In memory of Ghassan Kanafani and a revival of his legacy among the activities of the 50 years since his martyrdom, along with his niece, Lamis Najm, Ghassan Kanafani Cultural Foundation invites you in partnership with Dar El-Nimer for Art and Culture for a special meeting with the great Palestinian writer Ibrahim Nasrallah.
Ghassan Kanafani (1936-1972) Palestinian journalist, novelist, short story writer and political activist was born in Acre, Palestine. In 1960, Ghassan settled in Beirut where he lived and worked. On July 8, 1972, he and his young niece, Lamis, were killed by Israeli agents in a car explosion in Beirut.
By the time of his untimely death, Ghassan had published eighteen books and written hundreds of articles on culture, politics, and the Palestinian people’s struggle. His artistic talent also included visual art. Ghassan was always creative, and it gave him peace of mind to work on his paintings, illustrations and sculptures.
His literary works have been re-published in several editions in Arabic and translated to 28 languages and published in 30 different countries.
Although Ghassan’s literary works were an expression of the Palestinian people and their cause, his literary talent gave his works a universal appeal.
Ghassan Kanafani Cultural Foundation (GKCF) was founded as a Lebanese NGO on July 8, 1974, on the second commemoration of the martyrdom of Ghassan Kanafani.
In addition to publishing Ghassan Kanafani’s literary works, the Foundation has established and runs six kindergartens for young children, two habilitation centre for children with disabilities, three libraries and art centre and three clubs, in Camps for Palestinian refugee in Lebanon
More than 1,400 children benefit yearly from GKCF’s projects. Around 11,500 children have so far graduated from the Foundation’s kindergartens.
Ibrahim Nasrallah, winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction ‘The Booker’ in 2018, was born in Amman to Palestinian parents who were uprooted from their land in the Nakba. He lived in the Wihdat camp for Palestinian refugees in Amman, Jordan. He began his working life as a teacher in Saudi Arabia, then worked in the fields of journalism and culture, and in 2006 he devoted himself to writing. He is considered as one of the most popular and influential Arab writers.
Nasrallah published 15 poetry collections and 22 novels, including his novelistic project "The Palestinian Comedy", which consists of 12 novels covering more than 250 years of modern Palestinian history, and the "Al-Shorafat" project, which consists of ten novels that reflect on the Arab situation from its various human, social and political aspects.
He won 10 awards, including the prestigious Sultan Al Owais Prize for Arabic Poetry in 1997; His novel "Wilds of Fever" was chosen by the British newspaper The Guardian as one of the ten most important novels written by Arabs or foreigners about the Arab world. In 2012, he received the Jerusalem Prize for Culture and Creativity, which is awarded for the first time in recognition of his literary works.
Ten critical books have been published about his literary experience, and his works have covered more than 60 PhD and MA theses in the world.
He volunteered to climb to the top of "Mount Kilimanjaro", 2014, accompanied by Palestinian children who lost their legs due to the occupation forces, and reached the summit. He wrote about this experience the novel "The Spirits of Kilimanjaro" 2015, which won the Katara Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2016.