Nizar Rammal/ Lebanon: Strategic, Evaluation, and Development Consultant 

12 October 2026

Youssef Hajjar has passed away, leaving behind a legacy that goes far beyond his professional achievements. As one of the founders of the Arab Resource Collective (ARC) and a pioneer in developing Arabic resources, building networks, and producing knowledge, he helped shape not only how practitioners and changemakers across the Arab region think and work on childhood, youth, rights, and community development, but also how they believe in the power of knowledge to transform lives.

I was fortunate to work with Youssef for nearly five years, from 2001 to 2005. Those years were not merely a professional chapter in my life; they were a formative experience that taught me what work can become when it is guided by professionalism, calm confidence, humility, and a deep commitment to one’s values.

Youssef had a rare gift for listening, seeing beyond details, and giving others the confidence and space to grow. Working beside him made us more attentive, thoughtful, and humane in how we thought, related to others, and understood the purpose of our work.

Perhaps this was among Youssef’s most beautiful qualities: he did not simply work with people; he quietly left something of himself within them. His presence continued to teach, shape, and inspire long after the shared work had ended.

As one of the founders of ARC, Youssef was more than a leader. He was a quiet force for change, believing that the Arab region grows stronger through knowledge, meaningful resources, and work that serves people and communities.

His administrative wisdom and intellectual vision helped transform ARC into a leading Arab platform for knowledge production and for bringing practitioners together around vital issues. His tireless work extended beyond documents, meetings, and projects; it reached into the lived realities of early childhood and youth across the Arab world. Alongside his colleagues, he helped lay the foundations for making modern educational and developmental tools available in Arabic, contributing to lasting change in the fields of children’s rights, youth participation, and community development.

From Youssef Hajjar, we learned that true management is not authority, but empowerment; not control, but trust; not the pursuit of position, but the patient building of people. We learned that the deepest investment is the one made in minds, values, and resources that continue to serve generations.

May Youssef Hajjar rest in peace. May his generous spirit, quiet wisdom, and enduring legacy remain alive in all those who knew him, learned from him, and had the privilege of working by his side.

His memory will remain with us as a lasting light in the values we carry forward and the paths we continue to walk.