XUNICEF News and Views

Samir Sobhy - colleague, artist, poet, author passed away on UNICEF Day, 11 December 2020. Your XUNICEF family remembers you, dear Samir, through your art, poetry and writing and your dedication to a better life for children throughout the world. "No elegy no prose, Funeral, or candle, Just a red rose." Samir Sobhy Samir's Drawings and Paintings Here is Samir's own story of his passion for art. Samir Sobhy - Long Travels Through A Career of Art I started drawing when I was about 6 or 7 years old, and around 11 years old started painting in watercolor (shortly followed by oil). As a child, I had only pencil and pen as tools, and so naturally I started by making drawings, not paintings. As a teenager, without really realizing how important drawing was, l worked hard to improve my skills. Fortunately, my father had a fairly good number of art books, including works by European masters. Male Figure in Colour Pencil I never obtained any degree in art, but attended ma...

As a tribute to our late colleague, Samir Sobhy, we are displaying his artworks. Samir’s interest in art was sparked as a child with just a pencil and pen. An avid reader of art book, over the years, he seized opportunities to attend classes in painting, drawing, sculpture, graphics, design, and fashion. Samir has had remarkable experiences with water color and was fascinated with a particular technique to make a single contour line to capture a form, without ever using an eraser! Samir’s travels played a significant role in his art. You are remembered through your art and may you rest in peace, dear Samir. ********** Each week we present the works of one of the XUNICEF artists or photographers. To watch the slideshow, click on the first image in the slideshow below. Be patient - each slide takes about 10 seconds to load, but the first slide often takes a little longer to load.  Note that if you stop the slideshow, it will not start again on its own. You may need to reload the pag...

  Editors Note:  We published Samir's obituary along with pieces of his poetry and art work on 11 December.  To see that article and the many comments and farewells, visit this page.   We have now received the message below from GSA. From:   Global Staff Association < gsa@unicef.org > Sent:  Thursday, December 31, 2020 8:14:15 AM Subject:  In Memoriam- Samir Sobhy   IN MEMORIAM Samir Sobhy, Former Representative UNICEF Senegal Dear colleagues,   It is with much sadness that I announce the passing of our dear former colleague our dear colleague, Samir Sobhy, who passed on 12 December 2020 in Egypt, Cairo following a long illness.   Samir joined UNICEF in 1981. He worked was the representative for Senegal CO from 1990 to 1998, then from 30 January through 6 April 2003 when he retired.  Prior to this position of Representative, he worked as Deputy Director, Programme Funding in HQ.   Colleagues and friends who wish to expres...

From Mehr Khan-Williams We learned from his niece, Dina Britain, this morning that Samir Sobhy died today in Cairo. We knew he had been ill for a while, still the news came as a shock. Samir was a very good man. A man with strong convictions and many qualities including a sense of humor. He was also a very loyal and good friend. In addition to his passion for UNICEF to which he gave his all when he worked for it, he had many other interests. After retirement he devoted himself to his other passions. Samir was a poet who loved Haiku, an artist, an architect, and he wrote children’s stories.  He loved nature. In his house in Siwa, a lovely Egyptian Oasis full of fresh and salt water springs near the Great Sand Sea, he created a lovely desert garden of palm trees and greens which he tended with the help of a gardener who came on a donkey. And in his barn in upstate New York, he dug a pond and planted flowers.  He loved New York. He was a private man but those of us who knew him ...

   Each week we present the works of one of the XUNICEF artists or photographers whose works appear in our galleries.  This week we feature the works of Samir Sobhy.  Samir is a very accomplished artist, poet and writer.   Samir shared some of his works in our special edition on the Arts and Artists of XUNICEF last September.  Below the slideshow we are republishing Samir's article from that edition A Long Career of Art Through My Travels - well worth reading again .   You can view his full website by clicking here.   You can also see his published works available on Amazon by clicking here .  To watch the slideshow of all the works Samir has contributed to our galleries.  Click on the first image in the slideshow below. Be patient - each slide takes about 10 seconds to load, but the first slide often takes a little longer to load.  Note that if you stop the slideshow, it will not start again on its own. You may need to ...