Ferial on Salim

December 2022

Salim AbiEzzi set sail from Zahlé to conquer the world of science and achievements, excelling in the field of a global language of a machine that became an essential part of everybody’s life, a language that has become transcontinental and changed the world, transferring it into a universal global village.
His inner light was the driving force behind his plans for his future, helping him to bring out the energy of giving granted to him by the Creator.
His love to his homeland, parents, and science, enabled him to be Lebanon’s best global ambassador.
Since childhood, Salim was adored by a rich family and community.
Salim AbiEzzi created many inventions that reflect his bright thoughts and accomplishments. Dear Salim, we write about you in “Feriale”, the world pioneering magazine, in order to be a role model to our readers around the world. We are proud of you, a remarkable person of exceptional success.
Salim AbiEzzi, a Lebanese from Zahlé, where creativity is woven with threads of glory, history, and originality spanning for years, grew up in a house wrote down by its struggle and honorable tales of hard work, toil, and staying up late nights to reap success.
His grandfather was French educated, which enabled him to be the official agent of Singer Company in the thirties of the last century, the most important brand at that time. Singer sewing machine is still today one of the most famous and important brands in the world due to its excellent quality and craftsmanship. It was the companion of every woman and existed in almost every household.
Then, in the early 1960s, they established their work in Zahlé, the Bekaa, by launching a company that deals with and provides all home furnishing supplies and appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, stoves, televisions, and other supplies.
This led to Salim’s father and grandfather gaining fame in the Bekaa and the neighborhood for their credibility and their work dedication and ethics, as well for accepting that goods be paid in installments to people who could not afford the cash, which added to their good reputation and people’s love and respect.
However, the fighting in Zahlé in April 1981 during the Lebanese Civil War led to the destruction of their company.
Such endless wars in Lebanon and everywhere in the world that have caused the closure of businesses and companies and the migration of people in search of peaceful place and better future.
From an early age, Salim was passionate about sciences and excelled in his studies. He also loved the outdoors, scouting and the beauties of nature.
He started his educational journey in Catholic schools, but his father who was extremely aware of the importance of gaining the right education wanted his son to obtain the highest degrees from the most important and prestigious schools. Thus, he later entered him into the Evangelical School, where the lessons are taught in English. In the last school year, he went to Brummana High School, known for its proficiency in English language in addition to its high level educational standards, in preparation for him to travel to America and forge an important career and future, especially since at that time the situation in Lebanon was reeling under the fire of the civil war that unfortunately dispersed the country into various pieces.
At school, Salim was one of the best students, according to all teachers and instructors. He especially excelled in mathematics. In the Evangelical Schools, he improved his knowledge of all subjects in the English language to complete this excellence in the famous Brummana High School, to become ready to travel as his uncle, an adept engineer in America. I emphasize here on the scientific aspect, because as we notice the great interest and the greater confidence, that made Salim an important creative achiever in the field that he loved. Hence, we will realize that Salim was raised in a house rich in attention, care and planning for the success of the children, even abroad because of the circumstances, and not because immigration is the key to success, although the Lebanese excelled in all parts of the world where they landed.
In America, he applied to university studies in Computer Science. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree, summa cum laude, in Computer Science at the University of Mass, Lowell at the age of 19. In addition, he was granted an award for Superior Academic Achievements in Computer Science. This enabled him to continue his studies in a more important university and to receive higher degrees.
He used to visit Lebanon continuously. He witnessed the cruelty of war, the burning of shops, the destruction of livelihoods, the loss of one’s homeland, and the devastation of Zahlé. He was in one of the first civilian cars to enter Zahlé and see its calamitous situation.
In the United States, he succeeded in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he continued with his Computer Science concentration during seven years and was subsequently awarded a Master’s and a PhD.
Salim competence coupled with his extraordinary intellectual power and his family prayers enabled him to obtain a US citizenship and a career that met his knowledge, skills and abilities.
He worked at Sun Microsystems in Silicon Valley for 5 years, and established an Advanced development team in Graphics & Multimedia.
This specialized team went with him to work for Microsoft that changed the world through ground breaking products such as Windows and Internet Explorer. He spent in Microsoft 9 years of successful work and significant contributions.
Afterwards, he moved to the world of networking and digital lifestyles via the world of the Internet.
Following this global success, Salim AbiEzzi targeted the Middle East with his ideas. In his message, Salim focuses on science, economic unions and globalization, and avoidance of religious and sectarian divisions, of course, while respecting all beliefs. His message to the younger generation is to be educated, build a home country that embraces all its people, create a future based on science, world peace, preservation of ecology and nature, and set off towards rich life journeys, we are only visitors on this earth, so let us create and leave an eternal mark of goodness.
Message to parents:
My father and mother, you held the main key to my success. You are the helpful hand of safety, the mighty person who sowed the goodness for me, my sister and brother to reap the greatness. I am forever thankful for your unconditional support.
Message to Lebanon:
Lebanon is the country of goodness and majestic cedars. We went abroad, but Lebanon is and will be in our heart and identity.
Message to America:
In America we kept up with the globalization that has changed the face of the world. We got acquainted with social media and the mobile phone that made the universe one village. From America to the world, we have grown to become a universal team.
Dear Salim AbiEzzi,
From you we learn that learning, science and knowledge are the key to conquer the world.
From you we realize the importance of planning for the future at the beginning of the journey.
From you we realize that a person succeeds when he or she follows their passion, and not what anyone else wants.