversary of the death of the pan-Arab nationalist Dr Abdullah Omran Taryam, the knight of the word, the man of politics and media, who passed away on January 30, 2014. His memory strongly present in the sentiment of his lovers, students and everyone who knew him.
Despite his demise, he lives in the hearts of his friends, lovers, companions and those who lived with him. He was competing with goodness in kindness, humility, culture, thought, notability and gentleness of morals, and on the top of that, he carried an overwhelming friendliness for everyone around him, so everyone cherished him, and received great respect and appreciation from all.
The memory of the pioneers always remains forever in the hearts, which testify their good deeds and endless giving throughout their life. The late Dr. Abdullah Omran, with his late brother Tarim Omran Taryam, may God have mercy on them, had a great role in the establishment of the Union, as they were part of the official delegation of the Emirate of Sharjah in the negotiations that preceded the sevenfold union. At that time, they demanded unification of the nine Gulf emirates, after the exit of the British occupation early 1970s.
As the unification of the nine emirates was not possible, they were at the forefront of the advocates of the establishment of the seven-member union, which has become today the UAE.
At that time, Tarim and Abdullah Omran said: ““When we felt that there would be no agreement on a nine-emirate federation, we asked that the federation would combine the seven emirates because logic and actual reality refer to the emirates of the region as neighbouring houses”.
The late brothers also founded the “Dar Al Khaleej for Press, Printing and Publishing”, which Dr. Abdullah Omran, chaired its Board of Directors, after the death of his brother Taryam Omran on May 16, 2002.
The memory of late Dr. Abdullah Omran still shines with the words of loyalty from the leaders, who when he passed away, and was buried in Jubail Cemetery, mourned him with a state of deep sadness enveloped in great shock for his sudden demise.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, mourned him by saying, “Today, I have lost a dear brother and loyal friend in whom I knew good morals, and bravery of opinion, good-will, sincerity of belongingness to his homeland and devotion to his leadership. We will never forget the constant national contribution of our deceased since his early youth, whether in government work, in which he held the highest positions, or in his media career. He carried the Union in his heart, and achieved a prestigious press institution at the national and Arab levels.”
Dr. Abdullah Omran Taryam was born in the Emirate of Sharjah in 1948. He received his primary, preparatory and secondary education in schools of Sharjah and Kuwait, and completed his university education in Egypt, specifically at the Faculty of Arts, Cairo University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in History in 1966, and then a PhD in History from the University of Exeter, UK, in 1986.
Before the foundation of the Union, Dr. Abdullah Taryam worked as a teacher at Al Orouba High School in Sharjah for two years, then as director of the Sharjah Knowledge Department, from 1968 to 1971.
During that time, he was, with his late brother Taryam, one of the pioneers who contributed to founding the UAE, as he was a member of the Nine and Seven Negotiations Team.
He served as Minister of Justice in the first federal government from 1971-1972. In 1972, he assumed the Ministry of Education, until 1979.
During that period, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan entrusted him with establishing the UAE University.
He was the first supreme president of the university. He also worked as an adviser to Sheikh Zayed, striving to develop many curricula and methods of education and study.
He was Minister for Justice again from 1990 to 1997. During that period, within his ministerial team, he drafted many legislations that had a great impact in boosting the legislative structure of the UAE in various legal fields.
During that period, he worked with a prominent and capable elite of statesmen, where he accompanied Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who was serving the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in the first government, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who was serving as Minister of Defence at the time, Sheikh Mubarak bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, as the Minister of Interior, and Ahmed Khalifa Al Suwaidi, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The great leap in the professional career and history of the late Dr. Abdullah and Taryam Omran was the founding of Al Khaleej newspaper in 1970.
After their return from Cairo in 1968, they embarked on journalism, as they launched Al Shrouq, a monthly political magazine, which they were printing in Kuwait due to the lack of proper printing presses in Sharjah and the Trucial Emirates.
In the last week of every month, Taryam Omran and Youssef Al Hassan used to carry the press material, the articles written in Sharjah to Kuwait, and come back with a printed magazine.
With the good and influential feedback achieved by the magazine through its issues and success, they founded Al Khaleej, which was issued on October 19, 1970.
Like Al Shrouq, under very difficult circumstances, Al Khaleej was also printed in Kuwait.
What cannot be forgotten was the acclaimed newspaper owner’s words about the Arab media and the nation’s issues: “The Arab media has developed over the past decades in form as well as content, expressing the cultural progress that took place in its various fields, reflecting the educational development witnessed by the Arab region, and revealing global and local social, political and economic transformations.”
Memories of the distinguished statesman will linger forever. The pathbreaking stamp of his contribution not only to Dar Al Khaleej but also to the nation will be etched always in our minds. May his soul Rest in Peace.
Dr. Abdullah has written extensively on the establishment of the UAE and on other issues such as education and development, as well as several intellectual and political articles.
He participated in many local, regional and international seminars and conferences in various research centers, and was an active member in many Arab and local intellectual, economic and political research centers, studies, and forums.
He was chosen as “The Media Personality of the Year for the Arab Journalism Award” in 2009, and received his award from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in recognition of his contributions and service to the Emirati press in particular, and the Arab press in general.
Dr. Abdullah Omarn also chaired the Board of Directors of the Taryam Omran Foundation for Cultural and Humanitarian Work, one of the most important activities of which is the Taryam Omran Centre for Media Training and Development, through which has trained hundreds of media professionals in various fields over years.
The Taryam Omran Press Award was established in Sharjah, UAE in 2003 with the support of the Taryam Omran Foundation for Cultural and Humanitarian Work. The Award aims to support and honor writers and journalists working in the UAE’s local press. It continued through its editions to honor journalists in different categories, until the death of Dr. Abdullah Omran Taryam on January 30, 2014.
As a commemoration to Dr. Abdullah, and to pay tribute to his career, the name of the institution the sponsor the Award has become the "Taryam and Abdullah Omran Foundation for Cultural and Humanitarian Work". Its chairman is Khalid Abdullah Omran and the name of the award has become the "Taryam and Abdullah Omran Journalism Award."