The French writer of Lebanese origin "Amin Maalouf" has been elected as the permanent secretary of the French Academy, a position he will hold for life.

The French-Lebanese writer Amin Maalouf is considered one of the prominent figures in historical novels inspired by the East, and he has dedicated his literary production to the rapprochement between civilizations.

Maalouf assumed this position after Hélène Carrère d’Encausse, who passed away last August, winning with a majority of 24 votes against 8 for his competitor and friend, the writer Jean-Christophe Rufin.

Only 32 individuals have held the position of secretary general of the academy since 1634, and Maalouf is the first person of non-French origin to undertake this task, being the most favored candidate to lead the academy.

The academy consists of 40 seats, of which 28 are occupied by men and 7 by women, while there are 5 vacant seats awaiting elections. Its members are called "the immortals," and one of their tasks is to preserve the French language and update dictionaries.

Upon joining the academy in 2012, Maalouf engraved on his sword, which symbolizes the members of the esteemed institution, the symbol of "Marianne," the emblem of the French Republic, and the cedar of Lebanon.

Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak, who is French of Lebanese descent, stated upon her arrival at the academy's headquarters after the elections, "It is an excellent choice, a great writer, and a man of brotherhood, dialogue, and calm."

She affirmed that Maalouf's election carries wonderful symbolism for all French speakers around the world.

Who is Amin Maalouf?

He is a French writer of Lebanese origin and won the Prix Goncourt in 1993 for his novel "The Rock of Tanios," having been an announced candidate for some time.

He is one of the most important authors of historical novels inspired by the East and has focused on the issue of the rapprochement of civilizations in his works.

Amin was born in Beirut on February 25, 1949, and is the son of Rushdi Maalouf, a journalist, writer, teacher, painter, and poet.

Following in his father’s footsteps, he entered the field of journalism after studying economics and sociology. For 12 years, he worked as a chief correspondent, covering the fall of the monarchy in Ethiopia and the last battle of Saigon, after which he managed "An-Nahar Al-Arabi Wal-Duwali."

In 1975, he witnessed the first clashes following the outbreak of the Lebanese war before deciding to leave for France, stating, "I left Lebanon after a year of war, but I do not feel guilty because, at a certain stage, I had to make the decision to leave for myself and my family."

He joined the weekly magazine "Jeune Afrique" in Paris, of which he later became editor-in-chief.

Amin Maalouf's writing style

Amin Maalouf writes in a style that blends strength and fluidity with an Eastern flavor. However, he says, "If they find me Eastern in the West, then in the East, they will find me very Western."

Maalouf waited until 1993 to bring Lebanon back into his book "The Rock of Tanios," clarifying, "I have never distanced myself from Lebanon, but my country is the one that distanced itself from me."

He said upon returning to his homeland in 1993 after a ten-year absence, "I do not try to know to which country I belong; I live this dual nationality, Lebanese and French, harmoniously."