Encounters with Fate and Destiny: A Life in International Politics

Shukri Z. Al-Dajani has led a most extraordinary life. His book depicts the realities of the endless torment of a refugee in search of security and a sense of belonging. It is a story of flight – at the age of twelve – from the Holy Land to Egypt, through Wales, East Africa and the Middle East, to a career at the International Labour Organization (ILO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, where he rose to the post of Assistant Director-General, responsible for the Arab States. He was the key player for the ILO in the Arab world at a time when the politics of the Middle East played a dominant role in the life of that organization. In this memoir, Al-Dajani recounts his interactions with a range of individuals including royalty, nation-builders and others in political power as well as adventurers, journalists and diplomats. His book presents a fine mosaic of the post-colonial world and the modern Middle East, and reveals the workings of politics at the highest of international diplomatic levels. The memoir includes a fascinating and intriguing analysis of the security and social problems that Europe, America and the Middle East are facing at present. It serves as an eye opener to the root causes of the current crises and presents a clear vision of the future ahead.