Ragab Elbanna
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Ragab Elbanna | |
|---|---|
رجب البنا | |
 | |
| Born | 17 September 1936 |
| Alma mater | Alexandria University; Cairo University |
| Occupations | Writer, Journalist, Editor and Publishing Executive |
| Title | Deputy editor-in-chief of Al Ahram (1987—1994), Chairman of Dar Al Maaref Publishing House (1994—2005), editor-in-chief of October magazine (1994—2005) |
Ragab Moursi Elbanna (Arabic: رجب البنا; also translated as Rajab al-Bannā) (born 17 September 1936) is an Egyptian writer, journalist, editor and publishing executive who is a member of the Egyptian Society of Economics and Political Science. He regularly contributes to major Egyptian and Arab newspapers[1] and is a past deputy editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram, considered Egypt's newspaper of record, editor-in-chief of October magazine, and Chairman of Dar Al Maaref Publishing House, one of the most famous in the Arab world.[2] He is often cited as being amongst the most important and prolific writers in Egypt and the Arab world.[3]
Ragab Elbanna was born on September 17, 1936, in Damanhour, El Beheira, Egypt. He is the son of Moursi El Banna. He received a Bachelor in Sociology and Philosophy from Alexandria University in 1960 and a Diploma in Journalism from Cairo University in 1971.
Career
Between 1971—1980, Ragab Elbanna was a correspondent and writer for Al-Ahram newspaper. In these years, he was the newspaper's correspondent for the Ministry of Justice, the Council of State, the Administrative Prosecution, the Public Prosecution, and the State Lawsuits Authority, before being appointed first as editor of the local news desk, then Deputy Head of Investigative Journalism, then Head of the Investigative Journalism Department.
Elbanna went on to become assistant editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram between 1980—1987 and deputy editor-in-chief in the years 1987—1994. Between 1994—2005, he was Chairman of Dar Al Maaref Publishing House and editor-in-chief of October magazine, where he continued to write.[4]
He has enjoyed warm relationships with many prominent Egyptians, of whom several have featured in his writing, such as Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria, Naguib Mahfouz, Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, Sheikh al-Sha'rawi and Grand Imam Sheikh Tantawi.[5]
Elbanna's journalism continues to be published in several leading Egyptian and Arab outlets, including Al Ahram, Al-Masry Al-Youm, October magazine, and Al-Watan.[6]
He is a member of the National Committee for Culture, Art and Literature, Cairo, the Higher Council of Islamic Affairs, Cairo and was a Professor of Journalism at Cairo University in 1974.[7]