Ahmed Fouad Shennib () was a Libyan

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 (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

and

ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...

. 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 Benghazi () () is the List of cities in Libya, second-most-populous city in Libya as well as the largest city in Cyrenaica, with an estimated population of 859,000 in 2023. Located on the Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, Ben ...

, Libya.

Literary Contributions

Ahmed Fouad Shennib is most known for his collection of poems addressing the subject of Libyan nationalism 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 Libyan poets Libyan expatriates in France Cultural attachés Libyan expatriates in Syria {{libya-bio-stub