Fayez Al Faqih

Journalist-Author-Activist

Fayez Al Faqih was born in Aley on 28 April, 1940.

He was the son of Sheikh Ali Al Faqih and Khawla Al Faqih.

He was born into an intellectual family. His brother was Shafik Al Faqih – author, educator and artist. His sister was Wahida Faqih Charafeddine – community and social activist.

Fayez Al Faqih received his education at the renowned Daoudia School in the nearby village of Abey, the Good Shepherd College, Aley High School and the National University.

He continued his tertiary studies abroad, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in sociology at Ain Shams University in Cairo in 1964, followed by a degree in urban sociology in 1966.

During this time in Egypt, Fayez Al Faqih developed an overwhelming admiration for President Gamal Abdel Nasser. So captivated was he, that he met with the Egyptian leader and subsequently entered the Nasser Intellectual Foundation, and later participated in its Symposium in 1978.

This approbation for President Abdel Nasser had a profound impact on the formation of Al Faqih’s personality, which was later crystallized by his long association with Progressive Socialist Party leader, Kamal Joumblatt.

When he returned to Lebanon, Fayez Al Faqih began his academic career by teaching at Al-Sirat School (the acclaimed educational college founded in Aley by Afifa Saab), then at the National University in Aley, followed by the Arab University in Beirut.

Fayez Al Faqih gained extensive experience in journalism, news and media. He was responsible for Al-Anbaa newspaper and wrote for it for several years. He wrote in Al-Muharrar, Al-Anwar, Al-Raya, Al-Nidaa, Al-Akhbar, Al-Balagh, Al Tariq, Al-Qawmi Al-Arabi, Palestine Al-Thawra, Al-Sayyad, Tishreen Al-Suriyya, and others.

Fayez Al-Faqih was known in Arab, Lebanese and international platforms as an outstanding orator, defending the issues of his people and the Arab peoples everywhere. Fayez Al-Faqih did not leave a social, political, or even family occasion without his words shining through and giving every humanitarian cause its due.

Fayez Al Faqih joined Kamal Joumblatt’s Progressive Socialist Party in 1955.

Kamal Joumblatt recognised Fayez Al Faqih’s education and sharp intellect, loyalty and dedication to the cause, and thus began a long and close association, working towards a common aim.

Fayez Al Faqih was a member of the Party’s leadership council for three terms, and represented the party in the Komsomol Organization for Soviet Youth in 1967, which was recorded in the “Soviet Pravda” newspaper.

He accompanied Kamal Jumblatt to the Ninth Congress of the Yugoslav Communist League in 1969. He represented the PSP at Tashkent, the capital of the Soviet Republic of Uzbekistan, in 1972. At the twentieth anniversary of the Communist Party in 1976, Fayez Al Faqih gave a speech in Volgograd (Russia), published by the Soviet Pravda.

With a special commission from Kamal Joumblatt, Fayez Al Faqih opened the first conference to establish the Arab Participatory Front for the Palestinian Revolution, in which he assumed the role of media director.

Later, Walid Jumblatt assigned him party media outlets in Damascus and he wrote for the Syrian Tishreen newspaper during the Mountain War.

His most prominent meetings were with Gamal Abdel Nasser, Marshal Tito, and Fidel Castro.

Fayez Al-Faqih contributed to organizing the scout movement in the party under the guidance of Kamal Jumblatt, and participated in most practical and theoretical activities including lectures, seminars, meetings, festivals, conferences, demonstrations, and popular movements.

Fayez Al Faqih was a member of the Lebanese Writers Union since 1972 and published several books, leaving behind him in his literary works, a great intellectual legacy:

نضالنا التقدمي الاشتراكي (Our Progressive Socialist Struggle)

علم الاجتماع الحضري (Urban Sociology)

حول الفكر والنضال الاشتراكي (About Socialist Thought & Struggle)

ثورة 23 تموز وعبد الناصر 9 (The July 23 Revolution & Abdel Nasser)

مع كمال جنبلاط (With Kamal Joumblatt)

Fayez Al Faqih passed away from a heart attack on 13 May, 1987, at the age of 47. His funeral in Aley was attended by leading political and media figures from all over Lebanon, and condolences were received from political figures in many countries.

He was married to Hala Jameleddine and had three children – Joumanna, Makram and Lamia.