GIBRAN REPRESENTS THE BEAUTIFUL FACE OF LEBANON TO THE WHOLE WORLD WHOM WE TAKE PRIDE IN - JOSEPH FENIANOS, PRESIDENT, GIBRAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
Joseph Fenianos is the President of the Gibran National Committee for the current mandate 2018-2022. Also the Founder and member of the Board of Administration of the Lebanese Red Cross in Becharri. In this Interview with Wole Adedoyin, he shared with him comprehensive facts about his life, contributions, challenges and achievements as the President of the Gibran National Committee.
WA: PLEASE KINDLY INTRODUCE YOURSELF
JF: My name is Joseph Fenianos. I am married to Nahla Fakhry and have 3 children. I earned a Teaching Diploma in Physics from the Faculty of Sciences in the Lebanese University in 1982. I was Instructor of Physics in several schools, President of the Gibran National Committee for the current mandate 2018-2022, Member of the Committee of the Cedar Forest Friends since 1988 and chaired it for two terms, Founder and member of the Board of Administration of the Lebanese Red Cross in Becharri, Vice-President of the Gibran National Committee from 2010 to 2018.
WA: TELL US ALL ABOUT THE GIBRAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE- HOW IT BEGAN, WHO'S INVOLVED, ETHOS, AIMS AND WHAT YOU DO
JF: The Gibran National Committee, established in 1933, is a private organization from which all the townspeople of Becharri benefit. Headquartered in Becharri, the Committee has another office in Beirut.
The organization aims to:
- Enforce the will of Gibran Khalil Gibran regarding the proceeds of the copyright and investment of his books and his various literary and artistic effects belonging to the town of Becharri, the Committee on Funds and Properties resulting from such copyright, and the use of the achieved resources for the good and benefit of Becharri and its residents.
- Give special attention to Gibran’s Art Museum and maintain his artistic and literary legacy, and also to Gibran’s Music Institute, Private Library, and the house in which he was born.
- Publish on a regular basis Gibran's books and help spread his paintings, concepts and thoughts, as well as introduce him to the new youth generation and the world by organizing local and international lectures, exhibitions, literary events and anniversary ceremonies.
- Contribute to raising the urban, cultural and social levels in Becharri.
WA: HOW DO YOU RUN THE ORGANIZATION?
JF: We hold periodic meetings every two or three weeks, starting with the incoming papers and the due expenses. Then we start discussing the points indicated on the agenda, studying the projects to be implemented, and take the appropriate decisions.
Funds are disbursed according to disbursement decisions, while purchases are made under quotations. Decisions are made as for accepting donations.
WA: HOW IS GNC PROMOTING THE WORKS OF KHALIL GIBRAN?
JF: The Committee that bears the name of Gibran is always striving to consolidate Gibran’s presence in the Arab and international community.
Among its activities aim at promoting the works and legacy of Gibran are:
· Holding exhibitions of Gibran’s original paintings or copies thereof in Lebanon and abroad;
· Organizing specialized conferences on Gibran's philosophy in Lebanon and abroad;
· Organizing seminars, lectures, exhibitions and competitions in Gibran’s Museum as well as in schools and universities;
· Contributing to theatrical, cinematic and artistic activities which address Gibran;
· Producing publications for the Gibran National Committee and printing Gibran’s books;
· Organizing the Annual Art Festival in Becharri Square in front of Gibran’s house under the name "In the Footsteps of Gibran", showcasing works of painters, sculptors, photographers, musicians, dramatists, and writers.
WA: WHAT MAJOR SUCCESSES HAVE YOU HAD SINCE BECOMING THE PRESIDENT OF GIBRAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
JF: The major accomplishments made by the current Committee are:
· Holding an exhibition of Gibran's paintings at the Victoria Museum in Melbourne, Australia.
· Reprinting of Gibran's book “The Music”, in cooperation with the Antonine University, with an explanatory introduction by Father Rami Choullami and Prof.Nidaa Abu Murad.
· Organizing the art festival entitled “In the Footsteps of Gibran” in 2018 and 2019;
· Cooperating with the Alfredo Harp Helu Foundation, ADABI, to restore some of the paintings in the warehouse and some books in the Saint Anthony's Library, Qozhaya, and a plan of action for the future was developed between the Committee and the Foundation;
· Reopening of the Gibran Khalil Gibran Library to visitors;
· Activating Gibran’s Music Institute which now includes more than two hundred students;
· Organizing concerts for the students of the Music Institute;
· Holding singing soirees at Gibran’s Museum;
· Distributing prizes and certificates of appreciation to students who excelled in the official exams;
· Cooperating with senior directors and actors in Lebanon in order to revive the plays of Gibran, for instance: “Khalil the Heretic” and “The Madman”.
· Printing the two one-act plays “Lazarus and his Beloved” and “The Blind”, with an introduction by poet Henri Zgheib.
WA: WHAT IS YOUR MODUS OPERANDI (MODE OF OPERATIONS) AT THE GIBRAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE?
JF: The Committee is composed of 15 elected members from Becharri for a period of four years.
We work as one team. When we were elected, we created smaller teams who work in sub-committees because I believe in teamwork.For instance:
· The management sub-committee includes lawyers as well as management and business professionals.
· The cultural sub-committee includes members who work in the cultural field.
· A sub-committee entrusted with the tasks of developing Gibran’s Museum, Music Institute and Library.
· The Public Relations sub-committee that works on Gibran’s presence on social media.
Each sub-committee has a specific budget that is approved at the beginning of each year after the Committee provides a statement of account and prepares for the specialized programs.
Our Committee believes in the necessity of building on creative ideas that are brought to us by thinkers and innovators from all over Lebanon and the world in order to better serve Gibran's legacy and thought.
WA: WHAT MAKES YOU EFFECTIVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF GIBRAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE?
JF: I believe that the role of the President is to better serve the Committee and deploy all the efforts necessary for its development and further outreach.
I strive to cooperate with every single member of the Committee and invest in their potentials, particularly because I have been working as an instructor of physics for more than 38 years, meaning that I apply the pyramid concept, i.e., everyone has his/her own role in the success of the action plan that we set when we were elected. And because I previously chaired the Committee of the Cedar Forest Friends,whose main purpose is to preserve the Cedars Forest and to plant cedar trees in the surroundings of the forest, I also believe in the importance of cooperation with all associations concerned with Gibran’s philosophy.
WA: WHAT SUPPORT DO YOU FEEL WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR GIBRAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO BE SUCCESSFUL?
JF: Gibran National Committee has been particularly relying on tourism to finance its fund that enables it to pay the dues of its employees and workers, noting that the financial returns from selling Gibran’s books by the Knopf publishing group stopped at the end of 2018; no doubt that the situation has worsened following the outbreak of the Corona pandemic and the suspension of all touristic activities. Therefore, we decided to reflect on new ways to support the Committee:
- Developing a program that aims to create a page for the museum on the social media platforms, i.e. integrating it on a digital system or otherwise establishing a twinning relationship between Gibran’s Museum and other international museums.
- Cooperating with international associations concerned with Gibran’s writings and paintings to host conferences and exhibitions abroad.
WA: IN WHICH AREAS WOULD YOU LIKE TO FURTHER DEVELOP GIBRAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE?
JF: Since our election, we have sought to achieve several improvements within the Committee in order to turn it into a well-developed entity at the administrative and professional level.We have updated the bylaws as well as the internal regulations of the Gibran National Committee so that it becomes more compatible with the needs and aspirations of the new generation.
As we were elected by the community of Becharri, it is hence our duty to further shed light on the noble and pioneering values that Gibran believes in to promote social justice and liberate the society from fake restrictions, customs and laws.
WA: TELL US MORE ABOUT THE WORKS OF KHALIL GIBRAN
JF: Gibran represents the beautiful face of Lebanon to the whole world whom we take pride in.He is the writer, the philosopher, the thinker, the painter, and much more. Our bond with Gibran has become more strengthened when we started, through his writings, to dive into the memories of our own childhood as they are the stages on which stand the protagonists of his stories; the orchards, the vineyards, the rivers, the mountains and the valleys which he depicts in his writings are all real places. Moreover, when we meet the characters of his stories, we find out that they resemble in fact many of the dignitaries, clergymen, wealthy and poor townspeople whom we encounter and live with. We can feel hence the flesh and blood of these characters because, despite the change of names, they represent true personalities who had their own history.
It is worth mentioning at this point that the religious memory, the spatio-temporal memory and the social memory of Gibran’s writings have all been represented in “Becharri in the Memory of Gibran”.
WA: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WORK BY GIBRAN? WHY
JF: It is true that all the works of Gibran reflect the tales of his heart, that heart which loved, outraged, revolted, and yearned to an idealistic universe; it is also true that throughout his writings he exposes himself with enthusiasm, boldness, and transparency. And it is not a mere coincidence that “The Music” was the first book among Gibran’s literary works, since music represents the spiritual and artistic world of Gibran. It is the key treasure and the password of his literature. His thoughts, emotions, sorrows, and metaphors all flow like fine-tuned melodies and then become concretized in words. Music and its connotations have thus added to his narrative style a poetic dimension, conveying those silent distances and that being that remains silent and tranquil in the inner self of the poet.
WA: WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MAKE HIS WORKS KNOWN ESPECIALLY TO READERS IN AFRICA?
JF: The Committee is carrying out the activities I mentioned earlier so as to encourage the new generation to explore the philosophy of Gibran and become influenced by his innovative and revolutionary thoughts; hence, this generation would be a tool for peace and love, not for war and injustice, a tool that efficiently serves to reach a better world.
At this point, I would like to thank your association, the Khalil Gibran Society in Nigeria and Africa, and its Chairman, Mr. Wole Adedoyin, for the artistic and literary works that you are working on. We look forward to preparing joint intellectual and cultural activities and holding exhibitions of Gibran’s paintings.
WA: AS THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF GIBRAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO IMPROVE THE ORGANIZATION?
As I mentioned earlier, our activities mainly consist in implementing Gibran's will as stated in Article 2 of our bylaws, shedding light on the legacy, philosophy, and art of Gibran in Lebanon and the world, and providing continuous financial support to fund the activities organized by the Committee.
WA: HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR TEAM FOCUSED?
JF: As previously indicated, I collaborate with each sub-committee separately and follow up on their work, in addition to preparing an implementation plan in cooperation with the specialized staff.
WA: WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS FOR GIBRAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE?
JF: Developing and modernizing the Gibran Museum as well as providing a digital platform for it, in cooperation with ADABI Foundation;
- Developing and supporting Gibran’s Music Institute;
- Modernizing the Gibran’s Library and establishing links with other libraries in Lebanon and abroad;
- Holding exhibitions of Gibran’s paintings in foreign countries, so that the world can learn more about Gibran's art.
WA: WHAT’S THE MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT KHALIL GIBRAN THAT PEOPLE DON’T KNOW?
JF: I believe that Gibran’s literature has managed to reach the whole world through The Prophet, his masterpiece which has been translated into more than 140 languages. Since it was first published in 1923, it has never been out of print. Most of the translations can be found in the Museum.
However, Gibran as a painter is not as well-known as a writer and philosopher. Although he undoubtedly represents a legend worldwide when it comes to narration and storytelling, his reputation has not made it that far with his visual arts. Although he painted more than 700 watercolors and drawings, his paintings were somehow overlooked in the West and most of them were shipped back to Lebanon after his death.
Gibran was a talented artist who painted alongside some of the most acclaimed artists of his days, notably the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. That is why we should deploy more efforts to highlight this aspect of Gibran’s legacy.
WA: CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT KHALIL GIBRAN SOCIETY IN NIGERIA AND AFRICA?
JF: I knew about your society through your Facebook page, and it will be my honor to meet you in person and have the chance to closely delve into all the interesting values you represent. I am confident that this cooperation will be fruitful and lead to successful outcomes in the future, whether by disseminating Gibran’s thought or holding exhibitions of his paintings.
WA: WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST HIGHLIGHT OF THE GIBRAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
JF: Gibran National Committee is the custodian of Gibran's artistic and literary heritage. It was founded 88 years ago and it is entrusted with executing his will. Not to forget that it is the only committee in the world elected by the society as a whole. It has the exclusive right to his literary production.
WA: WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THE READERS AND LOVERS OF KHALIL GIBRAN?
JF: Gibran wrote his books more than one hundred years ago, and till the present day, when we read his writings, we always feel that his topics remain topical, going beyond the limits of time and place, as if he is still alive amidst us and writing to us.
It is not a mere coincidence that his writings have been translated to all main languages of the world in all continents, especially The Prophet because this book has proved to transcend all religions, cultures, customs and races in order to reach the human being, the spirit of divinity on Earth. Gibran conveyed his revolutionary thoughts with enthusiasm, boldness, authenticity, warmth and clarity at the beginning of the last century, and they are still influentially and prominently present in our contemporary word, whether in the East or the West, particularly because Gibran echoes the values of pluralism, diversity, tolerance, freedom, justice and witness to truth.
WA: IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT YOURSELF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO KNOW?
JF: It is a pleasant incident that this conference gathering well-known speakers from all over the world to address the thought and art of Gibran, coincides with the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of Gibran’s death.
I find in your conference a valuable addition to Gibran’s heritage and the human heritage in general.
Isn’t he the one who said: “You are my brother, and both of us are sons of a single, universal, and sacred spirit. You are my likeness, for we are prisoners of the same body, fashioned from the same clay... You are a human being and I have loved you, my brother.”
I would like to thank your association for all the efforts deployed to shed light on the literature, art and heritage of Gibran from a holistic and innovative approach.And we cannot but rejoice, take pride and offer support.
The Gibran National Committee heartfully welcomes any initiative that can be added to its calendar of cultural and artistic activities.
Thank you.
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