Seventy researchers discussed : "Francophone: Conflicting or Complementary Identities?"

On April 16, 2007, the French Language and Literature Department
at the University of Balamand organized an international conference on: "Francophone: Conflicting or Complementary identities?"

The conference was held in Zakhem Hall and was attended by: the Minister of Culture Dr. Tarek Metri, the Director of the Office of the world's Francophone University Agency Olivier Garo, Ministers, MPs, Consuls, Ambassadors, Heads of universities, and Political, Cultural, and Educational figures.

The conference coordinator Dr. George Dorlian opened the conference, followed by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Dr. Nadeem Neaimi, Acting President, Dr. George Nahas and Mr. Garo from AUF. The The Minister of Culture Dr. Tarek Metri gave the closing statement. The attendees were unanimous in emphasizing the importance in these times of demonstrating that Lebanon remains a haven of thought and dialogue.

The conference extended over five days during which 70 researchers from most of the Francophone countries talked about identity and otherness, exclusion and belonging, the convergence of languages and cultures, dialogue and literary writing and the media, challenges, values and morals, the relations of Francophone with the Arab world, Lebanon, and African cultures, in addition to testimonials of some Francophones on various topics. During the conference, the Lebanese poet Salah Steitieh, the Tunisian thinker Hisham Geait, the French novelist Percy Kemp, and the Lebanese novelist Alexandre Najjar, Lebanese poet Venus Khoury - Ghata and the Belgian thinker Raymond Renard and the Moroccan thinker Abdel Wahab Mouadab all gave lectures. It is worth noting that the work of this Conference will be published in a book by the University of Balamand.