A New Narrative of Peace: The Gibran Chair’s First Publication Under New Director, May Rihani

A New Narrative of Peace: The Vision and Programs of the Gibran Chair is the first publication produced under the auspices of the new Gibran Chair Director May Rihani. This book highlights strategic and pragmatic approaches which make Peace more attainable by detailing the Chair’s vision that Peace is based on three principles: Social Justice, Valuing Diversity, and Ensuring Inclusivity in processes and decision making. The book also emphasizes the importance of deepening the understanding between Eastern and Western cultures in general, and the Arab ethos and American values in particular. A New Narrative of Peace captures what Director Rihani said in her Inaugural Lecture as well as how the audience reacted to the lecture.  

In addition to Director Rihani’s lecture about Peace, this publication is indebted to the contributions of Dr. Wallace Loh, President of the University of Maryland who penned the Introduction; Dr. Gregory Ball, Dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences who penned the Foreword; and Mr. Ali Karanouh, First Secretary and Consul of the Embassy of Lebanon in Washington D.C. who wrote about the role of Kahlil Gibran in promoting the understanding between the East and the West. Also, the publication benefitted from the skills of Michael Dravis, the publication’s Editor, whose dedication was unparalleled and whose keen eye and editorial skills were integral to the quality of this publication; Nadim van de Fliert, the Designer of the publication whose remarkable attention to presentation enhanced the elegance of the publication; and to Mona Rezvani whose attention to every detail made this publication even more reader-friendly.

Gibran Chair Director, May Rihani, says in her book, “This elusive Peace that we all yearn for, despite all the obstacles that exist on the road towards it, is perhaps what is most needed in this century,” she continues to say, “there is a need to enhance opportunities for the younger generations to become visionaries and architects of a new narrative of Peace.”

Published on Fri, Jun 30, 2017 - 4:02PM