Sulieman Mleahat/ Palestine: Education Program Director, Anera

12 October 2026 

I first met Yousef over 25 years ago, as I was beginning my career in education and development at World University Service in London. Through our work with Arab Resource Collective in Beirut, Yousef and his colleagues Ghassan and Ghanem created opportunities for hundreds of Arab professionals to connect, learn and share experiences at a time when such opportunities were rare.

Although our lives and work later took us in different directions, we always somehow reconnected — in Cyprus, Lebanon and Jordan. I was deeply saddened by Yousef’s passing. Somehow, I had always imagined that Yousef would simply always be there.

I owe much of my passion for and work in early childhood development to Yousef, for which I will always be grateful. I remember his quiet wisdom, warmth and the gentle way he could temper my youthful enthusiasm without ever discouraging me.

Yousef was a graceful, unassuming and remarkably talented man, with a deep love of art and poetry. I will miss him greatly, and it is hard to imagine our next regional meeting without him.

May his memory remain a blessing.