Ya Libnan

Ex-World Bank chief cancels AUB, Lebanon speech

Share:

Former World Bank chief James Wolfensohn on Friday cancelled a scheduled keynote address at the American University of Beirut, amid accusations by the AUB faculty that he supported Israel.

“AUB regrets to announce that Sir James Wolfensohn, out of concern that his presence at the June commencement ceremony would distract from the celebratory nature of the event, has decided that he will not attend,” read a statement released by the university.

The decision came after more than 90 faculty members signed a petition, entitled “Not in our name: AUB faculty, staff and students object to honouring James Wolfensohn.”

This pressured the university to revoke its decision to grant an honorary doctorate to Wolfensohn, who was also scheduled to give the keynote address at the university’s commencement on June 25.

AUB president Peter Dorman will now give the address instead.

The petition argued that “honouring Mr Wolfensohn… symbolically undermines AUB’s legacy in the struggle for social justice and its historical connection to Beirut, to Palestine and beyond.”

It also detailed Wolfensohn’s alleged links to Israeli companies and accused him of being “an investor in an Israeli company developing transport infrastructure for illegal Jewish-only settlements built in the occupied West Bank” and a “standing member of the international advisory of the Israeli Democracy Institute.”

Wolfensohn, an Australian-born naturalised US citizen, could not be reached for comment.

The international investment banker and financial adviser served as president of the World Bank from 1995 to 2005 and is currently chairman of his own firm, Wolfensohn and Company.

In past years, several artists and writers have had to cancel scheduled performances in Lebanon amid controversy over their alleged ties to Israel, which ended a 22-year occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000.

Lebanon remains technically at war with Israel and has vowed to be the last Arab country to sign a peace agreement with the Jewish state.

Lebanon’s Shiite militant group Hezbollah fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006.

africaasia

Share:

Comments

33 responses to “Ex-World Bank chief cancels AUB, Lebanon speech”

  1. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Well, we can see that’s not much of a university … sorry students, forget those obviously slanted degrees.
    Please … someone sue them for using the word ‘American’ on it … no freedom in there.

    1. Hisham Abukalam Avatar
      Hisham Abukalam

      This is Beirut, Lebanon and not a piece of real estate in the USA. Settlements as you well know are illegal, and being built on Palestinian land denying it’s legal owners any choice by staling the land from them. Such people should be dealt with in the International Criminal Tribunal. The last thing they deserve is to be honoured in any university any where on Earth.  We have strong feelings about the issues in question. I do remember very well the Israeli Authorities banning Daniel Barenboem from conducting at a concert in Ramallah and refusing him right of travel to Ramallah. Ramallah does not belong to Israel and Israel is “the only democracy in the Middle East”. You do not need a Phd in International Law to figure where fair play land is, do you?

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Well, we can all agree that musicians (artists in general) are on the bottom end of the stick, so punting out a musician or two isn’t much of a shot except to fans perhaps – also an obviously petty thing to do. But someone involved with considering ‘higher education’ must have thought an uplifting talk, by an Australian who was head of the World Bank at one point in his life, might be beneficial to the as-yet-unfilled brains of graduating students. Goodness knows why they would consider adding a doctorate as a ‘Thank You For Speaking’ – he certainly doesn’t need an extra scroll of paper lying around his office – but even if that is rather standard practice in Universities I guess that was their mistake, since some believe he has ‘alleged links’ to the illegal building and want to whack that around at every opportunity. (How many Lebanese own a piece of a business?) So now the students will be stuck with a droll ‘try to have a life’ speech by the President instead. Can’t blame Sir James for bowing out completely now, as he’s not stupid. I’d be shy about giving advice about the real world to people who didn’t want me around too.
        Maybe the next petition should be against the educators who attempted to have some brought in. Please take the ‘American’ off the door.

  2. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Well, we can see that’s not much of a university … sorry students, forget those obviously slanted degrees.
    Please … someone sue them for using the word ‘American’ on it … no freedom in there.

    1. Hisham Abukalam Avatar
      Hisham Abukalam

      This is Beirut, Lebanon and not a piece of real estate in the USA. Settlements as you well know are illegal, and being built on Palestinian land denying it’s legal owners any choice by staling the land from them. Such people should be dealt with in the International Criminal Tribunal. The last thing they deserve is to be honoured in any university any where on Earth.  We have strong feelings about the issues in question. I do remember very well the Israeli Authorities banning Daniel Barenboem from conducting at a concert in Ramallah and refusing him right of travel to Ramallah. Ramallah does not belong to Israel and Israel is “the only democracy in the Middle East”. You do not need a Phd in International Law to figure where fair play land is, do you?

      1. Avatar
        Anonymous

        Well, we can all agree that musicians (artists in general) are on the bottom end of the stick, so punting out a musician or two isn’t much of a shot except to fans perhaps – also an obviously petty thing to do. But someone involved with considering ‘higher education’ must have thought an uplifting talk, by an Australian who was head of the World Bank at one point in his life, might be beneficial to the as-yet-unfilled brains of graduating students. Goodness knows why they would consider adding a doctorate as a ‘Thank You For Speaking’ – he certainly doesn’t need an extra scroll of paper lying around his office – but even if that is rather standard practice in Universities I guess that was their mistake, since some believe he has ‘alleged links’ to the illegal building and want to whack that around at every opportunity. (How many Lebanese own a piece of a business?) So now the students will be stuck with a droll ‘try to have a life’ speech by the President instead. Can’t blame Sir James for bowing out completely now, as he’s not not stupid. I’d be shy about giving advice about the real world to people who didn’t want me around too.

        Maybe the next petition should be against the educators who attempted to have some brought in. Please take the ‘American’ off the door.

  3. ur_worst_nightmare Avatar
    ur_worst_nightmare

    Bravo for not letting him in. He supports Israeli settlements which are against international law. If he has business in Israel, then I have no problem with him. Its the settlement support that makes me happy he is not speaking.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      And because he’s not coming, you don’t have the opportunity to tell him.

  4. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Bravo for not letting him in. He supports Israeli settlements which are against international law. If he has business in Israel, then I have no problem with him. Its the settlement support that makes me happy he is not speaking.

    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      And because he’s not coming, you don’t have the opportunity to tell him.

      1. Hannibal Avatar
        Hannibal

        lol… Good one!

  5. Sussy09 Avatar
    Sussy09

    In One Word – PRIMITIVE!  

  6. Avatar
    Anonymous

    In One Word – PRIMITIVE!  

  7. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    What a shame on the University, on the students, on the teachers and on Lebanon. If this man supports Israel, intellectually and materially, so does hundreds of millions in the world which happen to be the most intellectual, free, educated and democratic people on earth. We should learn to respect the CHOICE of OTHERS, respect the religions of others, respect that there are different people who think differently. In any case this guy was not coming to Beirut to defend Israel or its acts, he was coming because of the economic and monetary position he held and lecture about his field of expertise, but again some fanatic, extremist muslims played their role and stopped this intellectual from coming and lecturing at AUB. These extremists (sometimes in suits) who are in control of the University right now are doing whatever they want in the university and taking us back 100s of years backward.
    I am very sorry and sad on AUB’s situation right now as it is being controlled by the forces of ignorance. I am an AUB graduate. 

    1. Sebouh80 Avatar
      Sebouh80

      I’m sorry to disappoint you, but many developing countries in the world have long been the victim of the policies imposed on them by these infamous organizations such as IMF, World Bank and the latest one the World trade organization (WTO).

      Remember, Mr.Constatin, my objection to Mr.Wolfensohn’s presence was not because of his close ties with Israel, but because of the “unfair” policies his organization had implemented in the the past and present on the people of the developing world.

      Thank you.

      1. Hannibal Avatar
        Hannibal

        Well Said….

      2. Constantin7 Avatar
        Constantin7

        You’re missing the point Sebouh, the issue is that NOBODY can shut-up ANYBODY on the ground that you do not agree with them. The University administration decided to honor this man because of his worldwide achievements, some faculty members and students who are politically motivated decided to campaign against this move and succeeded in preventing the man to come to Beirut. As an AUB alumnus, I (as all other alumni) received an e-mail from President Dorman (AUB’s President) explaining how these protesters and the media were misled and how much good this man did specifically to the Arab world and countries. We are long way from accepting the other and different opinions, hence DEMOCRACY.  

    2. Sam Avatar
      Sam

      I don’t think AUB is not respecting the choice of others with a move like this. It’s only choosing not to honor them… And I believe that they have a valid point

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Artistotle – 325 BC. (Greek)
        “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

        If a thought is never allowed to be presented, it’s difficult to imagine how it would ever be contemplated – except by the censor who banished it in the first place. Perhaps Aristotle had more freedom … his ‘school’ certainly did.

      2. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Artistotle – 325 BC. (Greek)
        “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

        If a thought is never allowed to be presented, it’s difficult to imagine how it would ever be contemplated – except by the censor who banished it in the first place. Perhaps Aristotle had more freedom … his ‘school’ certainly did.

  8. Avatar
    Anonymous

    What a shame on the University, on the students, on the teachers and on Lebanon. If this man supports Israel, intellectually and materially, so does hundreds of millions in the world which happen to be the most intellectual, free, educated and democratic people on earth. We should learn to respect the CHOICE of OTHERS, respect the religions of others, respect that there are different people who think differently. In any case this guy was not coming to Beirut to defend Israel or its acts, he was coming because of the economic and monetary position he held and lecture about his field of expertise, but again some fanatic, extremist muslims played their role and stopped this intellectual from coming and lecturing at AUB. These extremists (sometimes in suits) who are in control of the University right now are doing whatever they want in the university and taking us back 100s of years backward.
    I am very sorry and sad on AUB’s situation right now as it is being controlled by the forces of ignorance. I am an AUB graduate. 

    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      I’m sorry to disappoint you, but many developing countries in the world have long been the victim of the policies imposed on them by these infamous organizations such as IMF, World Bank and the latest one the World trade organization (WTO).

      Remember, Mr.Constatin, my objection to Mr.Wolfensohn’s presence was not because of his close ties with Israel, but because of the “unfair” policies his organization had implemented in the the past and present on the people of the developing world.

      Thank you.

      1. Hannibal Avatar
        Hannibal

        Well Said….

      2. Hannibal Avatar
        Hannibal

        Well Said….

      3. Avatar
        Anonymous

        You’re missing the point Sebouh, the issue is that NOBODY can shut-up ANYBODY on the ground that you do not agree with them. The University administration decided to honor this man because of his worldwide achievements, some faculty members and students who are politically motivated decided to campaign against this move and succeeded in preventing the man to come to Beirut. As an AUB alumnus, I (as all other alumni) received an e-mail from President Dorman (AUB’s President) explaining how these protesters and the media were misled and how much good this man did specifically to the Arab world and countries. We are long way from accepting the other and different opinions, hence DEMOCRACY.  

      4. Avatar
        Anonymous

        You’re missing the point Sebouh, the issue is that NOBODY can shut-up ANYBODY on the ground that you do not agree with them. The University administration decided to honor this man because of his worldwide achievements, some faculty members and students who are politically motivated decided to campaign against this move and succeeded in preventing the man to come to Beirut. As an AUB alumnus, I (as all other alumni) received an e-mail from President Dorman (AUB’s President) explaining how these protesters and the media were misled and how much good this man did specifically to the Arab world and countries. We are long way from accepting the other and different opinions, hence DEMOCRACY.  

    2. Sam Avatar
      Sam

      I don’t think AUB is not respecting the choice of others with a move like this. It’s only choosing not to honor them… And I believe that they have a valid point

      1. Avatar
        Anonymous

        Artistotle – 325 BC. (Greek)
        “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

        If a thought is never allowed to be presented, it’s difficult to imagine how it would ever be contemplated – except by the censor who banished it in the first place. Perhaps Aristotle had more freedom … his ‘school’ certainly did.

  9. Sebouh80 Avatar
    Sebouh80

    An excellent announcement. Indeed, Wolfensohn’s presence would have undermined AUB’s legacy in the social justice and its historical connection to Beirut, to Palestine and beyond.

    Besides many developing countries in the world have long been the victim of the policies imposed on them by these two infamous world organizations of IMF and World Bank.

  10. Avatar
    Anonymous

    An excellent announcement. Indeed, Wolfensohn’s presence would have undermined AUB’s legacy in the social justice and its historical connection to Beirut, to Palestine and beyond.

    Besides many developing countries in the world have long been the victim of the policies imposed on them by these two infamous world organizations of IMF and World Bank.

Leave a Reply