Prof. De Ley was trained as a classicist. In 1968, he obtained his doctorate from Ghent University with a dissertation on Democritus and Hippocrates. From 1981, he taught at the same university, where he eventually retired as a full professor in 2005.
As a professor, he initially continued to publish on various aspects of Greek society, ranging from philosophy and rhetoric to (homo)sexuality. This changed in 1993 after a chance meeting with Youssef Souissi, then chairman of the then Association of Islamic Teachers of Flanders (now renamed Voem ).
Since then, he has been a strong advocate for Belgium's Muslim communities. In the wake of Black Sunday in 1991, his voice served as a significant counterbalance to the hatred in an increasingly sour public debate. His publications have explored the image and position of Islam in Europe, from antiquity to the present. He has also emerged as a leader in various social initiatives within the academic world.
In 1994, for example, he co-founded the interuniversity platform "Academics for the Equal Rights of Islam ." He also initiated the Forum for Equal Rights and Interaction , and a year later, the Center for Islam in Europe – of which he became director and later honorary chairman. Through these engagements, he also left his mark on our collection at Amsab-ISG, including the Voem archive.
Even after his retirement, he remained active in public debate. In 2015, for example, he co-founded the Belgian Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel , which presented itself as the Belgian branch of the Palestinian movement Boycott, Divest and Sanction . His most recent publication dates from barely two months ago and also denounces the situation in Palestine. His unwavering commitment even continues in his obituary, in which, beside a small Palestinian flag, we read the following: "Herman preferred no flowers but requested a donation to Palestine Solidarity, BE 64 5230 8014 8852, with the reference Herman De Ley."
We wish his family and friends all the strength during this difficult time.
