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(BBC):
2020, the year in which the coronavirus spread, is coming to an end, leaving behind painful memories for those who lost a family member, their role model in life or people who were loved by hundreds of thousands of people.
Here, we are trying to remember some of the most important public figures who left us this year due to the Covid-19 epidemic.
Lebanese musician Bassam Saba
Bassam Saba, a musician and president of the National Higher Institute of Music of Lebanon, died on December 2, at the age of 61, at the American University Hospital in Beirut as a result of being infected with the Coronavirus.
Culture Minister Abbas Mortada said Saba died “after a bitter fight against the Covid-19 disease.”
The conservatory mourned him on its Facebook page, saying: “His musical educational abilities, sensitivity, efficiency, humility and integrity will live on forever through his music and his closed-hearted personality.”
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri described him in a tweet on his Twitter account as “a genius, who spread his creativity on five continents, and took over conducting an orchestra in New York before returning to his native land and nurture it with his love, art and knowledge. “
Before returning home, he founded an Arab band in New York made up of American members. He was creative in connecting the East and the West through his music and artwork. Saba worked with various music stars in Lebanon, such as Ziad Al-Rahyani, Mrs. Fairouz and Marcel Khalife.
Sadiq al-Mahdi (Sudan)
The veteran Sudanese politician, Sadiq al-Mahdi, died on November 26, after contracting Covid-19, at the age of 84.
Al-Mahdi was Sudan’s prime minister until he was overthrown in 1989 in the military coup that brought former President Omar al-Bashir to power. Al-Mahdi headed the Umma Party and remained an influential figure in Sudan even after Bashir was ousted in April 2019.
Al-Mahdi was transferred to the Emirates on November 3 for treatment after contracting the epidemic, but he only survived for three weeks and then died.
Al-Sadiq al-Mahdi made his mark on political life in Sudan and has written many books, some of which were written from prison during his detention under Al-Bashir’s rule.
He was known for his clear and frank positions on Middle Eastern issues and his harsh criticism of the former Bashir regime. He called on the Sudanese government to withdraw its forces involved in the ongoing war in Yemen, and described his country’s involvement in that war as a big mistake.
He believed that “Sudan, by virtue of its strong relations with the two parties to the conflict in Yemen, can mediate to stop the war, which it described as sectarian, that will lead to nothing but the destruction of Yemen and its people.”
Al-Mahdi strongly opposed an agreement between the Al-Bashir government and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding Turkey’s investment in the island of Suakin in the Red Sea, accusing Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party of “support the cross-border Brotherhood”, as he described it, and that this issue is being treated as a personal agreement between Erdogan and Bashir.
Sadiq al-Mahdi: “Imam of Ansar” and historical leader of the Umma Party
Mahmoud Al-Idrissi (Morocco)
Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, sent a message of condolences and condolences to the family of the late artist Mahmoud Al-Idrisi, who passed away on November 26, at the age of 72, due to his infection with the Coronavirus.
And the king’s telegram read: “We received with deep emotion and pain the mourning of the late artist, Mahmoud al-Idrisi, may God bless him with the expansion of his forgiveness and pleasure, and dwell on its breadth.
In this telegram, the king said: “Mahmoud Al-Idrisi has for decades contributed to enriching the country’s diverse singing record with the original artistic wealth he left behind, filled with the fragrance of his sincere love for his country and its beautiful heritage. , and in the spirit of his jealousy for the constant and holiness of the nation. “
He contributed to many patriotic songs that fed the feeling of patriotism and cohesion among the Moroccan people,
Al-Idrissi began his career in the mid-1960s, before gaining fame in the 1970s and 1980s. And he dealt with top Arab musicians, such as the Egyptian musician Mohamed Al-Moji.
Among the most famous are singing (Happy Hour), (Be patient, my heart) and (Mahal, my mind will forget you), and composed songs of Moroccan singers such as Latifa Al-Tunisi, Raafat, Naima Samih, Bashir Abdo and Mohamed Al Ghawi.
Before his death, the artist was transferred to the Casablanca hospital to receive treatment for the Corona virus, but he could not last more than a week to say goodbye to the world, leaving a mark on the world of authentic Maghreb song.
Saeb Erekat (Palestinian Territories)
The secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and former Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat passed away on November 10, at the age of 65, after contracting the coronavirus in early October.
Erekat’s condition had deteriorated and he was subsequently transferred to an Israeli hospital on October 18. Erekat was one of the most prominent Palestinian spokespersons in the Western media during the second intifada, and played a prominent role in the negotiations that resulted from the Oslo agreement between the PLO and Israel, and was the main negotiator during the 1995 period. to 2004.
Erekat was considered close to the late president of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Yasser Arafat. He suffered a heart attack in 2012 and in 2017 underwent a lung transplant in the United States.
Arafat used to call Erekat “the devil of Jericho” jokingly, referring to Erekat’s great ability to maneuver and dominate the “political game” due to his ability to propose solutions and positions to the Palestinian problem.
Erekat was respected and admired by many Palestinians, especially President Mahmoud Abbas and the Fatah movement.
Saeb Erekat, the academic and politician who led the negotiations with Israel
Actress Rajaa Al-Geddawi (Egypt)
The skilled Egyptian artist, Rajaa Al-Jeddawi, passed away on July 6, at the age of 82, after suffering an illness as a result of her infection with the Covid 19 epidemic in May, and was taken to hospital for treatment.
Al-Jeddawi left his mark on Egyptian cinema, theater and drama, and his first artistic participation was in the film “Ghariba” with the singer Najat in 1958, after which there were successive contributions that were not interrupted, either in cinema, drama or theater for more than 60 years.
Al-Jeddawi married a soccer player, Hassan Mukhtar, and gave birth to their daughter, Amira.
Among the most famous works in which Al-Jeddawi participated are the film “Sending a Love” with Omar Sharif, Souad Hosni and Youssef Wahbi; And the movie “Al Bayh Al Bawab” with Ahmed Zaki; And the two works, “Al-Wad Syed Al-Shaghal” and “Al-Zaeem” with Adel Imam.
Al-Jeddawi’s last artistic participation was in the series “The game of oblivion”, which aired in the month of Ramadan 2020, and after its completion, announced that it had been infected with the Corona virus, and was subsequently deposited in a quarantine hospital in Ismailia, to die after that, leaving his fans and fans in a state of pain.
Singer and theater actor Marawan Mahfouz (Lebanon)
Marwan Mahfouz, the Lebanese artist born in Marijat, Bekaa, died on July 25 at Al-Assad University Hospital in the Syrian capital Damascus after suffering from severe shortness of breath as a result of contracting COVID-19 at the age of 78. years.
His real name is Antoine, and his name was Marwan, the late artist Wadih Al-Safi.
Mahfouz participated and worked with a large number of singing and theater stars, such as Shahrura Sabah, artist Nasri Shams El Din, the Rahbani brothers and other stars since the 1960s.
And the song “Khayef If I Love You and Your Love”, which he performed in the play “Sahriyah” with artist Georgette Sayegh, was widely recognized in all Arab countries, in addition to his other albums and works that were admired by the public. Arab.
Mahfouz sang for many great poets, authors and composers, in particular: the Rahbani brothers, Ziad Rahbani, Wadih Al Safi, Philemon Wehbe, Elias Rahbani, Suhail Arafa, Joseph Ayoub, Abdel Fattah Sukkar and others.
Soccer legend Ahmed Radi (Iraq)
The player and former star of the Iraqi national team, Ahmed Radi, died on May 30, at the age of 56, while on his way to Jordan for treatment for complications from the Corona virus. The news of his death fell like lightning to the ears of Iraqis and football fans in particular.
FIFA sent an obituary telegram on the occasion of the departure of Ahmed Radi, in which he said: “The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) offers its condolences to the family and friends of Iraqi national team legend Ahmed Radi, deceased at 56. We will always remember him as one of the best players in the history of football. “
Radi began playing for various teams in 1982 and retired in 1999, becoming a coach. Radhi led his country to win the Gulf Cup in 1984 and was voted the best player in Asia in 1988.
In 1986, he played the World Cup final in Mexico and scored Iraq’s only goal in the final against Belgium, despite losing two goals to one.
In 2007 he entered the world of politics, became a deputy, and was elected to the House of Representatives Sports and Youth Committee.
