1.
MV ZOOM OUT FROM VILLAGE BISHARRI
0.09

2.
CU BUST OF GIBRAN
0.13

3.
MV EXT. MUSEUM IN NEW YORK
0.16

4.
MV PAN DOWN GIBRAN'S RE-CREATED APARTMENT
0.21

5.
MV PAN ACROSS FURNITURE INCLUDING TAPESTRY
0.27

6.
CU PAN DOWN TAPESTRY
0.34

7.
MV CHAIR & BED
0.35

8.
CU TO MV PAINTING OF MOTHER AND CHILD
0.43

9.
MV PAN ACROSS PAINTINGS ON WALL
0.53

10.
CU PORTRAITS (4 SHOTS)
1.00

11.
MV PAN ACROSS STUDIO
1.13

12.
LV ZOOM TO MV GIBRAN'S TOMB IN BISHARRI.
1.21

13.
MV INT. ZOOM TO MV BODY IN VAULT.
1.36



Initials SAW/VS/CT/PS


EDITORS NOTE: EMBARGOED UNTIL 1700 C.E.T. ON MAY 1ST.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AT GIBRAN KHALIL GIBRAN, THE RENOWNED LEBANESE POET WHO DIED IN 1931 WILL BE HONOURED AT A FESTIVAL IN BEIRUT AT THE END OF MAY. HIS BIRTHPLACE, IN THE VILLAGE OF BISHARRI, IN THE LEBANON, AND HIS FORMER NEW YORK APARTMENT HAVE BEEN MADE INTO PERMANENT MUSEUMS TO HIS MEMORY.

GIBRAN WAS BORN IN 1883 AND LIVED MOST OF HIS LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES. HIS MOST WELL-KNOWN WORK IS THE "THE PROPHET", AN EPIC MYSTICAL POEM OF NEARLY 20,000 WORDS. SCHOLARS, ADMIRERS AND POETS FROM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD WILL MEET AT THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN BEIRUT FROM MAY 22 TO 29 TO ATTEND THE FESTIVAL DEDICATED TO HIS WORK.

AMONG OVERSEAS VISITORS TO BEIRUT FOR THE FESTIVAL WILL BE YVGENEY YVTUSHENKO THE SOVIET POET.

IN NEW YORK, GIBRAN'S FORMER APARTMENT HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A MEMORIAL TO HIM. THE FURNITURE INSIDE IS JUST AS HE LEFT IT, AND PICTURES HE OWNED LINE THE WALS.

IN HIS WORK HE ATTEMPTED TO UNITE ASPECTS OF EASTERN AND WESTERN PHILOSOPHY AND DESPITE HIS REACTION TO THE HORROR OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, HE WAS STILL ABLE TO EVOKE HIS LOVE AND ENTHUSIASM FOR THE LANDSCAPES AND PEOPLE OF HIS LEBANESE HOMELAND.

HE DIED IN NEW YORK AFTER A LONG ILLNESS AND HIS REMAINS WERE BROUGHT BACK TO HIS BIRTHPLACE.