The name of Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1922 – 2016), the famed Egyptian politician and diplomat who rose to be Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1992 to 1996, has been honored by his wife Leia through a foundation established in his name.
Leia Boutros-Ghali, née Leia Nadler, is an Egyptian Jew from a prominent family that owned the Nadler confectionary business before it was nationalised in 1960, opened the Kemet Ghali Foundation for Peace and Knowledge in a recent event held in Cairo. Kemet is the ancient name for the land of Egypt. Present at the event were Muhammad Fayeq, President of the National Council for Human Rights; and a number of Dr Boutros-Ghali’s students since his days in 1949 – 1977 as professor at Cairo University’s Faculty of Economics and Political Science; also people who had worked with him at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry and the United Nations.
The event witnessed participation of Egypt’s Minister of Social Solidarity, Ghada Wali. Dr Wali gave a keynote address in which she expressed her pride to commemorate Dr Boutros-Ghali as an immortal figure who left an imprint in Egypt’s history. Describing him as “the saint of peace, the wise man of Africa, and the engineer of the Camp David peace treaty between Egypt and Israel,” Dr Wali went on to say that the famous diplomat had carved for himself an enviable niche in the hearts of Egyptians and Arabs, on account of his contributions to global peace, justice, and human rights.
Dr Wali reminded those present that
Dr Boutros-Ghali had granted the Bibliotheca Alexandrina some 1,500 books of his own.The Kemet Ghali Foundation would concern itself with scientific research, and would provide researchers and students with excellent opportunities at learning, and with prizes.
Dr Wali thanked Leia Boutros-Ghali, Dr Fayeq, and Dr Boutros-Ghali’s friends and students for holding the event, and wished them luck to carry on in his footsteps.
Watani International
12 November 2018