When we say "Gibran Khalil Gibran," everyone's thoughts go to Bsharri, the museum, books, paintings, manuscripts, burial, trips with the family, the picture, the cup of coffee.
Yet, what you don't know is that the one we come to see his creations, he didn't come from here. Instead, he came from one of the countries farthest from Lebanon, New York: Greenwich Village, a very nice area in NY with a distinguished history.
Here, there used to live a large number of writers, poets, artists, and philosophers from around the world in studios, including Gibran.
From the heart of a small studio in New York, to which he moved from Boston in 1912, Gibran Khalil Gibran painted the future of a young man who might not have thought that he would enter history through literature, poetry, and prose.
Ninety-two years separate us from the date of Gibran's death, and today we are again in Greenwich Village.
The studio no longer exists. Instead, a building was built.
Gibran indeed used to describe himself as a painter, but the imprint he left in his writings left a great impact on American, Arab, and international literature without ever forgetting his Lebanese roots.
The book that entered the "son of Bsharri" in the history of literature is "The Prophet," which we are celebrating its centenary this year, and which is considered today one of the best-selling books in the world, as it has been translated into more than 125 languages, and it forms a link between Gibran's generations and today's generation all over the world.
The proof is that as soon as you walk through New York, you discover that many people grew up on Gibran's literature.
As for those who do not know, we tried to introduce them to it.
Gibran's generation, who lived in New York, was able to enjoy not only the book but also the discussion with him, in a church, the Saint Mark's Church in New York, which is one of the oldest churches in America, specifically in New York. Here, in this place, and for the first time, excerpts from Gibran's book "The Prophet" were read.
At that time, Gibran was invited from time to time to this church by Corinne Roosevelt, the sister of former US President Theodore Roosevelt, to read excerpts from the book with the people.
Here, people would gather around him and read with him from "The Prophet" book, and he would be patient in discussions about it.
Today, a hundred years after the publication of "The Prophet," Gibran's fans, especially the Lebanese expatriates, decided to repeat the experiment.
Because the first readings of "The Prophet" took place in the church, it provided a land on which they will build "The Flame of Life" statue, which was inspired by a painting by Gibran, and other paintings where Gibran used to sit and paint them.
Gibran's drawings and writings, which returned for the first time in 92 years to New York, that is, since his death, and after being transferred to Bsharri through an exhibition that the United Nations organized by the University of Balamand, The National Committee, the Museum of Gibran in Lebanon, and The World Lebanese Cultural Union-US Council, proved once again that Gibran Khalil Gibran never made a mistake when he said: "Love in many languages."
An exhibition that was the beginning of "Gibran's year," which will be full of activities in the world, celebrating the centenary of "The Prophet," as evidence that Gibran is between us and he will remain.