Biography
Charles Corm (1894-1963) was a Lebanese writer, businessman and philanthropist. He is considered to be the leader of the Phoenicianism movement in Lebanon which ignited a surge of nationalism that led to Lebanon's independence.In a country torn by sectarian conflicts, Corm's intention was to find a common root shared by all Lebanese beyond their religious beliefs. Over the course of his life, Corm received more than 100 international literary and non literary awards, including the Edgar Allan Poe International Poetry Prize 1934, Citizen of Honor of New York City (USA), Grand Officer of the National Order of the Cedar (Lebanon), Officer of the French Poets' Society (France), Medal of Honor of the Académie Française in 1950 (France), Grand Officer of the Order of Human Merit (Switzerland), Cross of Academic Honor of the American International Academy (USA) and Grand Officer of the Academic Order (Italy).
Although most Lebanese authors at the time wrote in Arabic, Corm mostly wrote in French. One of his main contributions is La Revue Phénicienne, a publication he founded in July 1919 in which many of the most influential Middle East writers of the time took part and which strongly inspired Lebanon's independence. He is considered to be one of the most influential and awarded modern Lebanese writers (along with fellow poet and friend Khalil Gibran) due to his advocacy of Lebanese identity and nationalism. His literary work is found in most of the leading public libraries and universities in the world.
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