Najah al-Attar
Encyclopedia
Najah Al-Attar is the first woman Vice President of Syria and the Arab World
, serving since 2006.
. Her father was among nationalist leaders who took part in the 1925-1927 Syrian revolt against the French in Syria
.
in Arabic literature
from the University of Edinburgh
in the United Kingdom
in 1958. She also received a number of certificates then in international relations
and in literary
and art criticism
. She is an accomplished translator and started teaching in high schools within Damascus after her return from the UK, then worked in the Department of Translation of Ministry of Culture. In 1976, she was appointed as Minister of Culture till 2000. She has a collection of novels, editorials and significant literature contributions.
. Her brother, Isam al-Attar is the leader of the Damascus Faction of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood and has lived in exile in Aachen, Germany since the 1970s.
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
, serving since 2006.
Personal background
Najah Al-Attar was born on 10 January 1933 and raised in DamascusDamascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. Her father was among nationalist leaders who took part in the 1925-1927 Syrian revolt against the French in Syria
French Mandate of Syria
Officially the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon was a League of Nations mandate founded after the First World War and the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire...
.
Career
She studied at the University of Damascus, graduating in 1954, and obtained PhDPHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Arabic literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
from the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1958. She also received a number of certificates then in international relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
and in literary
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
and art criticism
Art criticism
Art criticism is the discussion or evaluation of visual art.Art critics usually criticize art in the context of aesthetics or the theory of beauty...
. She is an accomplished translator and started teaching in high schools within Damascus after her return from the UK, then worked in the Department of Translation of Ministry of Culture. In 1976, she was appointed as Minister of Culture till 2000. She has a collection of novels, editorials and significant literature contributions.
Political alignment
Although she is currently vice-president and served as a long-term minister in Syria, a state largely controlled by the Baath PartyBaath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
. Her brother, Isam al-Attar is the leader of the Damascus Faction of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood and has lived in exile in Aachen, Germany since the 1970s.