Born in Syria in 1944, he has dedicated his life to promoting and disseminating Arab culture in Europe. He graduated in Law from Damascus University and pursued further studies in Political Science, History, and Social Sciences in France, where he has lived for several decades. Between 1972 and 1986, he worked at the library of the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in Paris, served as director of the Revue d’Études Palestiniennes (1981–2008), and was cultural advisor at the Arab World Institute (1989–2008). Since 1995, he has directed the Sindbad collection at Actes Sud, dedicated to translating Arabic literature into French. He has published around 25 books on politics, literature, and Arab culture, and translated works by authors such as the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. Among his works, Itineraries between Paris and Jerusalem: France and the Arab-Israeli Conflict (with Samir Kassir, 1992) stands out. The historian will be present at LEFFEST for a talk as part of the thematic cycle Exiles.
Farouk Mardam–Bey
Editor, historian
