An-Najah National University awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Engineering to the prominent Palestinian Businessman and political figure Mr. Munib R. Masri as a gesture of “gratitude and appreciation for his unique role in the journey of construction and contribution to the advancement of academic institutions in Palestine.”
The awarding ceremony was attended by a large number of personalities from the public, private, and non-governmental sectors, in additions to many representatives from the diplomatic core in Palestine and prominent clergy from the Islamic, Christian, and Samaritan communities. Keynote speakers included Palestinian Chief Negotiator Mr. Sa’eb Oraikat, representing H.E. President Mahmoud Abbas, Minister of Public Works Mr. Mohammed Ishtayeh, representing H.E Prime Minister Ahmad Qurai’, H.E. Ambassador of Tunisia in Palestine Mr. Ahmad Habbasi, the Governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority Dr. George Al Abed, the Chairman of An-Najah National University Board of Trustees Mr. Salah Al-Masri, and An-Najah University President Prof. Rami Hamdallah.
In his speech, Mr. Salah Masri confirmed An-Najah National University’s commitment to honor distinguished Palestinian personalities and said “it is a big day in its value and meaning; a big occasion in its significance. We are before a man who contributed in patriotic, economic, and social fields; he supported his homeland and people, and An-Najah gained big part of his attention and now she is hosting one of his paintings, the building of the College of Munib R. Masri for Engineering and Geology.”
For his part, Mr. Oraikat said that he was honored to be representing President Abbas at the ceremony and addressed Mr. Munib Masri by saying: “You are among those who gave and built and thus you deserved to be honored for every effort you expended.”
Mr. Ahmad Habbasi, the Ambassador of Tunisia, gave a speech in which he described the relationship between Mr. Masri and the Tunisian people, saying that he felt honored to be part of the ceremony and he praised the great contributions of Mr. Masri to various areas of Palestinian society.
George Al-Abed, the Governor of the Palestinian Monetary Authority said that Mr. Masri is one of the few Palestinian businessmen who refused to stay abroad and preferred to invest in his homeland despite of the difficulties.
Dr. Mohammed Ishtayeih saluted Mr. Masri for being among the first group of pioneering Palestinian businessmen to heed the call of the late president Mr. Yaser Arafat to return back to Palestine and participate in its reconstruction. He told the audience that Mr. Masri deserved the Honorary Doctorate Degree after he proved himself time and time again to be a true patriot, at all stages of Palestinian struggle. He also called upon Mr. Masri to continue his contribution in the building of the Palestinian national economy.
Prof. Rami Hamdallah delivered a speech on behalf of An-Najah National University and said: “the university has made a promise to be faithful to the faithful men of Palestine, and the awarding of honorary doctorate degrees is an embodiment of this promise: in 1995 to the late Mr. Hikmat Masri; in 1998 to the Palestinian poet Fadwa Touqan; in 2000 to Engineer Haseeb Sabagh, and now in the year 2005 to Engineer Munib R. Masri in appreciation for his unique contributions in the political, economic, nationalistic, humanitarian, and scientific fields which were crowned by the building of An-Najah College of Engineering on his own expense.” After completing his speech, Professor Hamdallah along with the Chairman of the Board of Trustees officially awarded Mr. Masri the Honorary Doctorate Degree.For his part, Mr. Muneeb R. Masri dedicated the award to the mothers of Palestinian martyrs. He said that he returned to Palestine to contribute to the efforts of investment in his country and developing its human resources. He also spoke about his dream of seeing the unemployment rate as low as possible in Palestine and called u