Ghassan Ballut is the founder and CEO of Al-Nahda Center NFP, a respected educator, civic leader, and lifelong advocate for justice, cultural revival, and Palestinian identity. Born and raised in Am’ari Refugee Camp near Ramallah, his early life was shaped by displacement and resistance. He later pursued higher education in the U.S., earning degrees in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics from The Ohio State University, where he also engaged in anti-apartheid and intellectual activism.
Over the decades, Mr. Ballut has been at the forefront of numerous community initiatives in Chicago—from co-founding the Chicago Islamic Center and leading anti-violence programs with the City of Chicago, to supporting civil rights monuments and interfaith cooperation. In 2015, he founded Al-Nahda Center to advance ethical leadership, civic engagement, and cultural preservation. Under his leadership, the organization acquired a historic five-acre campus in Oak Lawn in 2023, transforming it into a vibrant hub for education and community building.
Mr. Ballut also served as an adjunct professor of mathematics at the City Colleges of Chicago (2004–2014), impacting hundreds of students. His work continues to inspire and empower communities across faiths and cultures, embodying a vision of justice, dignity, and renaissance.