Elie Aaraj/ Lebanon: Founding President of the Order of Nurses in Lebanon

Executive Director of MENAHRA

12 October 2026 

I first met Youssef in the early 1980s when he was serving as the regional general secretary of the World Student Christian Federation; although he had left seminary life behind, he never abandoned his commitment to humanity. We met frequently in Ayia Napa, Cyprus—mostly at regional and Arab-focused workshops—covering topics ranging from Christian-Muslim dialogue to ecumenical cooperation among the various Christian Churches.

Discussions and interventions rarely strayed far from politics; the Palestinian cause was a constant presence, and the successive wars in Lebanon weighed heavily on the minds of participants from across the Arab world.

I later met him at a café in Ayia Napa, accompanied by his lifelong companion, Ghanem Bibi. They told me they were in the process of establishing the Arab Resource Collective and invited me to participate in regional workshops focused on health and community development. I came to know him as a consummate professional—a man of integrity who never wavered from what was right or from the defense of rights, particularly those of impoverished communities. To the uninitiated, he might have seemed stern—a man who kept friendship and work, strictly separate—but I discovered a compassionate soul who cared deeply for others, regardless of who they were or where they came from; his guiding principle was the human being, and his life’s work was dedicated to humanity.

Towards an Arab society that embraces education, culture, and health as a path to social justice. During our gatherings, his velvety voice would often delight us with the songs of Sheikh Imam and Abdel Wahab, *Qudud Halabiya*, and the melodies of Fairuz.

He was a man deeply committed to the causes of the people—committed to his very core. That is the Youssef I knew and loved; I cherished his kind spirit, his love for humanity, and his dedication to serving mankind. May his soul rest in peace.