User:Alexanderamina/sandbox

Barakat Shahin (Chahin) was born in 1946 in Salamia, the town where many reputable intellectuals were born. He was the fifth child among 10 children in his family. His father was known for being an equestrian and horse breeder. He had the Republic championship Medal in 1933. In 1958 the family moved to Damascus after the severe desertification had hit the whole area. In Damascus the father started a small commercial business.

---

Career:

Barakat Shahin finished his Secondary school study in 1965. Because he was one of the best students in that year, he could enroll in the faculty of medicine. However, because of the financial burden he cancelled his study of medicine at Damascus University after he had got a scholarship to study chemical engineering in Poland. He finished his higher studies in Steten and Lodz universities in 1973. In 1974 he followed training courses in Bayer Company, Germany; in Sandoz, Swizerland; and in Arlic in France.

In 1973 he began his professional career in the Research and Development Centre, in the ministry of industry in Damascus, Syria. He moved to work in the public Sector. He worked in the shoes company, in the Plastic and rubber company, and later he was the general director for the General Tanning Company. He strived hard against corruption and the bad management that had previously prevailed in the company and could lead the company to be successful and profitable.

In 1988 he was appointed the general director of private sector and crafts which was the best and the most important position in the ministry of industry. He had the main role in the innovation and development and the wide spread of the investment in the private sector. He managed to establish the infrastructure (the industrial cities in Syria), and had the main role in creating the union of Syrian Chambers of industry, besides the general union of crafts.

In 2000 he was appointed executive minister, (deputy minister). Being in this position he could establish and support very good relationships between Syria and the European Union through his positive participation in both Barcelona and Brussels Declarations. He led an entrepreneur role in creating the joint venture investment of European- Syrian companies. His initiative aimed to transfer the European technology and to encourage the European capital to invest in Syria.

He had great concern in the sustainable development of environmental issues. He participated in all the environmental projects and conferences. The last was in 2002 in The Earth Conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Due to his firm stand against corruption, he was confronted by a severe attack from the corrupt people in the government. When he was sure he could not stop corruption, he decided to quit in 2004. He had to leave Syria.

He was tributed by the Syrian- European business Centre on behalf of the European Commission, for his role in the Solidification of the Syrian European Partnership.

---

Works:

- Chemical industries in Syria, 1982.

- The Reality of the Syrian Industries and the development perspectives, 1984.

- The Syrian Industry in perspective of Euro- Mediterranean Partnership, 2001.