Within the framework of Ism Alam series which was launched in 2008, and despite the delay that was forced due to COVID-19 pandemic, Antonine University will be honoring the prominent Lebanese novelist Jabbour Douaihy. Ism Alam has so far paid tribute to thirteen eminent figures in the fields of philosophy, arts, and human sciences, each of whom being awarded an honorary book that highlights their accomplishments through research articles and testimonials by specialists and friends.

Monday, May 24, 2021, at 7:00 PM
via the UA’s official Facebook page facebook.com/uAntonine

Why Jabbour Douaihy?
Heis truly the novelist who best pictures the contemporary life. All of his characters are deeply rooted in Lebanese contemporary history and all his places can be seen as metaphors of Lebanon: Barqa torn up by the leaders' struggle, and left alone to heal its wounds after getting reconciled in June Rain, isn’t it Lebanon? The Rose Fountain Motel whose inhabitants are incapable of real dialogue, isn't it Lebanon? And the Vineyard of Mahmoudieh, whose imaginary curse has triumphed over his real fertility in the Malik al-hind, isn't it Lebanon?

In his novels, which inspect the Lebanese identity in its minutest details, ranging from the architecture to gastronomy, and explore religious beliefs, popular proverbs, and groups' perceptions of each other, Jabbour Douaihy always concludes with pending questions, after creating a distance between us, our beliefs, our convictions and our perception of Lebanon. A distance that is necessary in order for each of us to build a pluralistic, rational, modern Lebanon that could have a better fate than Al-Karam printing press and the Baz family …

Honorary Book
Thefourteenth volume of the series Ism Alam is an acknowledgment to Jabbour Douaihy through intersecting and complementary studies which illuminate the understanding of his writings. This collective work was supervised by the Executive Vice-Rector of Antonine University, Dr. Pascale Lahoud, with contributions by Wafaa Afiouni Shaarani; Sonia Dayan-Herzburn; Georges Dorlian; Hoda Rizk-Hanna; Khaled Ziade; Fares Sassine; Melhem Chaoul; Nicole Saliba Chalhoub; Rony Araiji; Tariq Mitri; Charif Majdalani; and Chibli Mallat.