Suad Amiry
Encyclopedia
Suad Amiry (born 1951) is an author and architect living in the West Bank
town of Ramallah
. She studied architecture at the American University of Beirut
, the University of Michigan
, and the University of Edinburgh
, Scotland. Her parents went from Palestine to Amman
, Jordan
. She was brought up there and went to Lebanon
's capital of Beirut
to study architecture
. When she returned to Ramallah as a tourist in 1981, she met Salim Tamari
, whom she married later, and stayed.
Her book "Sharon and My Mother-in-Law" has been translated into 19 languages, the last one in Arabic, was a bestseller in France, and was awarded in 2004 the prestigious Viareggio Prize
in Italy
together with Italo-Israeli Manuela Dviri
, a journalist, playwright and writer whose son was killed by a Hezbollah rocket.
From 1991 to 1993 Amiry was a member of a Palestinian peace delegation in Washington D.C. She is engaged in some major peace initiatives of Palestinian and Israeli women.
She is Director and founder of the Riwaq Centre for Architectural Conservation, the center was founded in 1991; the first of its kind to work on the rehabilitation and protection of architectural heritage in Palestine.
Amiry was a member of staff at Birzeit University
until 1991,http://www.birzeit.edu/anouncements/news-d?news_id=189332 since then she has worked for Riwaq where she is the directorhttp://www.riwaq.org/about/about.html. She was appointed as a vice-chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Birzeit University http://www.birzeit.edu/anouncements/news-d?news_id=189332 in 2006.
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
town of Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
. She studied architecture at the American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
, the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, and 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...
, Scotland. Her parents went from Palestine to Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. She was brought up there and went to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
's capital of Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
to study architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
. When she returned to Ramallah as a tourist in 1981, she met Salim Tamari
Salim Tamari
Salim Tamari is the director of the Institute of Jerusalem Studies and is an associate professor of sociology at Birzeit University, near Ramallah in the West Bank. Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies at Columbia University, has called Tamari "the preeminent Palestinian historical...
, whom she married later, and stayed.
Her book "Sharon and My Mother-in-Law" has been translated into 19 languages, the last one in Arabic, was a bestseller in France, and was awarded in 2004 the prestigious Viareggio Prize
Viareggio Prize
The Viareggio Literary Prize is a prestigious Italian literary award, whose first edition was in 1930, and is named after the Tuscan city of Viareggio...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
together with Italo-Israeli Manuela Dviri
Manuela Dviri
Manuela Dviri Vitali Norsa was born in Padua, Italy in 1949 and currently lives in Tel Aviv, Israel.She moved to Israel in 1968 after her marriage with a young Israeli...
, a journalist, playwright and writer whose son was killed by a Hezbollah rocket.
From 1991 to 1993 Amiry was a member of a Palestinian peace delegation in Washington D.C. She is engaged in some major peace initiatives of Palestinian and Israeli women.
She is Director and founder of the Riwaq Centre for Architectural Conservation, the center was founded in 1991; the first of its kind to work on the rehabilitation and protection of architectural heritage in Palestine.
Amiry was a member of staff at Birzeit University
Birzeit University
Birzeit University is a university located in Birzeit near Ramallah, Palestinian territories. BZU is among the foremost tertiary educational institutes in the Palestinian territories and has played a significant role in the Palestinian political dialogue.- History :The institution was originally...
until 1991,http://www.birzeit.edu/anouncements/news-d?news_id=189332 since then she has worked for Riwaq where she is the directorhttp://www.riwaq.org/about/about.html. She was appointed as a vice-chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Birzeit University http://www.birzeit.edu/anouncements/news-d?news_id=189332 in 2006.
Books
- Sharon and My Mother-in-Law : Ramallah Diaries. (Hardcover; Anchor Books)
- Nothing to Lose but Your Life : An 18-Hour Journey with Murad. (Paperback; Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation PublishingBloomsbury Qatar Foundation PublishingBloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing is a joint venture owned by Qatar Foundation and managed by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. Established in October 2008 and headquartered in Doha, BQFP is Qatar’s first publishing house...
)
Public Relations
- Radio Interview - http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2005_02_thu_01.shtmlRecording from BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's Woman's HourWoman's HourWoman's Hour is a radio magazine programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom.-History:Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC's Light Programme . It was transferred to its current home in 1973...
] - Visit to the Palestine Center (Washington DC) for a talk and book signing. Read the transcript online at http://thejerusalemfund.org/ht/display/ContentDetails/i/14118 or watch the video of her talk at http://thejerusalemfund.org/ht/display/ContentDetails/i/14105/pid/3584