Alaa Najjar

{{Infobox person

| name = Alaa Najjar

| native_name = علاء نجار

| native_name_lang = ar

| image = Wikiar2022 0034 (cropped 3×4).jpg

| caption = Najjar in 2022

| education = Alexandria University (MB BS)

| occupation = {{hlist|Physician| researcher|Wikipedian}}

| employer =

| organization =

| known for =

| awards = Wikimedian of the Year (2021)

}}

Alaa Najjar ({{langx|ar|علاء نجار|ʿAlāʾ Najjār}}, {{IPA|ar|ʕalaːʔ nadʒːaːr|pron}}) is a physician, Wikipedian and internet activist. He was named the Wikimedian of the Year at Wikimania in August 2021 by Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales for his pioneering role in the development of the Arab and medical communities as well as for his role in the development of COVID-19 topics.{{Cite web|last=Koerner|first=Chris|date=2021-08-15|title=Meet Alaa Najjar: Wikimedian of the Year 2021 winner|url=https://diff.wikimedia.org/2021/08/15/meet-alaa-najjar-wikimedian-of-the-year-2021-winner/|access-date=2021-08-19|website=Diff|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-08-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815212950/https://diff.wikimedia.org/2021/08/15/meet-alaa-najjar-wikimedian-of-the-year-2021-winner/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=15 August 2021|title=جوائز مؤتمر "ويكيمينيا" 2021.. من الفائز عن المنطقة العربية؟|url=https://www.ultrasawt.com/%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B2-%D9%85%D8%A4%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B1-%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7-2021-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B2-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9%D8%9F/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%AA/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%AA|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-19|website=Ultrasawt|language=ar|archive-date=2021-08-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816200125/https://www.ultrasawt.com/%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B2-%D9%85%D8%A4%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B1-%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7-2021-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B2-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9%D8%9F/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%AA/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%AA}}

Najjar is an active contributor to WikiProject Medicine and a volunteer administrator in the Arabic Wikipedia and a Wikimedia steward.{{Cite web|last=حجاوي|first=محمد|date=2018-02-01|title=برنامج ويكيبيديا للتعليم بنسخته الثانية بصمة من طلبة جامعة النجاح في الفضاء الإلكتروني|url=https://sawa.najah.edu/2018/02/01/%d8%a8%d8%b1%d9%86%d8%a7%d9%85%d8%ac-%d9%88%d9%8a%d9%83%d9%8a%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%a7-%d9%84%d9%84%d8%aa%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%8a%d9%85-%d8%a8%d9%86%d8%b3%d8%ae%d8%aa%d9%87-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ab%d8%a7/|access-date=2021-08-19|website=سوا|language=ar|archive-date=2020-08-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806091818/https://sawa.najah.edu/2018/02/01/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%AC-%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%AE%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D8%A7/|url-status=live}} He is a board member of Wikimedians of the Levant User Group{{Cite web|last=السبيعي|first=عمر|date=7 January 2020|title=تعرّف على مبادرة "ويكي دوّن" السعودية للنشر في موسوعة "ويكيبيديا"|url=https://sabq.org/qt8scz|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-19|website=صحيفة سبق الإلكترونية|language=ar|archive-date=2021-08-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819132520/https://sabq.org/GLHTbD?t=1578423638}}{{Cite web|title=مبادرة "ويكي دوّن" للنشر في موسوعة "ويكيبيديا" {{!}} ويكي دون|url=https://raqmin.sa/wikidowen/initiatives/%d9%85%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%af%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d9%88%d9%8a%d9%83%d9%8a-%d8%af%d9%88%d9%91%d9%86-%d9%84%d9%84%d9%86%d8%b4%d8%b1-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d9%85%d9%88%d8%b3%d9%88%d8%b9%d8%a9-%d9%88%d9%8a%d9%83%d9%8a/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-19|website=WikiDowen|language=ar|archive-date=2021-08-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819132438/https://raqmin.sa/wikidowen/initiatives/%D9%85%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%91%D9%86-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A/}} and an editorial board member of the WikiJournal of Medicine.{{cite web|title=WikiJournal of Medicine/Editors|url=https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=WikiJournal_of_Medicine/Editors&oldid=2294197|website=Wikiversity|access-date=15 August 2021|archive-date=19 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819132439/https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=WikiJournal_of_Medicine%2FEditors&oldid=2294197|url-status=live}}

Education and career

Najjar graduated from Alexandria University, faculty of medicine in January 2021 with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB Bch).{{Cite web|url=https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6362-8899|title=Alaa Najjar (Orcid ID: 0000-0001-6362-8899)|access-date=2021-08-19|archive-date=2020-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117105133/https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6362-8899|url-status=live}} In 2021, he told The National that he was employed in “a very busy public hospital”.{{Cite web|last=Bedirian|first=Razmig|date=16 August 2021|title=Arab medical professional Alaa Najjar honoured by Wikipedia for Covid-19 coverage|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2021/08/16/arab-medical-professional-alaa-najjar-honoured-by-wikipedia-for-covid-19-coverage/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-19|website=The National|archive-date=2021-08-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816092141/https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2021/08/16/arab-medical-professional-alaa-najjar-honoured-by-wikipedia-for-covid-19-coverage/}}

Wikipedia and Wikimedia activities

File:WikiArabia '19 239.jpg

Najjar is an active contributor since 2014, and most of his edits focus on medicine-related articles. He also serves as an administrator on Arabic-language Wikipedia and in several other roles on different projects of Wikimedia Foundation. He is also a board member of Wikimedia Group in the Levant and editorial board member of the WikiJournal of Medicine since December 2018. Also, he is a member on the Arabic Wikipedia's official social networking team. {{Cite web|last=بن ساسي|first=أوسمان|date=26 October 2017|title=مؤتمر «ويكيبديا عربية 2017 » يبحث إثراء المحتوى العربي|url=http://alwasat.ly/news/science-technology/147593|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-19|website=Alwasat News|language=ar|archive-date=2018-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114022524/http://alwasat.ly/news/science-technology/147593}}

He spearheaded the COVID-19 project on the Arabic encyclopedia and majorly contributes to the WikiProject Medicine. Najjar's work helps to combat medical misinformation and confront the pandemic with reliable, fact-checked information.

He was named the Wikimedian of the Year on 15 August 2021 by Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales.

{{Cite web

|title= Wikipedia editor 'warriors' fight lies, bigotry and even Nazis

| url = https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211117-wikipedia-editor-warriors-fight-lies-bigotry-and-even-nazis

| date = 17 November 2021

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211117053411/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211117-wikipedia-editor-warriors-fight-lies-bigotry-and-even-nazis

| archive-date = 17 November 2021

| website= France 24

}}

{{Cite web|last=Riquelme|first=Rodrigo|title=Carmen Alcázar y la Editatona ganan mención honorífica en los premios al Wikimedista 2021|url=https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/arteseideas/Una-mexicana-gana-mencion-honorifica-en-los-premios-al-Wikimedista-del-2021-20210815-0005.html|access-date=2021-08-17|website=El Economista|archive-date=2021-08-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816075049/https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/arteseideas/Una-mexicana-gana-mencion-honorifica-en-los-premios-al-Wikimedista-del-2021-20210815-0005.html|url-status=live}} Najjar was praised for his pioneering role in the development of the Arab and medical communities as well as for his role in the development of COVID-19 topics.{{Cite web|last=Sharma|first=Unnati|date=2021-08-17|title=3 Indians win Wikimedia awards for helping provide free, accessible knowledge on the internet|url=https://theprint.in/india/3-indians-win-wikimedia-awards-for-helping-provide-free-accessible-knowledge-on-the-internet/716746/|access-date=2021-08-17|website=ThePrint|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817074331/https://theprint.in/india/3-indians-win-wikimedia-awards-for-helping-provide-free-accessible-knowledge-on-the-internet/716746/|url-status=live}} Because of travel restrictions, Wales could not personally deliver the award to Najjar as per standard practice, but instead spoke to him in a surprise Google Meet call.{{Cite web|date=15 August 2021|title=حوار خاص مع علاء نجار.. الفائز بجائزة "ويكيميدي العام" 2021|url=https://www.ultrasawt.com/%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%B5-%D9%85%D8%B9-%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%86%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B2-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B2%D8%A9-%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%85-2021/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%AA/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%AA|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-19|website=Ultrasawt|language=ar|archive-date=2021-08-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816151628/https://www.ultrasawt.com/%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%B5-%D9%85%D8%B9-%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%86%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B2-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B2%D8%A9-%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%85-2021/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%AA/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%AA}}

Publications

Sellar Xanthogranulomatosis in a Two-Year-Old Girl: A Case Report. Cureus, 2023.{{Cite Q|Q123555228|doi-access=free}}
Complex presentation of a left Fronto-zygomatic Dermoid cyst: a case report. Journal of surgical case reports, 2024.{{Cite Q|Q125446565}}
Glioblastoma multiforme in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1: a case report and review of literature. Journal of surgical case reports, 2024.{{Cite Q|Q130049159}}