9 October 2026 

Nabila Espanioly, Palestine: Co-founder of ANECD, Advisory Board Member, and General Director of Al-Tufula Center (The Childhood Center), Nazareth Nurseries Institution

We received the news of the sudden passing of our dear Youssef Hajjar with profound sadness.Youssef, son of Syria and lover of Palestine, freedom, and humanity, was a thoughtful and inspiring human being, a loyal friend and companion, a man of enlightened thought and melodious voice, and a folk storyteller. He also was an artist who sculpted the most beautiful statues from stone, inspired by his humanity and representing his beautiful spirit and unique sensitivity. Youssef was multi-talented with a generous heart that carried the concerns of the entire Arab region, and the concerns of children in particular.

(During the First Regional Forum of ANECD, Cairo, 2023)

I knew him for over thirty years, and I never tired of his stories. We were enchanted by his voice as he sang Sheikh Imam’s song, with lyrics by our poet Tawfiq Ziad, “The roses blossomed and budded on my window”. With these words, he would begin our workshops, opening our minds and hearts and enriching our discussions. I was fortunate enough to attend these workshops and meetings alongside him and to work with him in training. Youssef, a founding member of the Arab Resource Collective (ARC), shared a dream with dear Ghanem Bibi and Dr. Ghassan Issa, may God grant them long life. A dream they shared with us, a dream that has expanded to encompass many persons over the years. A dream that laid the foundation for early childhood development in the Arab world, placing its causes on the agendas of Arab governments and societies, and establishing the Arab Network for Early Childhood (ANECD). He was a true champion of the cause. He will remain in our memory…

Youssef, the human being who genuinely advocated dignity and freedoms and sought justice.

Youssef, the militant who kept hope alive through his activism and work.

May his memory be eternal.

We offer our condolences to ourselves and to all who knew him.

We also keep on working to realize the dream.