Abdullah Omran Taryam passes away

Dr Abdullah Taryam with the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. — Wam

Dr Abdullah Omran Taryam, Chairman of Dar Al Khaleej for Press, Printing and Publishing, and former minister of education and justice, died on Thursday morning at the age of 66.

Funeral prayer for Dr Abdullah will be held after Friday prayers at the King Faisal Mosque in Sharjah. He will be buried at Jubail cemetery in Sharjah.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, mourned the death of Dr Abdullah. Shaikh Mohammed said: “I offer condolences to our people on the death of Dr Abdullah Omran Taryam, Emirati loyal son, statesman and renowned mediaperson. Today I lost a dear brother, Abu Khaled, and a loyal friend, known of good conduct, courage, clarity of opinion, intention and sense of belonging and loyalty to his homeland and leadership.”

Dr Abdullah Taryam with His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. — Wam

The Vice-President noted that Dr Abdullah had contributed to the UAE Union alongside the founding fathers, adding that during his youth time he occupied top posts in the government. Shaikh Mohammed said Dr Abdullah had contributed to establishing a prestigious media group at the local and Arab levels. May Almighty Allah rest his soul in eternal peace.

The Ministry of Presidential Affairs mourned the death of Dr Abdullah. The Ministry prayed to Almighty Allah to rest his soul in eternal peace and bestow patience on the deceased family.

The Court of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, issued a statement of condolence saying, “....Abdullah was one of the national symbols who contributed to the Union. He also promoted local and Arab media. May Almighty Allah rest his soul in eternal peace.”

Dr Abdullah Taryam with General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE armed Forces; Shaikh mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential affairs; and Lt-General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. — Wam

The Court of His Highness Shaikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, mourned the death of Dr Abdullah. It expressed profound sorrow on the demise of Abdullah and solace to the bereaved Taryam family. May Almighty Allah rest his soul in eternal peace.

The Court of His Highness Shaikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu’alla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain, mourned the death of Dr Abdullah.

Speaker of the Arab Parliament, Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Jarwan, also mourned the death of Dr Abdullah.

Dr Abdullah Taryam with the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

Born in Sharjah in 1948, Dr Abdullah finised his primary, secondary and high school education in Sharjah and Kuwait. He attained his Bachelor’s degree in History from Cairo University and his Ph.D in Modern History from the University of Exeter in the UK in 1986.

He established the Al Khaleej newspaper with his brother, the late Taryam Omran, in 1970, which has since grown to become the Dar Al Khaleej newspaper group. Abdullah worked as a secondary school teacher at Al Orouba School and then became a Director of the Department of Education in Sharjah.

He was among the team that negotiated the establishment of the UAE Union. He also held the posts of Minister of Education and Minister of Justice.

Journalists’ association mourns Taryam’s death Mustafa Al Zarooni The UAE Journalists Association mourned the death of Dr Abdullah Omran Taryam, Chairman of the Board of directors of Dar Al Khaleej Press, Printing and Publishing, and former minister of education, and minister of justice. “Dr. Abdullah Omran Taryam was a prominent national figure who played an important role in the modern history of the UAE. He was one of the pioneers of the national press. He and his late brother Taryam Omran established the first private newspaper in the country,” the association said in statement on Thursday. “The deceased played an important role in the talks which laid the foundation for the inception of the UAE and the creation of the Federation,” the statement said. “Throughout his lifetime he defended the idea of the Federation, the project of the union and its accomplishments, and hence he holds a prestigious place among the veterans in the UAE,” the statement added. In its statement, the association mourned the deceased who was also a competent Arab writer. Dr. Abdullah Taryam, the statement said, was the founder of Dar Al Khaleej, which has been and still is a hub of knowledge in the regional and Arab world. Dar Al Khaleej has churned out batches of writers, thinkers and intellectuals who have enriched cultural and media organisations, the statement noted. The association described Omran Taryam as a person who was sincere and loyal to the cause of his country. The brilliant statesman, with his wisdom and farsightedness brought Dar Al Khaleej and Al Khaleej Arabic daily to the forefront. Abdullah Omran Taryam was one of those men who made a difference in every position he held, the statement said, and mentioned how he had taken the ministry of education to new heights. mustafa@khaleejtimes.com