Administration Building Named After the Late Dr. Gabi Baramki

On September 31, 2013, Birzeit University named its administration building for the late Dr. Gabi Baramki, in gratitude for his service to the community. The ceremony marked the anniversary of Baramki’s death and was attended by university students and staff, as well as friends and family of the deceased.
Board of Trustees Chairman Hanna Nasir said that the university decided to name the administration building after the late Dr. Baramki as a small recognition of his giving, although neither words nor buildings can express the extent of the university’s gratitude.
"For many years, Dr. Gabi and I worked together by virtue of our professional and family relations,” Chairman Nasir said. “Even during the years I was deported, I was in constant contact with Gabi when he was working in this building. This building has a special relationship with Gabi."
Birzeit University President Khalil Hindi called the occasion bittersweet: sad because it reminds us of the passing of Gabi Baramki, and happy because it is a gesture of the university’s deep gratitude to him. "Lucky is he or she who leaves fingerprints on the sands of life,” he said. “Dr. Gabi Baramki is lucky, too, because his prints are quite clear and will go on impacting the educational sector in Palestine. He will continue to be a beacon of inspiration for all Palestinian academics, who exemplify sincerity and persistence.”
Dr. Baramki was born in Jerusalem in 1929, and graduated from Birzeit College in 1946. He obtained his bachelor's and master's degree from the American University in Beirut and a doctorate from McGill University in Canada. Baramki joined Birzeit University in 1954, where he went on to assume many key roles.
Dr. Baramki was one of the founders of the Palestinian Council for Higher Education in 1977, and worked as a consultant in the Ministry of Education and Higher Education for several years. Baramki contributed to building the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel through his voluntary work in the Steering Committee of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). His commitment was powerful, substantial and characterized by generosity and creativity.