Duraid Lahham

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Duraid Lahham (Arabic: دريد لحام‎) is a leading Syrian comedian and director born 1934 in Damascus, Syria. He is the most famous actor in Syria since the 1960s as well as throughout the Arab world, and is considered by some as the finest Syrian actor of all time. He is famous for acting the role of "Ghawwar" in a number of movies and series. His co-star throughout his career was Nihad Qal'i who played the role of "Husni".

Lahham was born in the Shi'ite Hay al-Amin neighborhood of Damascus in 1934. He grew up in poverty and had to work at several odd jobs to earn a living. He later would recall these difficult days, saying that he used to buy used clothes, reserved for the poor in Syria, and barely made enough money to feed himself. He enrolled at the University of Damascus and studied chemistry. During his college years, he was active in a form of folklore Arabic dance called "dabke" and became obsessed with acting. When he completed his education, Lahham became an instructor at the Chemistry Department at the University.

During the 1970's Lahham acted in several political plays which gained large popularity throughout the Arab World for its criticism of the situations taking place in the Arab world at that time.

1 UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
2 Recognition
3 Filmography
4 External links

[edit] UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

Lahham was appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador to the Middle East and North Africa region in 1999. In 2004, he visited districts of Southern Lebanon which had been liberated from Israeli occupation, and gave a speech at a press conference criticizing George W. Bush and Ariel Sharon, comparing them to Hitler. This caused Tel Aviv to protest Lahham's allegedly "undiplomatic language" to the UNICEF, which resulted in the UNICEF relieving him of his duties. [1]

[edit] Recognition

Lahham received several medals in recognition of his contributions:

In 1976, Hafez al-Assad, Syrian President at the time, awarded Lahham with the Medal of the Syrian Republic, Excellence Class.
In 1979, Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba awarded him with a medal in recognition of his work
In 1991, Libyan President Muammar al- Qaddafi awarded him a medal
In 2000, Lahham received The Order of Merit of the Lebanese Republic, awarded to him by Lebanese President Emile Lahoud