[Chapter-delegates] Remembering Nabil

[raul at echeberria.org]

Dear colleagues:

During my years on the Internet Society Board, as a member and as Chair, 
and then when I worked for the Internet Society as VP of Global 
Engagement, I had the opportunity to travel a lot and meet extraordinary 
people from ISOC chapters and community from all regions.

Hundreds of amazing people and hundreds of amazing stories.

One of those people that I was so pleased to meet was Nabil Bukhalid, 
Internet pioneer in Lebanon and founder of the Lebanese Domain Registry, 
among other achievements.

Nabil was a very respected and well-known person but he did not lose his 
humility. A very nice person with whom it was impossible not to have 
interesting conversations.

The 3 times I had the opportunity to visit Lebanon, the chapter 
colleagues (Nicolas, Salam, Jacques and many others) and Nabil, were 
excellent hosts and representatives of traditional Lebanese hospitality. 
I have very fond memories of lunches and dinners shared on those trips 
to Beirut.

In 2017, I was able to share with Nabil, in California - USA, the moment 
when he was recognized as a member of the Internet Hall of Fame. He did 
not feel that he had done anything special. That day he told me: I was 
just in the right place at the right time.

In 2018, on my last visit to Lebanon, Nabil gave me a bottle of wine 
that we had already tasted a couple of years before in a previous trip 
(Iris Domain 2009) . A wine that I really liked and that Nabil was proud 
of. I think because it was produced in his region.

Today marks 2 years since his unexpected death. I can't think of a 
better way to honor him than to share these memories. And today I will 
toast Nabil with that wine that he gave me in 2018 and that I still 
keep.