São Paulo – Brazil has lost one of its great masters of Arab culture and defender of Eastern causes. The Egyptian based in Brazil, Mohamed Ezz El Din Mostafa Habib, passed away this Wednesday, January 26, at the age of 80, after building a 40-year career in the country marked by significant participation and outstanding academic and social protagonism.
Mohamed Habib was president of Brazil’s Arab Culture Institute (ICArabe) from 2017 to 2021 and a professor at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), from which he retired a few years ago. He also worked as a graduate professor at Santa Cecília University (UNISANTA) in Ecology and Sustainable Development.
A resident of Campinas, in the interior of São Paulo, Habib arrived in Brazil with an undergraduate degree in Agronomic Engineering and a master’s in Entomology from the University of Alexandria in Egypt. He continued his studies at UNICAMP, where he obtained a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, became a professor, directed the Biology Institute, coordinated International Relations, and was Dean of Community Affairs.
A highly referenced researcher in the academic field, Habib did not restrict his work only to biology and the environment but actively participated in disseminating and forming knowledge in Brazil about Arab immigration, culture, causes, and Islam issues.
A defender of the Palestinian cause, Mohamed Habib was known for his well-founded positions, with significant participation in debates involving the Arab world. The scholar also wrote and published hundreds of scientific works in Brazil and abroad, supervised master’s and Ph.D. theses, and received several awards.
His passing this Wednesday caused commotion among the community that surrounded and knew Mohamed Habib. Friends and admirers expressed their mourning on social media; entities and institutions issued statements of condolence. The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) released a note highlighting Habib’s life history.
“In addition to a brilliant academic career, Professor Habib stood out for his profound knowledge about the Arab culture, a topic he masterfully addressed during his lectures held in our entity. In this time of great sadness, the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce offers Mohamed Habib’s family and many friends its most heartfelt condolences,” the ABCC stated.
ICArabe also issued a death notice of its former president. “The ICArabe Board of Directors, on behalf of all its members, empathizes with the family of our friend Habib, a great defender of Arab culture, the Palestinian cause, and coexistence between peoples. Habib left a legacy of love and dedication to knowledge and, above all, fighting for peace and social justice,” said the institute.
UNICAMP published a text in honor of its professor. “Professor Mohamed left us, but not solely the memories of the shared moments will remain with us, but also his many achievements, which honor the history of UNICAMP,” said the dean of the university, Antonio José de Almeida Meirelles, according to a publication on the university’s website. The institution highlighted his role in university administration, based on dialogue, democratic commitment, academic rigor, inclusive spirit, and focused on strengthening ties.
According to information released by UNICAMP, Habib died of cancer. Habib is survived by his wife, Sawsan Mohamed Ahmed, children Nader, Mona, Shadi, and granddaughter Dora. The academic’s burial was scheduled for this Thursday (27), at 3:00 pm BRT, at Parque das Acácias Cemetery, in Campinas.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
