In a continuous endeavor to enhance Lebanon National Library, Minister of Culture Dr. Mohamed Daoud Daoud revived the cooperation agreement between the National Library of Lebanon and the French National Library.
The renewal agreement was recently signed in Paris by Dr. Daoud and the head of the French National Library, Mrs. Lawrence Angel. While re-signing the agreement, Minister Daoud stressed on the importance of activating such agreements that support the cultural institutions in Lebanon.
Talking about its importance, he stated that this agreement aims at keeping pace with the launching of the Lebanese National Library last year.
He explained that it encourages the hosting of French professional expertise that will benefit our National Library in many fields, such as the development of collections, cataloging, and numbering.
That is to add to the importance of the cultural exchange between the two national libraries of both countries. He concluded, thanking the French embassy for its efforts in favoring the completion of the agreement. From her side, Mrs. Lawrence Angel noted the importance of cooperation in the cultural field between Lebanon and France.
While in France, Minister Daoud visited C’est Beyrouth exhibition at the Islamic Cultural Institute in Paris. This exhibition brings together a large number of photographic and visual works by a number of Lebanese and foreign photographers about the city of Beirut and its inhabitants.
C’est Beyrouth exhibition attracts a wide range of visitors, counting to date over 9,000 visitors since its opening in March 2018.
Via Institut des Cultures d’Islam
During his tour, Minister Daoud shed the light on the professionalism and beauty of Lebanese talents, “They compete with their counterparts in the world and are considered the finest types of Lebanese representation abroad.”
Located in Beirut by Hamra street, Lebanon National Library is over a century old. It opened early in the twenty century. From 1959 to 2006, it served instead as the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of the Lebanese University. During the civil war, it was badly damaged and lost thousands of valuable documents and materials.
Officially re-allocated in 1999 to the sole function of National Library, which took it over only in 2006, a massive renovation of 25 million dollars initiated in 2014 to bring it to the grandeur of its rightful use.
It wasn’t but until last year that Lebanon National Library came back to life, enhanced and better than ever before. In June of 2018, it opens widely its cultural doors in a grand official event attended by a mass of government officials, public figures, and citizens.
The recent renewal of the agreement with France’s National Libray falls within the government strategic plan to further develop our National Library in a commendable effort to better serve the citizens.
