Prominent Syrian writer Walid Ikhlasi passes away

The ministries of information and culture and the Arab Writers Union on Saturday mourned the prominent Syrian writer Walid Ikhlasi who died today in Aleppo at the age of 87.

The late writer dedicated his lifetime to culture and to creative literary works. He left tens of novels, plays and story collections that enriched the cultural scene in Syria and that made him immortal in creative culture memory.

He introduced his own distinctive style in his writing for the theater and in his fiction. He was involved in work with the Arab Writers’ Union and in the editorial committees of several Syrian literary magazines and he influenced the cultural scene in Syria and the Arab world.

 Ikhlasi won several prizes including the appreciation prize of the Arab Writers Union in 1990, Mahmoud Taymor prize for short story in Egypt in 1994 and Sultan Al-Oweis cultural prize in 1996. He was also awarded the Syrian order of Merits- Excellent Degree in 2005.

Ikhlasi studied in Aleppo. He had a BA degree in Agricultural Engineering from Alexandria University in Egypt in 1958. He worked as an engineer in the state institutions and a lecturer at the Faculty of Agriculture of Aleppo University. However, his literary talent was overwhelming enough to produce more than 40 works including novels, stories and literary criticism books.   

He worked as the head of the branch of the Agricultural Engineers Syndicate in Aleppo and the head of the branch of the Arab Writers Union in Aleppo. He contributed to establishing the people’s theater, the national theater and the cinematic club in Aleppo and was member of the novel and story writers association.

 Hamda Mustafa