NYC built a monument to Khalil Gibran and Little Syria. Why was there global uproar?
Summary
New York City unveiled a monument called Al Qalam, honoring the poets from Little Syria, an early 20th-century Arabic-speaking immigrant community. The monument sparked protests from Lebanon because it referred to Kahlil Gibran and others as Syrian, which Lebanese officials said erased their Lebanese identity.Key Facts
- The monument Al Qalam is located in Elizabeth H Berger Plaza, Manhattan, near the old Little Syria neighborhood.
- It honors the Pen League, a group of Arab-American writers led by Kahlil Gibran, who wrote "The Prophet."
- The artist Sara Ouhaddou designed the monument and expressed a personal connection to immigration.
- Lebanese officials and cultural groups objected to the monument's sign, which called Gibran and others "Syrian" instead of "Lebanese."
- Lebanon’s foreign minister instructed diplomats to ask New York authorities to change the sign’s wording.
- The conflict reflects Lebanon’s deep concerns about its cultural identity, especially amid recent political and economic crises.
- Kahlil Gibran himself identified as Syrian during his lifetime despite being born in the Mount Lebanon region.
- The monument was unveiled under New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration.
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