Ahmed Fouad Shennib ( ar, أحمد فؤاد شنيب) was a

Libyan Demographics of Libya is the demography of Libya, specifically covering population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, and religious affiliations, as well as other aspects of the Libyan population. The ...

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems ( oral or wri ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

and ambassador. Born in Hama, Syria in 1923 of Libyan parents in exile. Shennib was educated at the Sorbonne in Paris and served as cultural attache to UNESCO until 1959. He then served as cultural attache in Washington DC (1959–1963), then Paris, France in 1963. He then returned to Libya in 1963 to serve as Minister of Education and Culture until 1964. Ahmed Fouad Shennib died in January 2007 of pancreatic cancer in Benghazi, Libya.

Literary Contributions

Ahmed Fouad Shennib is most known for his collection of poems addressing the subject of

Libyan nationalism Libyan nationalism refers to the nationalism of Libyans and Libyan culture. Libyan nationalism began to arise with the creation of the Senussi religious orders in the 1830s that blended North African Sufism with orthodox Islam. After colonization ...

and identity. His poetry stems primarily from the period following the proclamation of Libyan independence in 1951. During this period several poets emerged "who rejected the classical forms of Arabic versification and showed an interest in social problems, particularly the life of the common people". The primary authors of this period were Ahmed Fuad Shennib, Ali Sidqi Abd al-Kadir and Ali al-Ruqii. Common themes of prose during this period were the struggle for independence, social equality and condemned prejudice. The poems 'Libya', 'After Dusk' and 'Al Ashiqah' regularly feature in the curricula of Arabic Literature covering North Africa.'Poems by Libyan poet Ahmed Fouad Shennib', Libyanet.com http://www.libyanet.com/afs00003.htm

Notes

Libyan poets Education ministers of Libya Libyan diplomats Libyan nationalists 1923 births 2007 deaths People from Tripoli, Libya University of Paris alumni Deaths from pancreatic cancer 20th-century poets Libyan expatriates in France Cultural attachés Libyan expatriates in Syria {{libya-bio-stub