Viktor Dmitrievich Lebedev, an oriental journalist, worked for more than thirty years as a correspondent for ITAR-TASS and RIA-NEWS in various Arab countries - Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Kuwait. More than half of this time, he lived and worked in the United Arab Emirates. Victor Lebedev is the author of the book "World of the Emirates" from the series "Arabian Arabesques", the first winner of the International Prize for Journalist and Politician Viktor Posuvalyuk. A regular author of many country-specific materials published in the magazines of the Russian Emirates Publishing House from 2005 to 2012, he also wrote articles in the magazines Echo of the Planet and Around the World.
Viktor Lebedev was the only Russian journalist who personally met with the first president of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and interviewed him. Viktor Dmitrievich was also a literary translator of the verses of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Poems in the traditional "Emi" style for the Russian edition of the Arab Emirates were personally selected by the high-ranking poet himself. Upon completion of the translation, Victor Lebedev solemnly and personally handed Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum a beautifully published gift book of poetry in Russian.
Victor Lebedev was an indifferent person. He was one of the first to advocate for the consolidation of the Russian-speaking community in the UAE, and at the initial stage he headed the Council of Russian Compatriots. He was a modest and sociable person, always ready to come to the rescue and answer any question. You could just turn to him, “regardless of age, status or titles, and hear in response:“ I now came up with a new topic for the magazine, about family relationships in Middle Eastern countries, and about love, of course. Will it do? " Of course, sir! After all, every article of Victor, his every sketch or sketch, no matter what topic they touched, was permeated with love for talent, a woman, a child, the sun, the sea, autumn, poetry .... Since Viktor Lebedev himself loved life very much, with all its joys and sorrows ... And, it seems to me, the entire female part of our editorial office was in love with this impressive man with an aristocratic posture, a constant smile and mischievous sparks in his eyes.
And now Viktor Lebedev is no longer with us. It’s even strange that I have to write this obituary. It seems that now the phone will ring and a slightly hoarse voice will be heard in the receiver: “Well, dear edition! What topic are we writing in the next issue? Maybe about local medicine?” ...
... When people leave, medicine is already powerless. Viktor Lebedev was sick for a long time and courageously, until the last moment, struggled with a serious illness. He is buried at the Vagankovsky cemetery in Moscow. We express our deepest and most sincere condolences to the families and friends of Viktor Dmitrievich. Rest in peace, poet, teacher, friend. We will always keep a good memory of you in our hearts.
Goodbye sir! You are really GREAT!
... how many nights will not fall
The memory in the chest all lives.
Better than the moon will not rise.
A song sings to your heart ...
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (translation by V. Lebedev)
