Uniting worlds through words: Amin Maalouf elected new perpetual secretary of French Academy

For the Lebanese-French writer Amin Maalouf to become the first non-French origin to assume the position of Permanent Secretary of the French Academy is extraordinary news for the small country he hails from.

However, the celebration of Amin Maalouf was not limited to the Lebanese or the French. Both the Arab and Western worlds came together to give congratulations.

Why? Because it reaffirms that thought, culture, and literature once again prove that they have no boundaries.

The books "The Rock of Tanios" and "Leo Africanus," which left an indelible mark on the memory of Saudi Entertainment Authority Chairman Turki Al Al-Sheikh, prompted him to write a congratulatory message not only to the Lebanese but to all Arabs, describing Amin Maalouf as a bridge between the greatest of cultures.

The French Minister of Culture of Lebanese origin, Rima Abdul-Malak, also read these same books congratulating the Lebanese and French on Amin Maalouf's election.

Amin Maalouf's writings on the Crusades, as seen by the Arab world, have remained consistent across different worlds.

Maalouf has retained his unique voice through his pen and writings, which have garnered admiration from a wide array of individuals, including French Senate member Nathalie Goulet, former French Minister of Culture Jack Lang, and the Cultural Advisor to the President of the UAE, Zaki Nusseibeh, among many others.

No matter how politics and national borders may divide, culture remains a bridge between all civilizations—a bridge carried by every intellectual who contributes a line of knowledge to the world.