NNA – Under the patronage of Minister of Culture Ghassan Salamé, and in cooperation with the Indian Embassy in Lebanon, the Gibran National Committee launched the first sculpture within the “Garden of the Greats,” depicting the thinker and artist, poet of nature and freedom, Rabindranath Tagore. The event was attended by Indian Ambassador Nour Rahman Sheikh, his wife, and embassy staff; MP Strida Geagea’s representative, former MP Joseph Ishaq; President of the Union of Municipalities of the Bsharri District, Elie Makhlouf; President of the Gibran National Committee, Dr. Fadi Rahme; and committee members; Deputy Mayor of Bsharri, Gaby Touk; former President of the Gibran Committee, Joseph Fenianos; and interested parties.
After a tour of the museum and listening to a detailed explanation from the museum director, Joseph Geagea, about Gibran’s thoughts, drawings, and letters, everyone moved to Mary Haskell Square, where the celebration began with the national anthem. The museum director then presented the convergence between the ideas of Gibran and Tagore, saying: “When Love Blessed the Earth: Gibran Meets Tagore in New York. In the spring of 1921, Gibran attended a poetry evening by Tagore and was deeply moved by it. The meeting was not just between two poets, but between two souls embracing in the space of universal love. This encounter left a profound impression on Gibran, who later hosted him in his studio, painted a portrait of him, and inscribed on it words glorifying his presence: I saw him – And I felt he was the God of love, Come to bless the earth with his words.”
He added: “I saw him – And I felt he was the God of love, Come to bless the earth with his words.” ”
In turn, the Indian Ambassador said: “After participating in the international conference held under the title “The Centenary of Gibran Khalil Gibran’s Universal Message,” which was organized by the Lebanese Thought Institute at the University of Notre Dame in cooperation with the Gibran Committee and the Cedars Foundation in Bsharri, I read a text from The Prophet titled “Knowledge of Self” in Hindi and English. Today, we celebrate Tagore, who won the Nobel Prize in 1913 and was one of the group of thinkers Gibran met in New York.”
He added: “Tagore, like Gibran, carried their message from Lebanon and India to the world, calling for diversity, tolerance, and an understanding of the value of freedom and justice. They shared complete respect and appreciation. For this reason, The Prophet was translated into 12 local languages in India (Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali, and Urdu) and other languages common in India. Gibran’s books The Prophet and The Madman have had a significant impact on all discussions and meetings related to Tagore as well. Gibran was also influenced by Indian spiritual philosophy.
For his part, the head of the Gibran National Committee said: “It is an honor for us to host you today on this occasion, the unveiling of the sculpture representing the thinker and artist Rabindranath Tagore, the Indian poet of nature and freedom, in the Mary Haskell Garden at the Gibran Museum. This celebration is not a one-off event, as it embodies the relationship and connection between two of the greatest poets, writers, and thinkers of the early twentieth century, Tagore and Gibran. Their paths crossed physically in New York, but they shared a profound spiritual connection, both culturally and religiously. They were both visionaries, coming from countries subject to foreign influence, with some social differences, and some of whose people are experiencing tragedies.
The Minister of Culture delivered a speech in English, thanking the head of the Gibran Committee and the Indian ambassador for making the opportunity to sponsor this global intellectual convergence and celebrate the occasion. He said, “I will say a few words in our mother tongue to add that there is a Gibran mystery that I do not claim to be able to solve. There is a mystery about this skilled painter who became a renowned writer, inspired by an Eastern spirit, and found resonance in the West.”
He added, “The English poet Rudyard Kipling used to say, ‘East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.'” But the truth is that the West is in love with Tagore’s philosophy blended with poetry, and with the prophetic book, which combines a blend of mysticism, poetry, and philosophy, as we see in Gibran’s Prophet. In other words, if the East is East and the West is West, they meet when they hear the language that knows how to address them.”
He continued: “We are proud, and will remain proud, of a man who left this town for the wider world, combining what I once called the sacred with the globalized. He combined the sacred from the Valley of the Saints, from the Prophet’s book, from the profound mysticism for which he was famous, from his knowledge and desire to learn about other religions, and combined this sacred with the globalized — that is, with what transcends geographical, national, ethnic, and other boundaries.” He was globalized before there was globalization, and he is sacred, as holiness has been since ancient times.”
He concluded: “This is Gibran. This is the Gibranian mystery that I have not solved, so that it may remain a mystery to us all. We cannot solve it, but we can enjoy his presence every day.”
After the unveiling of the model, a cocktail reception was held to commemorate the occasion.
Before the ceremony, Salameh toured the ancient Monastery of Saint Elisha in the Qadisha Valley, where he was received by former MP Isaac, representing MP Geagea; the head of the Union of Municipalities of Jebbeh, Elie Makhlouf; the head and members of the Gibran Committee, Deputy Mayor of Bcharre; the head of the monastery, Father Joseph Musallam; and tour guide Johnny Nehme, who presented in detail the historical stages that the valley and its monasteries have gone through, in addition to the archaeological landmarks present in the region.
Salameh and his hosts also listened to a welcoming speech from Father Musallam, and everyone prayed at the tomb of Saint Antoine Tarabay. Musallam presented the minister with souvenirs before moving on to Museum.
MP Ishaq delivered a speech on the sidelines of the visit, welcoming the Minister of Culture to the Holy Valley. He emphasized that “the visit is of great importance to the people and represents support for the progress that has begun and for the projects undertaken by MP Strida Geagea to help people become rooted in their land, while preserving the heritage and sanctity of the valley.”
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