Joumana Haddad is a Lebanese author, journalist and human rights activist. She's been selected as one of the world’s 100 most powerful Arab women for four years in a row by Arabian Business Magazine (she came in position 34 in 2017), for her cultural and social activism.
She has worked in An Nahar newspaper since 1997, and was head of the cultural pages from 2005 until 2017.
She's been an instructor of creative writing and modern arabic poetry at the Lebanese American University from 2013 to 2016.
She’s also been the administrator of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (the Arab Booker) from 2007 till 2011.
She has published several works of poetry and prose, widely acclaimed by critics. Her books have been translated to many languages and published abroad.
Speaking seven languages, Haddad is a polyglot and has published several works of translation, including an anthology of Lebanese modern poetry in Spanish, published in Spain as well as in many Latin American countries, and an anthology of 150 poets who committed suicide in the 20th century.
She interviewed many international writers, such as Umberto Eco, Paul Auster, Jose Saramago, Peter Handke, Elfriede Jelinek, and others.
Awards
Joumana Haddad has been awarded the Arab Press Prize in 2006.
In October 2009, she has been chosen as one of the 39 most interesting Arab writers under 39.
In November 2009, she won the International Prize North South for poetry, of the Pescarabruzzo Foundation in Italy.
In February 2010, she won the Blue Metropolis Al Majidi Ibn Dhaher Arab Literary Prize.
In November 2009, she won the International Prize North South for poetry, of the Pescarabruzzo Foundation in Italy.
In February 2010, she won the Blue Metropolis Al Majidi Ibn Dhaher Arab Literary Prize.
In August 2010, she received the Rodolfo Gentili Prize in Porto Recanati, Italy.
In November 2012, she received the Cutuli Prize for journalism in Catania, Italy.
In July 2013, she was appointed honorary ambassador for culture and human rights for the city of Naples in the Mediterranean by the mayor of Naples Luigi de Magistris.
In February 2014, she was awarded the "Career Poetry Prize" by the Archicultura Foundation in Acquiterme, Italy.
