Cairo – On Thursday (August 3), Dr. Ali Al-Samman passed away at the age of 88 in Paris. His body is set to return to Egypt tomorrow for funeral and burial on Sunday. Born in 1929, Al-Samman obtained a Bachelor's degree in Law from Alexandria University in 1953 and a diploma in postgraduate studies in international public law and political science – from Grenoble University, France –1956. He also obtained his PhD in Law and Political Science from University of Paris, France-1966. Al-Samman was the President of the International Union for Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue and Peace Education (ADIC) for Europe and Egypt and the Secretary General of the Association for Economic Information "Europe-Egypt" and a free-lance journalist with weekly columns in a number of Egyptian newspapers. Dr. Al-Samman was also a regular guest speaker in many TV shows in the Egyptian television to analyze and comment on current events. In the past, Dr. Al-Samman worked in Paris as a director of the Middle East News Agency from 1967 to 198, and a director of the Egyptian Radio and Television broadcasting in Western Europe. In Cairo, he worked as media advisor to President Anwar Sadat, President of the Prime Minister's cabinet for infrastructure Projects with Western Europe. During late nineties, he worked as Vice-President of the Permanent Committee for Al-Azhar for Dialogue with the Monotheistic Religions and Advisor to the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar for Interfaith Dialogue. He was also the President of the Committee for Interfaith Dialogue at the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of Egypt and the Chairman of Nokia Siemens Networks, Egypt.
