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June 2, 2015
Elham Kallab El-Bissat and ‘Issam Mansour in visit to MNAC and FGC
May 2015
Niels Hav’s «Sjælen danser i sin vugge» in Arabic
Niels Hav, poet and short-story writer from Denmark, Naji Naaman’s literary prize (2008) and Ambassador for gratis culture (FGC) since 2011, is published in Arabic. His book entitled Sjælen danser i sin vugge was translated by the Palestinian poet Nizar Sartawi.
May 28, 2015
Naji Naaman guest of the fifteenth Conference for Dialogue between Religions and Civilizations
Invited to participate to the fifteenth Conference for Dialogue between Religions and Civilizations organized by IOISCW in Beirut, Naji Naaman made a speech where he gave his own point of view as for the events in the region.
In order to read the speech in Arabic, please click here.
In order to see the sequence, please click here.
In order to read the speech in Arabic, please click here.
In order to see the sequence, please click here.
May 19, 2015
On the occasion of The International Day for Gratis Culture:
Inauguration of Mitri Naaman’s Department, and Kaltham Abdallah nominated Ambassador
Inauguration of Mitri Naaman’s Department, and Kaltham Abdallah nominated Ambassador
May 4, 2015
After Randa Khattar, Antoine Azar passes away
Few days after the passing of Randa Khattar, Naji Naaman’ literary prize (2009) and published by MNAC («Yawma Zaka Qala Ghanni», 2011), Antoine Azar, laureate of the same prize is gone, leaving all his works published in French by MNAC («Braises», 2008; «Étincelles», 2010; and «Lueurs», 2014).
May 1st, 2015
Naji Naaman on Télé-Lumière
Naji Naaman is the guest of Toni Chédid in the series «Ma’ wa Dhidh» broadcasted by Télé-Lumière. The Armenian genocide question is on the table, and Monsignor Georges Yéghéyan is there too.
To see the transmission, please click here.
To see the transmission, please click here.
April 23, 2015
Naji Naaman on LBC
Naji Naaman is the guest of Marcel Ghanem in the series «Kalam an-Nas» broadcasted by LBC. The Armenian genocide question is on the table, and FGC’s president is the sole non Armenian to be there. The transmission lasted more than three hours!
To see the first transmission part, please click here.
April 3, 2015
Samira Kadiri sings the victims of Bardo National Museum
Samira Kadiri, Moroccan soprano and Ambassador for Gratis Culture (FGC), sang in Sidi Bou Said (Tunisia) the victims of the Bardo National Museum, and was applauded by the public!
March 18, 2015
‘Abdul-Lah Ash-Shurbaji receives his literary prize
‘Abdul-Lah Ash-Shurbaji , Egyptian poet, received in the premises of MNAC and FGC his literary prize by the hand of Naji Naaman. He was accompanied by ‘Abbas ‘Ayyad, Ra’fat Mouassi and his wife Hoda.
March 9, 2015
Centenary of the Armenian genocide: An unprecedented commemoration
An unprecedented commemoration related to the centenary of the Armenian genocide took place at Notre-Dame University (Zouk Mosbeh). The meeting was presented by Georges Kordahi, with as intervening parties: Monsignor Georges Yéghéyan, poet Antoine Ra’d, former Prime Minister Michel Aoun, former President of the Republic Amine Gémayel and the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Béchara Ar-Ra’i . The Armenian Catholic Patriarch, Nerses Bedros XIX, ended the event with a prayer, while five hundred copies of Naji Naaman’s volume entitled «One hundred years after, the genocide continues» (published by the FGC) were distributed gratis to the public. The same public had also the chance to hear «Groung», the choral of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate.
To see a sequence, please click here.
To see a sequence, please click here.
February 11, 2015
Centenary of «Al-Maçarrat»
The commemoration of the centenary of «Al-Maçarrat» magazine took place at Saint-Paul Convent in Jounieh. Intervening parties were: Naji Naaman, Father Georges Baliki, Wissam Kabkab, Father Georges Khawwam, H.B. Patriarch Grégoire III Lahham and H.E. the Papal Nuncio Monsignor Gabrielé Catchia, while Serhan Barakat recited a poem, and the choral of the NDU performed hymns.
To read the speech of Naji Naaman, please click here.
To see the sequence, please click here.
To read the speech of Naji Naaman, please click here.
To see the sequence, please click here.
February 3, 2015
First copy of «Miatun wa Tastamirrul-Ibada»
dedicated to H.B. Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX
Naji Naaman presented and dedicated the first copy of his gratis volume entitled «Mi’atun wa Tastamirrul-Ibada» («One hundred years after, the genocide continues») to His Beatitude the Armenian Catholic Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX at the Patriarchal Seat (Beirut) in presence of Monsignor Georges Yéghéyan and Marwan Naaman.
January 21, 2015
Naji Naaman and the future of Lebanon on Télé-Lumière
Was broadcasted on Télé-Lumière the program recorded on July 24, 2014, where Toni Chédid received Naji Naaman in order to know his prospects about Lebanon.
To see the program, please click here.
To see the program, please click here.
January 5, 2015
Valeriu Butulescu receives the Aleko International Award for Humorous Short Story
Valeriu Butulescu, Romanian thinker, writer and politician, Naji Naaman’s literary prize (2006) and Ambassador for Gratis Culture (FGC) since 2011, received in Bulgaria the Aleko (Konstantinov) International Award for Humorous Short Story.
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News 2015
October 5, 2015
Naji Naaman granted the medal of gratitude by the decree of President Serzh Sargsyan
The Armenian Minister of Diaspora, Hranush Hakobyan, hosted Naji Naaman, who has been granted the Medal of Gratitude by the decree of President Serzh Sargsyan on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Armenia and for his contributions to the strengthening of cultural ties between Armenia and Lebanon. Before that, Mr. Naaman had talks in Stepanakert with speaker Ashot Ghulian, and, in Yerevan, with the vice-minister of culture, Nerses Der Vartanian. He decided that MNAC and FGC shall supply books to three public libraries in Armenia, free of charge.
Mr. Naaman was hosted, on September 30 at the Avetik Isahakyan Central Library within a ceremony of paying homage “to a great friend of the Armenian people”. Head of the Department for Armenian Communities of the Near East and the Middle East at the RA Ministry of Diaspora Levon Antonyan also participated in the ceremony. Gayané Samuelian recited a poem of Mr. Naaman translated into Armenian, the library’s director Hasmik Karapetyan expressed gratitude to Mr. Naaman for donating books published by his own publishing house to the Avetik Isahakyan Central Library. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lebanon to Armenia Dr. Jean Macaron gave a welcome speech in which he assured once again that the foundations for the Armenian-Lebanese relations are strong. Writer and historian Dr. Kevork Yazejian, Lebanese-Armenian writer, Dr. Toros Toranian and poet and translator Babken Simonyan praised the writer’s works and his active career in the field of literature. They also attached special importance to the author’s book “Ongoing Genocide”, which is devoted to the Armenian Genocide; and the last word was given to Mr. Naaman.
Mr. Naaman was also interviewed on local TV and newspapers.
To see the TV transmission, please click here.
To see the paying homage transmission, please click here.
To see the granting of the medal transmission, please click here.
Mr. Naaman was hosted, on September 30 at the Avetik Isahakyan Central Library within a ceremony of paying homage “to a great friend of the Armenian people”. Head of the Department for Armenian Communities of the Near East and the Middle East at the RA Ministry of Diaspora Levon Antonyan also participated in the ceremony. Gayané Samuelian recited a poem of Mr. Naaman translated into Armenian, the library’s director Hasmik Karapetyan expressed gratitude to Mr. Naaman for donating books published by his own publishing house to the Avetik Isahakyan Central Library. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lebanon to Armenia Dr. Jean Macaron gave a welcome speech in which he assured once again that the foundations for the Armenian-
Mr. Naaman was also interviewed on local TV and newspapers.
To see the TV transmission, please click here.
To see the paying homage transmission, please click here.
To see the granting of the medal transmission, please click here.
September 18, 2015
Once again Naji Naaman on Télé-Lumière
Naji Naaman is once again the guest of Toni Chédid in the series «Ma’ wa Dhidh» broadcasted by Télé-Lumière. The actual popular movement question is on the table.
To see the transmission, please click here.
July 23, 2015
Laura Mircea in visit to the FGC
July 21, 2015
Tatul Hagobian and Krikor Dakessian in visit to Mr. Naaman
October 19, 2015
Naji Naaman on Radio Voice of Van
Naji Naaman is the guest of Hala Haddad on Radio Voice of Van. His journey in Armenia is in the front page!
To listen to the interview, please click here.
To listen to the interview, please click here.
October 9, 2015
Bucharest: Launching of Vasile Ghica’s “In the Jaws of Laughter” and “Bayna Makhalibid-Dhahik”
Took place, in Bucharest, the launching of Vasile Ghica’s (Naji Naaman’s literary prize, prize of honor for complete works, 2013) latest books, i.e.: “In The Jaws of Laughter” and “Bayna Makhalibid-Dhahik” (the English and Arabic versions of “In Ghearele Rasului”). The Arabic version was done by Naji Naaman and Marcelle Al-Achkar , with a cover painting by Rana Al-Bissat , and the book was published in Arabic, French and Romanian.
This event was included in the Asia-Europe Forum on Education and was dedicated to the 70th anniversary since UNESCO was founded. 200 participants were invited from 34 countries from Asia, Europe, USA and Mexico, and the theme was: “A Long Lasting Development in Education”.
Mr. Ghica delivered a speech which referred to his book issued in Arabic within FGC publications:
“My latest book “In the Jaws of Laughter” was issued in Beirut in Arabic, French and Romanian in 3,000 copies. For those who do not know or do not remember, I do remind them that today’s Lebanese are the great grandchildren of the Phoenicians in the Antiquity. It’s amazing! A 7,000 years’ culture! Well, today’s Lebanese do not desire to be ranked below their forefathers. So, they have got a “Naji Naaman Foundation”, famous all over the world which does its best to spread culture for free.
As Mr. Naji Naaman (Humanist, writer, cultural promoter and President of the Foundation) always says: ‘Culture for free is not an Utopia, not a luxury, but an Urgency.’ And so it is.
It’s only Culture that can save the world out of its troubles which stifle it. Culture offers identity to nations and peoples, arbitrates the real hierarchies. Owing to this Foundation my book will be distributed as from November, in Lebanon and abroad, especially within the literary and cultural salons held by the FGC.
First, in my aphorisms I express my own admiration of the impressive qualities of the human being, capable of the most daring scientific, technical, economic or artistic creations. Sometimes, I am angry with the contemporary man who may be violent, illiberal and indifferent towards his people’s sufferings. Being almost totally subdued to the passion of becoming rich, the contemporary man is enslaved by alcohol, drugs or sex and so, he estranges from Art or Religion.
Sometimes, I feel like traveling on the Titanic which is drifting away and some of us are stepping over corpses so that they should obtain the most luxurious cabins. Our moving away of Culture is naturally the most serious failure of the human race. We ourselves make our lives as ugly as we can. They say that for 80% out of the people of the world, the names such as Beethoven, Balzac, Brancusi, Newton, Einstein, tell them nothing. There are some people living at the vegetal level.
Should Literature do more in this field? Let’s wake up, brothers, although it is pretty late! We are still able to defeat the dark within us. I am quite sure there are more water-lilies inside ourselves than mud.’
Mr. Ghica went on by reading some of his aphorisms and they were highly welcomed by strong applause. The participants fully appreciated his speech, but they could not make remarks on his literary work for not being specialists in literature. He also announced that a new launching will take place in Galaţi (Romania).
This event was included in the Asia-
Mr. Ghica delivered a speech which referred to his book issued in Arabic within FGC publications:
“My latest book “In the Jaws of Laughter” was issued in Beirut in Arabic, French and Romanian in 3,000 copies. For those who do not know or do not remember, I do remind them that today’s Lebanese are the great grandchildren of the Phoenicians in the Antiquity. It’s amazing! A 7,000 years’ culture! Well, today’s Lebanese do not desire to be ranked below their forefathers. So, they have got a “Naji Naaman Foundation”, famous all over the world which does its best to spread culture for free.
As Mr. Naji Naaman (Humanist, writer, cultural promoter and President of the Foundation) always says: ‘Culture for free is not an Utopia, not a luxury, but an Urgency.’ And so it is.
It’s only Culture that can save the world out of its troubles which stifle it. Culture offers identity to nations and peoples, arbitrates the real hierarchies. Owing to this Foundation my book will be distributed as from November, in Lebanon and abroad, especially within the literary and cultural salons held by the FGC.
First, in my aphorisms I express my own admiration of the impressive qualities of the human being, capable of the most daring scientific, technical, economic or artistic creations. Sometimes, I am angry with the contemporary man who may be violent, illiberal and indifferent towards his people’s sufferings. Being almost totally subdued to the passion of becoming rich, the contemporary man is enslaved by alcohol, drugs or sex and so, he estranges from Art or Religion.
Sometimes, I feel like traveling on the Titanic which is drifting away and some of us are stepping over corpses so that they should obtain the most luxurious cabins. Our moving away of Culture is naturally the most serious failure of the human race. We ourselves make our lives as ugly as we can. They say that for 80% out of the people of the world, the names such as Beethoven, Balzac, Brancusi, Newton, Einstein, tell them nothing. There are some people living at the vegetal level.
Should Literature do more in this field? Let’s wake up, brothers, although it is pretty late! We are still able to defeat the dark within us. I am quite sure there are more water-
On the occasion of the International Day for Gratis Culture, the department Mitri Naaman (poet and writer, 1912-1994) at the Library of the Municipality of Daroun-Harissa has been inaugurated. Were present: the President of the Municipality engineer Antoine Chaker Chémali, the mayor of Harissa, Adel El-Mir , lawyer Elie Bassil and members of the Naaman family.
On the same occasion, Naji Naaman, owner of Maison Naaman pour la Culture and president of Naji Naaman’s Foundation for Gratis Culture (FGC), offered a public kiosk for free of charge books to the said library, and nominated Kaltham Abdallah Salem Bin Massoud (poetess and culture promoter from the Arab United Emirates), a new Extraordinary Ambassador for Gratis Culture.
On the same occasion, Naji Naaman, owner of Maison Naaman pour la Culture and president of Naji Naaman’s Foundation for Gratis Culture (FGC), offered a public kiosk for free of charge books to the said library, and nominated Kaltham Abdallah Salem Bin Massoud (poetess and culture promoter from the Arab United Emirates), a new Extraordinary Ambassador for Gratis Culture.
December 28, 2015 too:
Ambassador Jean Macaron and Professor Emile Macaron in visit to MNAC and FCG
Jean Macaron, Ambassador of Lebanon to Armenia, and Professor Emile Macaron, visited MNAC and FCG and discussed gratis culture matters with Naji Naaman.
December 28, 2015
Krikor Dakissian and Hovig Estepanian in visit to MNAC and FCG
Krikor Dakissian and Hovig Estepanian (and his family) visited MNAC and FCG and discussed Lebanese and Armenian issues with Naji Naaman.
November 2015 too:
… And the genocide continues
Naji Naaman gave his opinion about the crisis in the Near East which shall be broadcasted in January 2016.
To see the sequence, please click here.
To see the sequence, please click here.
November 28, 2015
Nadim Nader signs «Kfar Qamar» at ‘Amchit
Under the auspices of ‘Amchit Municipality, Nadim Nader signed his second book published by MNAC and entitled «Kfar Qamar» at ‘Amchit.
November 26, 2015
Interview with students Fouad and Maria Sfeir
Fouad and Maria Sfeir, twins students, visited Naji Naaman in his house at New Shayle, and left us the following video!
To see the video, please click here.
To see the video, please click here.
November 11, 2015
Dikra Laybie signs her collection in Sharjah
Dikra Laybie, Iraqi poetess living in the United Arab Emirates, and laureate of one of Naji Naaman’s literary prizes (creativity prize, 2014), signed in Sharjah her collection entitled «Imra’a min Karaz wa Assal», published in Cairo.
First week of November 2015
Niels Hav in Egypt
Niels Hav, Danish poet, laureate of Naji Naaman’s literary prize and FGC’s Ambassador for Gratis Culture, visited Egypt for one week, and participated to Tanta’s International Festival of Poetry.
November 6, 2015
Jhonny Melhem signs «Atachu Hayat»
Under the auspices of Miniara Municipality, Jhonny Melhem signed his first book published by MNAC and entitled «Atachu Hayat» at Miniara. Speakers were: Sister David Mouannes, Father Michel Birdqan, Caroline Dib and the author; while Raymonda Khouri performed chosen pieces from the book of her own composition.
November 2nd, 2015
Naji Naaman in visit to Raymond Arayje
Naji Naaman visited the Lebanese Minister of Culture H.E. Raymond Arayje at the General Direction of Antiquities.
October 28, 2015
Naji Naaman elected unanimously member of the Arab Cultural Academy
Naji Naaman was elected unanimously member of the Arab Cultural Academy.
