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Portrait of Omar Barghouti

Photo: abraham Weizfeld PhD · CC BY 3.0

Omar Barghouti

Co-founder of BDS movement, championing Palestinian rights and freedoms.

Born
1964
Born in
Qatar
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Why Omar is here

Omar Barghouti is best known as a co-founder of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. His efforts have been central to promoting Palestinian rights and opposing Israeli policies considered unjust by supporters of the Palestinian cause.

Their story

Omar Barghouti, born in Qatar in 1964, studied engineering at Columbia University and lives in Palestine. In 2004 he co-founded the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel.

In 2005 he helped launch the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which grew into one of the largest Palestinian solidarity campaigns in the world. He received the Gandhi Peace Award in 2017, and Israel has repeatedly restricted his travel.

In pictures

Milestones

The moments that shaped Omar’s path.

  1. 1982-1993

    Early Life and Education

    Moved to the United States for education, earning a master's degree in electrical engineering from Columbia University.

  2. 2005

    Co-founding BDS Movement

    Played a key role in establishing the BDS movement.

  3. Academic Achievements

    Received a master's degree in philosophy (ethics) from Tel Aviv University and pursued a PhD.

  4. 2017

    Gandhi Peace Award

    Honored for his role in nonviolent resistance to Israeli policies.

Legacy

What they built, changed and left behind.

  1. Global Advocacy

    Instrumental in advocating for Palestinian rights on the international stage.

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  2. Academic Boycott

    Key in promoting the academic boycott of Israeli institutions.

  3. Cultural Boycott

    Advocated for the cultural boycott of Israel as a form of protest.

  4. Nonviolent Resistance

    Emphasized the importance of nonviolent methods in the Palestinian struggle.

  5. Awareness and Mobilization

    Played a major role in raising global awareness and mobilizing support for Palestinian causes.

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Omar in interviews, talks and coverage.

  • 01Global Advocacy↗

Further reading

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