Ezzedine Choukri Fishere
Encyclopedia
Ezzedine Choukri Fishere (Arabic:عز الدين شكري فشير) (born 1966 in Kuwait City) is an Egyptian
novelist, diplomat and academic. He studied political science at Cairo University
, and obtained postgraduate degrees from École Nationale d'Administration
in Paris (1992), an MA from the University of Ottawa
(1995), and a PhD in political science from Université de Montréal
in 1998.
Fishere worked intermittently as an Egyptian diplomat, serving in the cabinet of Boutros Boutros-Ghali
in 1989, in the Egyptian embassy in Tel Aviv
, Israel
(1999-2001), and as a counselor to the Egyptian foreign minister (2005-07). He also worked as a political advisor to the United Nations Special Envoy to the Middle East (UNSCO) during the second Palestinian intifada (2001-04). He then joined the UN Advance Mission to Sudan (UNAMIS) and contributed to establishing the first UN peacekeeping mission in that country after the signing of the Naivasha peace agreement in 2005, known as UNMIS. During his year in Sudan, Fishere served as the UN's focal point for the Darfur
negotiations in Addis Ababa
, Ndjamena and Abuja
. Fishere also served as the political advisor to the 2004 UN fact-finding mission to Lebanon investigating the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri
.
During this period, Fishere quietly published his first two novels, The Killing of Fakhredine (1995) and Pharanoic Journeys (1999). In 2007, he left diplomacy
and assumed a more public role, focusing on his writing and on teaching. He published his third novel, Intensive Care Unit in 2008, which gained him considerable praise from the public and critics alike. The book was long-listed for the Arabic Booker Prize. His following novel Abu Omar Al-Masry was equally successful. Salah Fadl, a leading Egyptian critic, declared that "with these four novels, Fishere has entered the canon of Arabic literature."
In parallel, Fishere has been teaching political science at the American University in Cairo
since 2008. He also writes frequently for the press, both in Arabic and in English. Recently, he was appointed by Egypt's transitional government as Secretary-General of Egypt's Supreme Council for Culture in April 2011. Fishere resigned four months later and returned to teaching and writing.
His fifth novel, Embrace by Brooklyn Bridge, was released in June 2011 and is long-listed for the Arabic Booker Prize (2012). It is described by critics as a novel about identity complexity
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
novelist, diplomat and academic. He studied political science at Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
, and obtained postgraduate degrees from École Nationale d'Administration
École nationale d'administration
The École Nationale d'Administration , one of the most prestigious of French graduate schools , was created in 1945 by Charles de Gaulle to democratise access to the senior civil service. It is now entrusted with the selection and initial training of senior French officials...
in Paris (1992), an MA from the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
(1995), and a PhD in political science from Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
in 1998.
Fishere worked intermittently as an Egyptian diplomat, serving in the cabinet of Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1992 to December 1996...
in 1989, in the Egyptian embassy in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
(1999-2001), and as a counselor to the Egyptian foreign minister (2005-07). He also worked as a political advisor to the United Nations Special Envoy to the Middle East (UNSCO) during the second Palestinian intifada (2001-04). He then joined the UN Advance Mission to Sudan (UNAMIS) and contributed to establishing the first UN peacekeeping mission in that country after the signing of the Naivasha peace agreement in 2005, known as UNMIS. During his year in Sudan, Fishere served as the UN's focal point for the Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
negotiations in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, Ndjamena and Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
. Fishere also served as the political advisor to the 2004 UN fact-finding mission to Lebanon investigating the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri
Rafik Hariri
Rafic Baha El Deen Al-Hariri , was a business tycoon and the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1992 to 1998 and again from 2000 until his resignation, 20 October 2004.He headed five cabinets during his tenure...
.
During this period, Fishere quietly published his first two novels, The Killing of Fakhredine (1995) and Pharanoic Journeys (1999). In 2007, he left diplomacy
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
and assumed a more public role, focusing on his writing and on teaching. He published his third novel, Intensive Care Unit in 2008, which gained him considerable praise from the public and critics alike. The book was long-listed for the Arabic Booker Prize. His following novel Abu Omar Al-Masry was equally successful. Salah Fadl, a leading Egyptian critic, declared that "with these four novels, Fishere has entered the canon of Arabic literature."
In parallel, Fishere has been teaching political science at the American University in Cairo
American University in Cairo
The American University in Cairo is an independent, non-profit, apolitical, secular institution of higher learning located in Cairo, Egypt...
since 2008. He also writes frequently for the press, both in Arabic and in English. Recently, he was appointed by Egypt's transitional government as Secretary-General of Egypt's Supreme Council for Culture in April 2011. Fishere resigned four months later and returned to teaching and writing.
His fifth novel, Embrace by Brooklyn Bridge, was released in June 2011 and is long-listed for the Arabic Booker Prize (2012). It is described by critics as a novel about identity complexity