Tueni Human Rights Fellowship created

The Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School (HKS) and the Hariri Foundation-USA have announced the creation of the Gebran G. Tueni Human Rights Fellowship Program.

The gift of $330,000 establishing the program comes from the Hariri Foundation-USA in honor of Gebran Ghassan Tueni, a politician, journalist, and editor of the daily newspaper An-Nahar in Beirut, Lebanon, who came to international prominence in March 2000 when he forcefully advocated a Lebanon free from the control of outside forces. His call for tolerance between Muslims and Christians and his denunciation of crimes against humanity cost him his life: Tueni was assassinated by a car bomb in December 2005. Tueni was one of more than 15 journalists, activists, and members of parliament who were assassinated or targeted since the February 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Tueni’s famous phrase, “In the name of God, we, Muslims and Christians, pledge that united we shall remain to the end of time to defend our Lebanon,” has been his best-known epitaph.

“Gebran Tueni represents the values and goals which we are trying to promote through this fellowship,” said Carr Center Director Rory Stewart.

Beginning in September 2009, the Hariri Foundation gift will support two 10-month fellowships per year during a three-year period for scholars, journalists, writers, and human rights activists from Lebanon or Iraq to conduct research in residence at the Carr Center.  In the event that eligible candidates from Lebanon or Iraq cannot be identified, fellowships may be awarded to candidates from other Middle Eastern countries.