Hares Youssef
From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
Hares Youssef (born November 16, 1964) is a businessman, philanthropist, writer and technology investor. He was one of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko's Middle East envoys during Yushchenko's 2005-2010 presidency.
Hares Youssef | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | November 16, 1964 |
| Citizenship | Ukraine |
| Education | The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (PhD) |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, Philanthropist, Author |
Early life and education[edit]
Hares Youssef was born in Latakia, Syria, to a low-income family. He grew up in a rural area where he developed a close connection with nature, which later influenced his philosophical views. Youssef moved to Damascus as a teenager and enrolled in the Damascus University. Despite his interest in poetry and creative writing, his plans changed when his uncle, who had political connections, secured a scholarship for him to study in the Soviet Union through the Syrian Ministry of Defense. Although Youssef was a pacifist and opposed military activities, he had no choice but to pursue a military discipline. He ended up going to Kyiv, where he initially studied aviation before switching to a tank school, but left the course three years later.[1]
In 1999 Hares defended his PhD thesis on Economics at the Institute of World Economy and Foreign Affairs of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.[2]
Political and business career[edit]
In 1994 he graduated from the Kyiv State University of Economics and started a business, which eventually spread to various sectors of the economy, in particular, real estate, metallurgy, industrial engineering, and energy.[3]
In 1995, most of its industrial and commercial assets were united into a single holding - Hares Group Holding, registered in Austria. In 2004 the company's turnover reached 420 million dollars.[4] Hares Youssef has numerous links with the Lviv IT industry.[5] He is currently working on the final stages of releasing the ‘Golden Hearts’ virtual currency.[6]
In 2007 President Yushchenko appointed him his envoy and policy adviser for the Middle East.[7]
In 2007 Hares entered the top 200 list of the most influential Ukrainians according to the Ukrainian weekly Focus.[8]
Philanthropy[edit]
Hares Youssef is a patron of many charities in Ukraine. He is a prominent collector of ancient Near Eastern art and antiquities.
A close friend of the Syrian poet Adunis, he was the publisher of his magazine 'Another' between 2011 and 2013.[9]
Over years, Mr. Youssef has been an active supporter of education initiatives under the auspices of the Foundation UNESCO Education for Children in Need. A variety of projects have been established with the support of Hares Youssef, such as the Hares Youssef Boy school and Hares Youssef Girls School.
His 40 Foundation focuses on supporting science advocacy.[10]
GAIIA Foundation[edit]
In 2009, at the age of 45, Hares left most of his business assets in Ukraine and moved to Europe.[11] There he founded two charity foundations: The 40 Foundation and Gaiia Foundation.
In 2020 Hares published his first book Gaiia. The philosophical, futurological novel, which was translated into four languages.[12]
GAIIA focuses on humanitarian and environmental challenges. The organization is founded on environmental consciousness, transparency, and engagement. It carries out various projects, including proposing to rename Earth as 'Gaiia,' advocating for the right to clean air in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, pioneering a transparent economic model, establishing the Gaiia Think Fabric, developing the Gaiia Communication Platform, researching children's education and upbringing, and delving into the field of 'psychonomics.' These initiatives align with the GAIIA Movement, Charity Awards, books, and series.
The project’s first phase is the platform for philanthropists, ecological activists and charities to raise funds by creating targeted coins as NFTs.[13]
Ecoism[edit]
Ecoism is a new philosophy developed by Youssef. It views the Earth as a living being that nurtures and sustains all life forms. Ecoism is based on the Gaia hypothesis and recognizes the interdependence and interconnectedness of all living beings. It emphasizes the need to protect the diversity of life on the planet. Ecoism advocates for living in harmony with nature and adopting sustainable practices in all aspects of human activity. This philosophy values empathy as the key to understanding the value of all life forms. Youssef believes that Ecoism can help humanity overcome its current challenges and create a better future for itself and the planet.
References[edit]
- ^ "Hares Youssef: Ukraine's influential Syrian-born businessman". Kiev Post. 2006-02-08. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- ^ "Founder of the GAIIA Hares Youssef". Gaiia Foundation.
- ^ "Founder of the GAIIA Hares Youssef". Gaiia Foundation.
- ^ "Hares Youssef: Ukraine's influential Syrian-born businessman". Kiev Post. 2006-02-08. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- ^ "UKRAINIAN IT INDUSTRY: Syrian social media innovator banking on Lviv IT excellence". No. November Issue. Business Ukraine Magazine. November 5, 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- ^ "Hares Youssef teams up with Lviv IT experts to launch new virtual currency". No. December. Lviv Today. December 2015.
- ^ "Ющенко опять назначил Юссефа своим советником". Информационное агентство ЮНИАН. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ "Hares Youssef: Ukraine's influential Syrian-born businessman". The Kyiv Post. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ "حوار في فلسفة الاقتصاد ورؤى جديدة للمستقبل مع رجل يهزأ بالأنماط القائمة ويقول (الاقتصاد هو علم كيف لا يجب أن نعيش!!) الحارث يوسف: إذا لم يخلق الإنسان منظومة مالية جديدة و سليمة الأخلاق فلن يجد مخرجا من تخبطّه في أمواج بحر مصالحه الهائج..." www.syriandays.com. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
- ^ "The 40 Foundation". Site of 40 foundation.
- ^ https://the40foundation.org
- ^ https://www.theupcoming.co.uk/2022/06/30/gaiia-by-hares-youssef-fiction-that-is-turning-into-reality/
- ^ "Gaiia Coin is crafting a new financial utopia". Square Mile. Retrieved 22 September 2022.