Assabil and Omar le Chéri in Beyrouth book fair

Despite the dramatic events in the region, the French speaking book fair in Beyrouth took place during the first 10 days of November. Gilles Kraemer, who is a MEDiakitab member, and Secretary General of Omar le Chéri association, to introduce a comic book and a book, in the name of Riveneuve publishing house. On Sunday 2^nd of November, he led a debate between Do Khiem, a Vietnamese novelist married with a Lebanese woman who wrote « Saigon samedi » and Antoine Boulad, a Lebanese poet, President of Assabil association. The authors underlined the surprising conformity : whereas war was finishing in 1975 in Vietman, it was begining in Lebanon… Above all, Gilles Kraemer inaugurated the comic exhibition with his main character, Omar le chéri, on the French speaking daily newspaper : « L’Orient Le Jour ». The newspaper publishes the Egyptian journalist’s advendtures, in the monthly younth magazine. A distinguished guest came to the private viewing : the world champion football player, Lilian Thuram, who introduced his book and his foundation against racism. At the end of the week, Gilles Kraemer proposed a two hours workshop with around 50 participants from 11 to 71 years old : « writing for comics : from synopsis to strips ». High school students interviewed him for their webradio. Students from the comics trip section in ALBA university, came with their teacher.  Last year, a comic books exhibition had been organized in collaboration with MEDiakitab, at the Marseille Mediterranean archeological Museum. It was going along with schools meetings and training in Alexandria. Omar-le-Chéri association and Riveneuve publishing house are negociating the circulation of the character’s adventures all over the Mediterranean sea. After serial publication in « al-Ahram Hebdo » (2011), « Le Quotidien d’Oran » (2014), « La Presse », in Tunisia (2014), the comics published in France (2013) will be translated to be published in Sarajevo, next year. Tamer Institute, from Ramallah may also translate it in Arabic.  A just reward for Omar le-Chéri !