São Paulo – The Palestinian Marwan Abdelhamid assumed the presidency of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) last Wednesday (18th). The organization represents more than 20 million engineers in 93 different countries. Abdelhamid was elected president in 2011 but only now has he been inaugurated. At the organization, the election precedes the inauguration by two years; thus, the current president, president-elect, and former president all serve together as members of the executive board.
“Palestine’s success in assuming the presidency of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations is a great victory, and paves the way for Palestinian engineers to be able to benefit and cooperate with their partners,” said Adnan Samara, the WFEO International Relations representative, according to Palestine’s news agency Wafa. Abdelhamid is taking office to replace the former president Kuwaiti Adel Al-kharafi.
Samara told Wafa that the WFEO comprises organizations in the United States, Europe, China, Russia and India, as well as other emerging countries. The Brazilian Federation of Engineering Associations is also affiliated.
“Palestine can benefit from [Abdelhamid’s] term as president to amass information and experience in the economic and political fronts, due to the fact that the federation has huge potential,” said the executive.
“We, in Palestine, believe this unprecedented achievement will break new ground for our engineers, providing new opportunities and large-scale projects. Politically speaking, it will show the world that Palestinians are not only guerrillas, but also hard-working intellectual, creative leaders,” added Samara, himself a native of Palestine.
Abdelhamid holds a degree in civil engineering from the University of Belgrade, in Serbia. He was the president of the Federation of Arab Engineers from 1987 to 1989 and has been a member of the WFEO for 36 years. In addition to the Arabic language, he is fluent in Serbian, French and English.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
