Reda Mansour
Encyclopedia
Reda Mansour is a Druze
Israeli poet, historian and Diplomat. He has published three books of Hebrew poetry and received the University of Haifa
Miller Award as well as the State President Scholarship for young writers.
Mansour was born (1965) in the Druze
village of Isfiya
in northern Israel
. He has a Ph. D from the University of Haifa's Middle East History Department and a graduate of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government where he was a Wexner Israel Fellow.
He studied Spanish in Salamanca
University (dating back to 1218, is the oldest and also one of the most prestigious universities in Spain
), and a general studies semester in the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
His field of research is the Changes in the Perception of Identity and Social Environment as Evident in the Intellectual Discourse in Syria
During the Third Decade of the "Corrective Movement" 1988-2003.
between 1977–1983; first in the LEO BAECK, middle school and later in BASMAT High school of the Technion (Israel’s institute of science and technology). During that time he was involved in many youth organizations which develop cross-cultural understanding around the world, by encouraging respect for cultural difference. A among these organizations: CISV and BBYO - B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (chairman of local branch). In 1988-1989 he was also active in HABONIM DROR
(in British Columbia
, Canada
and Maryland
, USA).
During the first years of his university studies in Haifa, Mansour was involved in a Variety of social projects among them: Perach: Coordination of student assistance to young primary school students in two villages in the Galilee
, and Bridging the Gap: Promotion of Higher education in Minority communities
in Israel to write exclusively in Hebrew
. His short story "Jumblat in the Negev" has won the "Recommended Story" category of the "Ha'aretz" Annual Short Story Award in 1997. In addition, a collection of his poems is currently translated to Spanish and Portuguese. He is at work on a book of short stories.
Reda Mansour has participated in poetry readings and Poetry festivals in Isfiya, Haifa, Tel Aviv, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami, Huston, New Mexico, San Salvador, Quito and Lisbon.
Mansour participated in the Charleston
's historic Piccolo Spoleto
festival in June 2008. He held a reading of some of his acclaimed poetic works at Charleston's City Gallery at historic Waterfront Park.
was written in varies places around the world starting from 1998 during the author's studies in the KSG and ending in Portugal
four years later. The poems are dedicated to nature and its effect on history and people. They blend together Arab
and Jewish traditions and the multiethnic history of the Iberian Peninsula
with some images of the modern American literature. They explore the relationships between people and places. The title of the book is the title of one of the poems that was written during a Cambridge
spring mixing with the news of the massacres in the Balkans
. Published by Sa'ar Publishing 2004, Cover design by Israeli renowned photographer Alex Levac
.
. Prior to that, he served as DCM in the Israeli Embassy in Portugal
and as Consul in the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco. Mr. Mansour speaks five languages.
Currently he serves as the Consul General in the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta. In January, 2007, the Georgia Senate passed a resolution honoring Mansour and others for efforts to promote peace and grow business, cultural and educational ties between the U.S. and Israel.
for the promotion of dialogue between Arabs and Jews
. In this realm, he has served on the board of several NGO's and taken part in many projects aimed at promoting of co-existence and cultural dialogue.
Mansour served on the board of many civic organizations: Jewish Healthcare International - Provide Humanitarian Aid Worldwide. International Organizations, Member of the board, Atlanta – Georgia. The U.S – Israel Chamber of commerce - Non Governmental Organization. Member of the board. Atlanta - Georgia. Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange - Non Governmental Organization Member of the board, Atlanta – Georgia. Ecuador
– Israel cultural Institute - Civic Association, Member of the board. Quito – Ecuador. The Shalom (Peace) Club - Civic Association, Member of the board. Quito – Ecuador. Omanut Laam - for the promotion of culture and art in small communities. Non Governmental Organization, Member of the board, Israel. San Francisco Amuta - support to educational activities in the North of Israel. Non Governmental Organization, Member of the board. Israel. Morehouse Collage - Member of the Martin Luther King Jr. international Board of sponsors - Atlanta
Reda Mansour courted moderate Muslim
leaders in Europe
to counteract the sway of Islamists hostile to the state of Israel (2005–2006). Mansour aimed at finding the silent voice—to give it a means of speaking out so that it will condemn terror, condemn anti-Semitism
, and connect with the local Jewish communities for the sake of joint civil actions.
Tungurahua
, (Throat of Fire) a volcano (5,023 m) located in the Cordillera Central of the Andes of central Ecuador, 140 km (87 mi) south of the capital Quito
. The volcano erupted in 2002 and a major ash out-fall covered the entire region including the capital city. Ambassador Mansour organized a relief effort that included the delivery of medical equipment and aid to small communities.
Following the establishment of ODENOR the Ecuadorian Authority for stabilization of the border arias with Colombia
(2003), Ambassador Mansour facilitated the participation of Israel in the International donor countries conference in Brussels. Later he led two projects in that region that provided clean drinking water.
As part of the efforts to battle desertification in southern Ecuador
and foster the Ecuador
– Peru
peace agreement, Ambassador Mansour invited Israeli scientists to this region. The scientists from the Ben-Gurion University in the Negev offered assessment and evaluated possible remedies. The university also invited Ecuadorian students to study in its International School for Desert Studies
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
Israeli poet, historian and Diplomat. He has published three books of Hebrew poetry and received the University of Haifa
University of Haifa
The University of Haifa is a university in Haifa, Israel.The University of Haifa was founded in 1963 by Haifa mayor Abba Hushi, to operate under the academic auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem....
Miller Award as well as the State President Scholarship for young writers.
Mansour was born (1965) in the Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
village of Isfiya
Isfiya
Isfiya , also known as Ussefiya, is a Druze village and local council in northern Israel. Located on Mount Carmel, it is part of Haifa District. In 2009 it had a population of 25,400. In 2003, the local council was merged with nearby Daliyat al-Karmel to form Carmel City...
in northern Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. He has a Ph. D from the University of Haifa's Middle East History Department and a graduate of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government where he was a Wexner Israel Fellow.
He studied Spanish in Salamanca
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
University (dating back to 1218, is the oldest and also one of the most prestigious universities in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), and a general studies semester in the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
His field of research is the Changes in the Perception of Identity and Social Environment as Evident in the Intellectual Discourse in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
During the Third Decade of the "Corrective Movement" 1988-2003.
Early life
Reda Mansour, a Druze citizen of Israel, studied in HaifaHaifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
between 1977–1983; first in the LEO BAECK, middle school and later in BASMAT High school of the Technion (Israel’s institute of science and technology). During that time he was involved in many youth organizations which develop cross-cultural understanding around the world, by encouraging respect for cultural difference. A among these organizations: CISV and BBYO - B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (chairman of local branch). In 1988-1989 he was also active in HABONIM DROR
Habonim Dror
Habonim Dror is a Jewish Labour Zionist youth movement formed by the merger in 1982 of the Habonim and Dror youth movements. Habonim Dror's sister movement in Israel is Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed, the Working and Studying Youth.-Ideology:...
(in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, USA).
During the first years of his university studies in Haifa, Mansour was involved in a Variety of social projects among them: Perach: Coordination of student assistance to young primary school students in two villages in the Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
, and Bridging the Gap: Promotion of Higher education in Minority communities
Literary career
Mr. Mansour is the first non-Jewish poetPoet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
in Israel to write exclusively in Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
. His short story "Jumblat in the Negev" has won the "Recommended Story" category of the "Ha'aretz" Annual Short Story Award in 1997. In addition, a collection of his poems is currently translated to Spanish and Portuguese. He is at work on a book of short stories.
Reda Mansour has participated in poetry readings and Poetry festivals in Isfiya, Haifa, Tel Aviv, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami, Huston, New Mexico, San Salvador, Quito and Lisbon.
Mansour participated in the Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
's historic Piccolo Spoleto
Spoleto
Spoleto is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is S. of Trevi, N. of Terni, SE of Perugia; SE of Florence; and N of Rome.-History:...
festival in June 2008. He held a reading of some of his acclaimed poetic works at Charleston's City Gallery at historic Waterfront Park.
Tender Leafs of Conscience
This collection of Hebrew poemsHebrew literature
Hebrew literature consists of ancient, medieval, and modern writings in the Hebrew language. It is one of the primary forms of Jewish literature, though there have been cases of literature written in Hebrew by non-Jews...
was written in varies places around the world starting from 1998 during the author's studies in the KSG and ending in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
four years later. The poems are dedicated to nature and its effect on history and people. They blend together Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
and Jewish traditions and the multiethnic history of the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
with some images of the modern American literature. They explore the relationships between people and places. The title of the book is the title of one of the poems that was written during a Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
spring mixing with the news of the massacres in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. Published by Sa'ar Publishing 2004, Cover design by Israeli renowned photographer Alex Levac
Alex Levac
Alex Levac is an Israeli photojournalist and street photographer. He won the Israel Prize for photography in 2005.-Biography:Alex Levac was born in Tel Aviv in 1944...
.
Other books by the author
- The Man of Dreams (1987)
- From the Battlefields to the Land of Freedom (1991)
- UN Peacekeeping Forces (Ed) (1991)
- UN Security Council Resolution on the Middle East (Ed)(1993)
- The Silence Between the words (2008)English Translations
Diplomacy
Appointed at 35 years old, Mr. Mansour was the youngest Ambassador in Israel’s History. During his career in the Foreign Service, Mr. Mansour served as Ambassador of Israel to EcuadorEcuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. Prior to that, he served as DCM in the Israeli Embassy in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and as Consul in the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco. Mr. Mansour speaks five languages.
Currently he serves as the Consul General in the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta. In January, 2007, the Georgia Senate passed a resolution honoring Mansour and others for efforts to promote peace and grow business, cultural and educational ties between the U.S. and Israel.
Civic activities
Mr. Mansour has devoted his public activities in IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
for the promotion of dialogue between Arabs and Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
. In this realm, he has served on the board of several NGO's and taken part in many projects aimed at promoting of co-existence and cultural dialogue.
Mansour served on the board of many civic organizations: Jewish Healthcare International - Provide Humanitarian Aid Worldwide. International Organizations, Member of the board, Atlanta – Georgia. The U.S – Israel Chamber of commerce - Non Governmental Organization. Member of the board. Atlanta - Georgia. Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange - Non Governmental Organization Member of the board, Atlanta – Georgia. Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
– Israel cultural Institute - Civic Association, Member of the board. Quito – Ecuador. The Shalom (Peace) Club - Civic Association, Member of the board. Quito – Ecuador. Omanut Laam - for the promotion of culture and art in small communities. Non Governmental Organization, Member of the board, Israel. San Francisco Amuta - support to educational activities in the North of Israel. Non Governmental Organization, Member of the board. Israel. Morehouse Collage - Member of the Martin Luther King Jr. international Board of sponsors - Atlanta
Reda Mansour courted moderate Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
leaders in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to counteract the sway of Islamists hostile to the state of Israel (2005–2006). Mansour aimed at finding the silent voice—to give it a means of speaking out so that it will condemn terror, condemn anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
, and connect with the local Jewish communities for the sake of joint civil actions.
Awards, Prizes AND Fellowships,
- Haáretz Annual Prize, recommended short story.
- Hero of International Trade, World Chambers of Commerce – Atlanta
- MLK board of advisers, Morehouse College, Atlanta
- Miller Prize of Haifa University, for the poetry book. Images of a Bridge.
- Amos Prize of the president of Israel to writers.
- Dean Achievement List - University of Haifa
- The Wexner Foundation – Wexner Israel Fellow – Harvard University.
- Georgia Senate Resolution - Honored for efforts to promote peace and grow business, cultural and educational ties between the U.S. and Israel.
- Honorary Tennessean – By Governor Phil Bredesen.
Humanitarian Aid and Peace Building Operations
- Tungurahua relief:
Tungurahua
Tungurahua
Tungurahua, , rahua : "Throat of Fire" or from Panzaleo) is an active stratovolcano located in the Cordillera Oriental of Ecuador. The volcano gives its name to the province of Tungurahua...
, (Throat of Fire) a volcano (5,023 m) located in the Cordillera Central of the Andes of central Ecuador, 140 km (87 mi) south of the capital Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
. The volcano erupted in 2002 and a major ash out-fall covered the entire region including the capital city. Ambassador Mansour organized a relief effort that included the delivery of medical equipment and aid to small communities.
- Stabilization of the Ecuadorian north border:
Following the establishment of ODENOR the Ecuadorian Authority for stabilization of the border arias with Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
(2003), Ambassador Mansour facilitated the participation of Israel in the International donor countries conference in Brussels. Later he led two projects in that region that provided clean drinking water.
- Battling Desertification in southern Ecuador:
As part of the efforts to battle desertification in southern Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and foster the Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
– Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
peace agreement, Ambassador Mansour invited Israeli scientists to this region. The scientists from the Ben-Gurion University in the Negev offered assessment and evaluated possible remedies. The university also invited Ecuadorian students to study in its International School for Desert Studies
Articles by the author
- Israel sets an example of freedom, tolerance
- The Lebanon-Israel tragedy and Hope
- Integration Is Israeli Arabs’ Only Path To Equality
- Israel wants peace, political moderation
- Gaza: A 40-Year Struggle to Maintain Hope
- Green: taking humanity to the next level
Poems
- Carmel (English)http://www.ajc.com/living/content/printedition/2008/11/15/mansour.html?cxntlid=inform_sr
- I Am The Man of Dreams http://www.meachamwriters.org/writers/reda-mansour.htm
- Nomads (Spanish)http://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/2005/03/03/editorial/