Tampa, FL - Shields of United Lebanon, Inc. (SOUL), a Florida-registered non-governmental organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Lebanese cultural heritage, has formally requested that the City of New York correct the historical attribution on the “Al Qalam: Poets in the Park” monument honoring the writers of the Mahjar literary movement.

The monument, located in Manhattan, celebrates four of the most influential literary figures of the early Arab-American diaspora: Gibran Khalil Gibran, Mikhail Naimy, Elia Abu Madi, and Ameen Rihani. While SOUL commends New York City for recognizing these towering contributors to American, Arab-American, and global literature, the organization notes that the accompanying plaque identifies the writers as “Syrian,” a designation that is incomplete and misleading in the modern historical context.

“Although these authors emigrated during the Ottoman era, when the broader region was often referred to in Western usage as Syria or Greater Syria, all four writers were born in Mount Lebanon / present-day Lebanon and are widely recognized in academic scholarship, archival documentation, and Lebanese cultural memory as Lebanese,” said Pierre A. Maroun, Founder and President of SOUL. “Correcting this attribution is not a matter of politics — it is a matter of historical accuracy and cultural integrity.”

SOUL emphasized that the requested correction does not diminish the historical significance of the former “Little Syria” neighborhood or the broader Arab-American immigrant experience in New York. Rather, it strengthens the monument’s educational value by presenting a more precise and complete account of the writers’ identities and origins.

In its formal letter to NYC Parks, the Public Design Commission, the Department of Cultural Affairs, Manhattan Community Board 1, and the offices of local elected officials, SOUL proposed the following corrected designation:

“Lebanese-American Writers of the Mahjar Movement”

or:

“Writers of Lebanese Origin from the Historic Mahjar Literary Movement.”

“Public monuments serve as educational references for residents, students, scholars, and visitors,” Maroun added. “Accuracy in their wording is essential to preserving the integrity of New York City’s cultural and historical landscape.”

SOUL has offered to provide supporting documentation, scholarly references, archival materials, and expert consultation to assist the City in reviewing the matter. The organization also expressed its readiness to meet with municipal representatives to discuss a respectful and historically accurate correction.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Pierre A. Maroun
Founder & President
Shields of United Lebanon, Inc. (SOUL)

[email protected]
7867381237

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