The “Immortals” have a new secretary, one from two worlds, from this and the other side of the Mediterranean. Amin Maalouf, born and raised in Lebanon, will now head the Académie Française in Paris, the highest authority for the French language since 1635, an institution that is rarely found in France. And this election is already a small sensation. For the many Francophones outside France who were not born with the beautiful language, the 74-year-old writer Amin Maalouf is a symbol, a fine victory.
Amin Maalouf, new head of the prestigious Académie Française – Culture
