World Lebanese Cultural Union
The World Lebanese Cultural Union issued a statement on Monday whereby it announced that “upon the initiative of the WLCU, Los Angeles City Council unanimously agreed to pay tribute to the philosopher and American-Lebanese writer Gibran Khalil Gibran, by building and installing a statue for him at the municipality’s garden.”
The decree signed by the 2 members of the council Eric Garcetti and Dennis Zein of Lebanese descent stated that this statue will be provided by WLCU.
The voting session was preceded by a speech for the prominent candidate for Los Angelos Mayoral elections Mr. Garcetti, who praised the Lebanese community and their cultural activities. Afterwards Denis Zein read About Gibran’s life explaining the way his art and writing made him the best-selling poet of all times, after Shakespeare and Lao Tzu.
Then, 3 testimonies about Gibran’s exploits and some of his quotes were presented by the former WVP Farid Makarim, Amira Matar representing the ladies chapter in California and Robert Andraos.
The meeting was attended by the president of the WLCU Chapter in Los Angeles Anise Garabet, founder of the Los Angeles Cedars Rotary Fares Wehbe, owner of Armenian Life newspaper Abo Jabarian, secretary of the WLCU chapter in Los Angeles Raji Ghawi, and board members Fouad Barakat and Ghassan Sader and some of the community members. It is likely that the unveiling of the statue will take place between the months of April and June 2013.
On a different note, the WLCU’s national council in Venezuela, headed by Michel Assaf, will be holding an inauguration ceremony of the square and Library of Gibran Khalil Gibran in the city of Caracas – Venezuela on Saturday, February 2 2013, under the auspices of the Lebanese Minister of Culture, Gaby Layoun, and in the presence of the WLCU President Michel Doueihi, WLCU officers from various continents and members of the Lebanese community in Venezuela
The WLCU’s Chapter in Ottawa – Canada, headed by Carine Ojeil, will also organize a special evening, tribute to Gibran Khalil Gibran on May 25, 2013.
