Posted on July 29, 2004

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Harvard to Return Arab Leader's $2.5 Million Gift

Harvard Divinity School will give back a $2.5 million gift from the president of the United Arab Emirates, ending more than a year of controversy spurred by that country's support of an Arab League think tank that promoted anti-Semitic ideas, the Boston Globe reports.

Announced in 2000, the donation from Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Nahayan was earmarked to endow a professorship of Islamic studies "to promote a better understanding of Islam among the non-Muslim people of the world." But the university froze the gift in the spring of 2003, before a professor had been named, after students raised concerns over the activities of the Abu Dhabi-based Zayed Center for Coordination and Follow-Up. "In light of the Zayed Center's having promoted activities in evident conflict with the purposes of the gift, Harvard indicated to representatives of the donor that the university was seriously considering returning the gift funds," said a statement posted to the divinity school's Web site. Zayed ordered the closure of the center in August 2003.

The Web site statement also said that representatives of the UAE recently informed Harvard of the donor's desire to withdraw the gift in advance of the university's scheduled consideration of the matter, and that Harvard had agreed to honor the request and to return the funds. Abdulla Saboosi, a spokesman at the UAE embassy in Washington, told the Washington Post that "the negotiations with Harvard were conducted in an atmosphere of cordiality and mutual respect, but since no decision was taken by the university, we regretfully thought we had no option but to retract the grant."

Cooperman, Alan. “Harvard Will Refund Sheik's $2.5 Million Gift.” Washington Post 7/28/04.

Ranalli, Ralph. “Harvard to Return $2.5 Million Given by Arab President.” Boston Globe 7/28/04.

“Harvard Divinity School Statement on Zayed Gift.” Harvard Divinity School Web Site 7/26/04.

Primary Subject: Religion
Secondary Subject(s): Education, Higher Education, International Affairs/Development
Location(s): Abu Dhabi, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United Arab Emirates

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