THE MAJLIS
day gathering to it, which drew a large crowd. We are trying to say that it is the state’ s duty to safeguard freedom of expression and that it is also the state’ s duty to accept responsibility for the calamities that have befallen the country. This, in turn, will encourage people to take responsibility as well, so that we do not keep passing the blame back and forth indefinitely:“ It’ s the state’ s fault” or“ It’ s the people’ s fault.” The state must assume its responsibilities so that people can say: Yes, the state has acknowledged that it made mistakes and allowed the country to slide into civil war, just as it left the ammonium nitrate at the Port of Beirut. And we, as citizens— what did we do? Before asking people to take responsibility for the calamities that befell them, the state must set the example.
Regarding cultural education, do you think schools need a more deliberate and comprehensive program? What should the focus be for the younger generation?
I am glad society is taking on much of this role, out of concern that public education may be unable to fulfill it, and the ministry certainly cannot. I cannot open a branch of the conservatory in every village. We have 17 branches, which is no small number, and there are dozens of private initiatives. For music, we will hold a“ Night of Music” in the second half of October, as we did with the“ Night of Museums.” That night drew some 40,000 Lebanese to museums in five hours, including 11,000 at the National Museum. That is remarkable, given the difficult circumstances and inadequate funding.
This new issue of Matahef devotes significant space to the younger generation. What role do you see for them today? Will they be active participants in culture or merely guardians of heritage?
Not merely guardians, no. Culture is a field of production, and part of it is sovereign— like foreign affairs or defense— namely, archaeological heritage. That heritage belongs to the state, and the ministry is accountable if it neglects Baalbek, Tyre, Byblos, and the other major archaeological sites; accountability is a serious matter. Setting that sovereign dimension aside, everything else in culture, especially the creative industries, is in the hands of young women and men. I want to work with them, encourage them, help establish professional associations for them, and open markets to them. We try to help them as much as we can because young people are the foundation of the creative industries. Protecting heritage, as I said, is another matter. Do you see potential for cultural cooperation with Arab nations? Limited. It exists, but it remains very limited. States are sometimes incapable of it. At other times— fortunately— they can’ t stop culture from crossing borders.
How, for example, can you prevent a Fairuz song from being heard in Morocco? Or a writer in Morocco from being read in Beirut?
In the cultural sphere, access to information has become widely available and largely transcends state decisions. The technological revolution has broken down many borders and put the censor out of work.“ The technological revolution has broken down many borders and put the censor out of work.” That is why the informal cultural sector has benefited from this openness.
Many people view museums as relics of the past. Where do museums rank among your priorities, and what could a Lebanese museum become in the future?
The situation is difficult, and resources are limited. We must follow through and complete what we have started. My priority is to complete the Sidon Museum and the Tyre Museum, both of which were begun but stalled for lack of funding. These two museums are therefore among my top priorities, along with building a proper open-storage facility in Byblos, which is absolutely essential; expanding the Tripoli museum within the citadel; and the National Memory project. We must preserve our greatest national wealth and make it accessible, with part of it digitized and available to all. I believe what Lebanon needs is for the museum to become a civic space, moving beyond being an institution for display alone and becoming a space open to the public that brings together different groups and communities and encourages encounter, interaction, and participation. When we held the Night of Museums, different sects and generations mingled. The museum played precisely this role that night: it brought people together and made such an encounter possible. In that moment, the divides among sects, regions, and generations dissolved. It was astonishing.
But to go further with projects that bring communities together, where are the programs that foster genuine connection and real dialogue among people, so the museum becomes a civic space integrated into everyday life?
That is what we do here at the library, where there is more room and we can avoid disturbing museum visitors. It is also a nonsectarian location, not associated with any particular community.
What is your favorite museum— or museums? And why?
I admire Caravaggio’ s work and love it deeply. And of course, Van Gogh, in Amsterdam and elsewhere. Many museums make me pause, among them the Prado, which I visit every time I go to Madrid.
Interview by Michele Anbar
82 MATAHEF ISSUE 05