Abdullah Omran Taryam (1948–2014) was the co-founder of Dar Al Khaleej Printing & Publishing, the publishing house based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Together with his brother, Taryam Omran Taryam, he founded the first UAE daily national newspaper Al Khaleej, as well as the English-language daily Gulf Today.[1]

Abdullah Omran Taryam
عبدالله عمران تريم
Minister of Justice
In office
9 December 1971 – 19 February 1972
PresidentZayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Prime Minister
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byAhmad Bin Sultan Al Qasimi
In office
20 November 1990 – 25 March 1997
PresidentZayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Prime MinisterMaktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Minister of Education
In office
19 February 1972 – 01 July 1979
PresidentZayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Prime Minister
Preceded bySultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi
Succeeded bySaeed Mohammed Salman
Personal details
Born1948
Sharjah, Trucial States
Died30 January 2014 (aged 65–66)
RelativesTaryam Omran Taryam (brother)
Alma materUniversity of Cairo
University of Exeter
Known forco-founder of Dar Al Khaleej Printing & Publishing

Early life edit

Born in Sharjah in 1948 and educated in Sharjah and Kuwait, Abdullah Omran Taryam received a Bachelor's degree in history from the University of Cairo in 1966, then completed his doctorate in modern history at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom in 1986.[2][3]

In 1970, Abdullah co-founded Dar Al Khaleej together with his brother Taryam, and launched a weekly magazine Al Shurouq. This was followed on 19 October 1970 with the launch of Al Khaleej, the first newspaper in what was then the Trucial State of Sharjah.[3] On 15 April 1996, the brothers subsequently launched the English language national daily Gulf Today.[2][4]

Abdullah worked as a secondary school teacher at Al Orouba School before becoming Director of the Department of Education in Sharjah.[5][6]

Political career edit

Together with his brother, he was part of the team that negotiated the establishment of the union of the United Arab Emirates, which became independent on 2 December 1971.[3]

Abdullah Taryam was the UAE's first Minister of Justice from 1971 to 1972, going on to serve as UAE Minister of Education from 1972 to 1979.[7] He served a second term as Minister of Justice from 1990 to 1997.

Together with his brother, Abdullah developed Dar Al Khaleej's stable of titles to include two newspapers, two weekly and two monthly magazines. He was a prominent journalist and author as well as a businessman, and was the author of The Establishment of the United Arab Emirates 1950-85, published by Routledge.[8] He was described as a "role model" in the field of journalism.[9] In 2002, together with Taryam he launched the annual Taryam and Abdullah Omran Press Award.[10]

Abdullah Omran Taryam died on 30 January 2014 of a stroke. His passing was marked by national mourning.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "Born in the UAE". www.bornintheuae.ae. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Abdullah Omran Taryam passes away". Khaleej Times. 1 February 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Dr Abdullah Omran Taryam co-founder of Al Khaleej newspaper dies at 66". The National. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Gulf Today e-paper". The Gulf Today. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  5. ^ a b Wam. "Rulers mourn death of Dr. Abdullah Omran Taryam - News - Government - Emirates24|7". Emirates247. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Abdullah Omran Taryam dead at 66". Arab Today. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Dr Abdullah Omran Taryam co-founder of Al Khaleej newspaper dies at 66". The National. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  8. ^ TARYAM, ABDULLAH OMRAN. (2018). ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 1950-85. [S.l.]: ROUTLEDGE. ISBN 1-138-22578-9. OCLC 1019998152.
  9. ^ "Remembering Dr Abdullah Omran Taryam, a role model". Gulf News. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Taryam and Abdullah Omran Award winners feted". Gulf Today. Retrieved 8 October 2020.