PRESS
RELEASE
For immediate release 26 September 2003
Local and International
Dignitaries To Be Honored
Bethlehem University in the Holy Land Celebrates its
30th Anniversary
Bethlehem
University will be celebrating from 2 – 11 October
the 30th anniversary of its founding as the only Catholic
university sponsored by the Vatican, conducted by
the international religious order of De La Salle Christian
Brothers and committed to serving Palestinian youth
of all faith traditions. Celebrations will begin with
an Academic Convocation in the Plaza of Millennium
Hall on campus on Thursday, 2 October 2003 during
which His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, Latin Patriarch
of Jerusalem, and Mr. And Mrs. Richard M. Moley, benefactors
of the University from the USA, will be awarded Honorary
Doctorates. Additionally, Mrs. Julia Dabdoub, Dr.
Daoud Salameh and Mr. Bishara Daoud from Bethlehem;
Dr. Conor Ward and Dr. Colette Dowling from Ireland;
and Brother James Gaffney, President of Lewis University,
Illinois, USA, will be recognized for their outstanding
contributions to the University and to its growth.
His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, Latin
Patriarch of Jerusalem, who served as the University’s
first President, will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate
of Pedagogy, honoris causa. As the Bishop and Patriarch
of Latin Catholics in the Holy Land, His Beatitude
bears major responsibilities in numerous inter-religious
dialogue councils, including the Pontifical Council
for Justice and Peace. The University is bestowing
this honor on His Beatitude for his example of perseverance,
faith, hope and love as a voice for the rights and
responsibilities of the oppressed peoples of the Holy
Land and for his promotion of dialogue and collaboration
among Muslims, Jews and Christians.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Moley, benefactors
from the USA, will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate
of Humanities, honoris causa. Mr. And Mrs. Moley have
demonstrated exceptional care and generosity for the
students, faculty and staff of Bethlehem University.
Their first gift to the University was the largest
family donation the University had ever received and
it significantly contributed to the completion of
Millennium Hall, our newest classroom and faculty
office building. Mr. And Mrs. Moley have continued
to support the University community with several endowed
scholarships, support for the Cardinal Hume Endowed
Chair in Religious Studies, staff development initiatives,
and the enhancement of the University’s Palestinian
Heritage Center, Turathuna. The University is bestowing
this honor on Mr. And Mrs. Moley for their kind and
significant generosity to the well-being of the University
community and in recognition of their outstanding
example as Christian parents and dedicated friends
of the Palestinian people and their right for education.
The Bethlehem University’s Special
Service Award, recognizing the efforts of persons
who have contributed in an exceptional way to the
good of Bethlehem University, will be awarded to Dr.
Conor Ward and Dr. Colette Dowling from Ireland for
their extraordinary effort in coordinating the University’s
Five Year Strategic Plan, and to Mrs. Julia Dabdoub,
Dr. Daoud Salameh and Mr. Bishara Daoud from Bethlehem
for their dedicated service and efforts to obtain
recognition of the University by the Association of
Arab Universities as members of the first Board of
Trustees of the University.
The De La Salle Award will be presented
to Brother James Gaffney, President of Lewis University,
Illinois, USA, for his distinguished service in support
of Bethlehem University in obtaining relief for the
Palestinian universities at a time when they were
subject to frequent closures and in providing graduate
scholarships for Bethlehem University alumni to develop
themselves to be faculty members at Bethlehem University.
In a separate event commemorating the
30th anniversary of Bethlehem University, all the
University faculty, staff and students will come together
for a joyous day of celebration on campus with music,
games, sporting events, talent performances, and a
picnic on Thursday, 9 October. Additionally, on Friday,
10 October, all graduates of the University are invited
for a 30th Anniversary Open House for Alumni from
10:00am –11:30am on campus. Visits of various
new facilities, opportunities to greet former classmates
and faculty members and tours of the campus are scheduled
for the morning alumni reunion on Friday, 10 October.
The 30th Anniversary celebrations will conclude on
Saturday, 11 October, with a Mass of Thanksgiving
celebrated in the University Chapel followed by a
banquet reception for the University community of
faculty, staff and spouses.
Bethlehem University in the Holy Land,
founded in 1973, is the only Catholic university in
the Holy Land sponsored by the Vatican and conducted
by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, an international
Catholic religious order dedicated to teaching since
1680. The University has a current (2003-2004) undergraduate
enrollment of 2,110 students and offers baccalaureate
degrees, diplomas and higher diplomas in six faculties:
Arts, Sciences, Business Administration, Education,
Nursing, and Hotel Management and Tourism. Bethlehem
University annually serves an additional 1,000 students
(parents, merchants, business leaders and others)
through its professional development and continuing
education courses provided by the University’s
Institute for Community Partnership. Significant local
and international research is conducted at the University
through the UNESCO Biotechnology Center, the Water
and Soil Environmental Research Unit, and the Early
Childhood Development Center. Bethlehem University
in the Holy Land has membership in the Association
of Arab Universities (AAU), International Association
of Universities (IAU), International Federation of
Catholic Universities (IFCU), Lasallian Association
of Colleges and Universities (LACU), and Middle East
Studies Association of North America (MESA). Bethlehem
University is open to qualified students of all faith
traditions and has a current undergraduate enrollment
of 66% Muslim, 34% Christian, 67% female and 33% male.
At the invitation and request of Pope Paul VI, following
his visit to the Holy Land, Bethlehem University was
founded in 1973 to serve the Palestinian youth in
the West Bank and Gaza by providing an education for
the arts, culture and professions and to promote inter-religious
dialogue and collaboration. For more information,
please contact the Public Relations Office of Bethlehem
University at 972-2-274-1241 (phone), 972-2-274-4440
(fax), georges@bethlehem.edu (Mr. George Sahhar),
or at our web site: www.bethlehem.edu.
Friday, 26 September 2003
