Looking FW:

An educator and a basketball player, an impassioned young woman with an ambition that knows no bounds, Mona Soukieh is someone to be watched; a rising name in Damascus who has returned home to make a difference. Currently a Master’s student at the American Graduate School of Education, the 32-year old educator obtained her teaching diploma through an online program in Arizona, and majored in history for her BA at Minnesota State University. She currently teaches at the Al-Watanya National School in Syria. As of January 2008 she has been the Head of the English Department, acting as a senior advisor, helping students get into college. She also initiated the girls’ basketball team, serving as coach since 2006. One of her ambitious projects is compiling a new history textbook, along with a group of educators and scholars, to be used at American schools throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Mona wears the hijab, and proves that Muslim women can be veiled and achieve wonders, when armed with determination and education. Most men in our societies are more veiled than Mona Soukieh. A man’s veil is an abstract one, created by him whereas a woman’s veil is, arguably, imposed by God. A woman’s veil protects her modesty, whereas a man’s veil stands against freedom and education, and is a veil against new ideas and dialogue.  

When Karim Mardam-Bey is feeling homesick, he often browses the internet looking for news about Syria. Time and again, he finds himself feeling deeply offended by the way the Western media portrays his most beloved Damascus. Karim has a master’s degree from Westminster University (UK) in public relations and public communications. Currently the managing director of one of Jordan’s leading PR companies, iRelations, the young 30-something professional is a keen observer of current events and the role of public relations in creating world perceptions.

Focused and driven, yet without losing his sense of fun and adventure, Karim Shukr is definitely a Syrian worth watching out for. Currently the managing editor of Happynings, a social, lifestyle, and luxury magazine, he has the daunting yet rewarding task of coordinating every aspect of this newcomer on the Syrian publishing scene.

“Happynings is receiving wonderful feedback, and the dedicated team is doing a great job,” says Shukr. “Two things in particular really work for Happynings: It’s published by Haykal Media, and is a supplement to FW: Magazine. With such wonderful backers, it’s really helping improve our presence and visibility.
During his baccalaureate year, he attended the Syrian Modern School, under principal Rana Baitamouni, now principal of the Syrian National School (al-Wataniah), a great influence in his life; it was she who suggested that he should be focusing on an arts baccalaureate, rather than the science diploma he had intended to study for. “I’m really glad she did that,” said Shukr. “Ultimately, it was the right decision.”
Dedicated to all forms of media, it was during this last year of high school that Shukr came up with the idea for a school magazine. Receiving encouragement and help from Baitamouni, he went on to organize the media club that would run the magazine, and published the first edition of “Soriati”(My Syria) in 2004, the first and only high school magazine in Syria.

“Poetry isn’t a profession, it’s a way of life.
It’s an empty basket; you put your life into it and make something out of that.” Mary Oliver

A wise yet mad woman, ranting and raving and beaming with dreams and ambitions; a walking contradiction, she faces reality and is full of dreams.
Communication consultant, PR manager and writer, Bushra Hamwi, is full of poetry! Hamwi is deiantly one different face of Syria’s future.
In an attempt to examine relationships in the Arab world, Hamwi’s irst book of poetry, “Who Got Eve out of Heaven,” tells the story of a woman who secludes herself in the mountains to ponder a thought.
This book achieved notable critical success in the Middle East and was highly acclaimed by renowned Arab artists.
Driven by passion and maybe impulsiveness, Hamwi dropped out of the American University in Cairo to start up an Internet services company with a friend in Dubai.
From there, she was called to work with a number of the top multinational advertising and PR agencies in the region.
Moving from Dubai to New York City to pursue her studies at NYU, she continues to work on campaigns that tackle issues of youth empowerment and promoting corporate and social responsibility, something she tried to accomplish as former co-host on a prime time youth talk show on MBC.

hey are a country’s crystal ball, and through them, one can see what tomorrow is going to be. We have all the good reasons to look forward to a better tomorrow, and every month we talk to one of those good reasons. Most heirs to family business are forced to follow their father’s example while putting their own dreams and passions on hold. Well the story is quite different in Karim Tabah’s case. The decision to let down interesting job offers in the UK and joining Nasco Group in Damscus was entirely his own; driven by a keen desire to discover the challenges and potentials of a controversial country; his own Syria. The vice president at the Nasco Group that is active in petroleum services, agricultural services, medical services and exhibitions, and the marketing manger of two of its sub branches, namely the Syrian Medical Services and the Allied Expo, you might think that 27 years old Karim Tabbah has bitten more than he can chew. Yet the young man’s enthusiasm goes beyond career and reaches community services and social involvement. Tabbah is an active member in three NGO; The Syrian Young Entrepreneurs Association (SYEA), The Social Forum (Al Muntada aIjtimaii), and The Syrian Environment Association. Tabah left Damascus in 1996 to study Man-agement at the Royal Holloway University of London. There he experienced the dynamics of a real cultural diversity and dwelled in a real multicultural melting pot with students from around the world. Later he moved to the London School of Economics and Political Science and earned a Master Degree in Accounting & Finance in 2001.

From motor-biking, reading, and traveling, to watching grand Syrian TV productions like “Bab al-Hara,” there is quite nothing about life that doesn’t interest Malek Atassi, the Creative Group Head at TBWA\RAAD Dubai.

Adventurous, fun, curious and young, Malek asks more question than anyone else I have interviewed. His sharp and witty comments, along with his humorous remarks make it no surprise that one still remembers the creative advertisements he designed for Galaxy and Twix.

Many Syrians leave the country to continue their education abroad; there is nothing new about that. Many of them actually become highly successful professionals, achieving groundbreaking feats in business, art, culture, and design. The Syrian education system, with all its drawbacks, indeed does breed perseverance and hard work. Thus, success is no longer a benchmark in my search for faces of Syria’s future; it is innovative faces, real, passionate, persistent and emotionally involved in the making of Syria’s future; it is faces like Jean Chaoui that I look for.

 

Her paintings are exhibited around the world, in countries like France, Belgium, Monaco, Spain, and Switzerland. Her mother is the distinguished Syrian poet, Nada Kahal. Her name is May Abu Jeib, and she is a rising star in Syria. She is a woman of dreams, passion, vision, and an ambition that knows no bounds. She dedicates her-self to the wellbeing of society, meanwhile painting the colorful world of her dreams. Like a butterfly—colorful and bright—she draws a smile on people’s faces, and elegantly flutters along, gently placing the pillars of her dream into place, one after the other. She does much and says very little, and with a dedication of purpose she confidently marches along, seeking no reward other than seeing her dreams come true. Born in Lebanon and raised in Paris and later in Syria, Abu Jeib’s involvement in art began at a very early age. As a little child she sent one of her drawing to Princess Stephanie of Monaco, seeking inspiration from a well-established idol. The young Princess noticed the little girl’s obvious talent, and replied with an encouraging letter. Abu Jeib earned a degree in French Literature and a diploma in piano from the Conservatoire d’Auberviliers in Paris. During her studies, however, she continued to paint and held her first exhibition in Damascus at the French Cultural Week in 1995. Abu Jeib taught drawing classes at the Faculty of Architecture at Damascus University, and designed dolls and story-boards for cartoon companies. On several occasions, she accompanied her mother on the piano during her poetic recitals, and together they have worked on numerous fund-raising events and exhibitions for charity programs. Her dreams and talents are capsulated in her latest grand fund-raising project, “The Little Dream Book.” It tells the story of Aya and Omar, two children whose adventures are recounted in a series of short-stories and 33 poems written in five different languages, French, English, Italian, Spanish and Arabic. Abu Jeib collaborated with Lebanese musician Elias Rahbani, who transformed one of the poems into a song, then composed its music and helped both record and produce it. The CD will be distributed with the upcoming book. The “Little Dream Book” aims at promoting readership among young Arab children through interactive and well-crafted stories, while introducing them to a variety of foreign languages. Abu Jeib still dreams of raising her projects to an international level. She aims at transforming the stories into animated films with cartoon characters like the famous ones from Walt Disney, maintaining values, however, that are relevant to Arab children, and to which they can relate. The project aims at supporting children with cancer with an ongoing fundraising program for the Children Cancer Center in Lebanon and the Basma Center in Syria. Shortage of funds, however, has hindered the project’s progress, but nothing seems to stand in the way of Abu Jebi’s determination to succeed. She still works with passion and patience, certain that one day, her project will see the light. You lived abroad in the past but are now based in Syria. Would you think of leaving Syria again? I was born in Beirut. I lived there for five years then moved to Paris with my family during the Civil War. We moved back to Syria when I was 10-years old. So far I never thought of leaving Syria; it is the only home I know.

What is the lifetime achievement you dream of?

Young, ambitious and focused, the Vice President at NBK Capital is among the brightest faces of Syria’s future.

With seven years of investment banking experience in London and two years in the Gulf, Rachad has worked on a variety of corporate finance situations, including acquisitions, disposals, leveraged buy-outs, capital raising and cross border transactions.

30-year old Rachad holds a BBA from the AmericanUniversity of Beirut (AUB) and is currently doing his Masters of Business Administration at ImperialCollege, London, juggling both a full-time career and a part-time MBA. During his AUB years, Rachad was an active member, and later President, of the Syrian Cultural Club, which hosted during his tenure the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Sulhi al-Wadi. After graduating from AUB, he decided to start his own career and left to Dubai in 1998, determined to be the master of his own success despite a family heritage in the Damascene merchant community – where he has maintained very strong links whilst living abroad.