The biennial Hafez Qobeisi award for best scientific article by a Lebanese was recently presented to Ali Bazarbashi in honor of his groundbreaking research on Leukemia cells.
Bazarbashi earned the award, which was presented last week, for an October 2000 article in the international medical magazine Blood. The prize is given to Lebanese working within Lebanese institutions and is granted by a committee made up of Lebanese and international scientists and headed by French scientist Jacques Shultz.
Bazarbashi said he was proud to receive the award, which was created to be a symbol of faith in scientific research and the central role of science in the future of Arabs.
Bazarbashi received a plaque, a certificate and LL7.5 million in prize money.
The presentation ceremony  was held at the National Council for Scientific Studies and was attended by the council’s secretary-general, Moeen Hamzeh, along with Lebanese University dean Ibrahim Qobeisi, secretary-general of the Higher Syrian-Lebanese Council Nasri Khoury and members of the late Hafez Qobeisi’s family.
Anticipating National Liberation Day this Saturday, Hamzeh said in his opening speech that “immediately following the liberation of most … of the South, the land that cradled the late (Hafez) Qobeisi, from Israeli occupation two years ago, the family of the deceased decided to award this prize.”
“We were afraid that not enough candidates would be able to publish these scientific articles in well-respected and prominent publications, but we were wrong,” he added.
Hamzeh also affirmed that this was “a testimony to the high level of academic proficiency among Lebanese and the transparent institutions for which they work.”
Speaking on behalf of his family, Fares Qobeisi said his father “was always convinced that the prosperity of the country starts with the prosperity of the scientific institutions, because they are the basis for any development.”
“Our position is against the emigration of scientists,” he said, adding that “Lebanon has proven its scientific ability and we will continue with my father’s vision concerning this.”
Speaking of his former acquaintance, Shultz said the selection committee “dearly wanted to revive (Qobeisi’s) memory by giving this important award.”
The committee will begin accepting applications for the 2004 award in June 2003.

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