Elie Salem (born 5 March 1930) is a Lebanese academic and politician. He served as the deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs between 1982 and 1984. He was the president of the University of Balamand from 1993 to 2018.

Elie Salem
In office
1982–1984
PresidentAmine Gemayel
Prime MinisterShafik Wazzan
Preceded byFouad Boutros
Succeeded byRashid Karami
Personal details
Born
Elie Adib Salem

(1930-03-05) 5 March 1930 (age 94)
Btourram, Koura District, Lebanon
SpousePhyllis Sell
Children4
Alma materAmerican University of Beirut
OccupationAcademic

Early life and education

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Salem was born in Btourram, Koura District, on 5 March 1930.[1][2] His father, Adib, was a notary public.[3]

Elie Salem graduated from American University of Beirut in 1950 obtaining a degree in political science.[4] Then he attended an American university.[5]

Career and activities

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Salem worked as an academic at his alma mater and was the dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences until 1982 when he was named as the minister of foreign and expatriate affairs,[4] and also as deputy prime minister.[1] He served in the post until 1984 during the presidency of Amine Gemayel.[4] Salem was a confidant of the President which allowed him to initiate the decision-making process at the ministry.[6]

Following the end of his term as foreign minister Salem founded the Institute for Policy Studies in Lebanon.[1] In addition, he was among the advisers of President Amin Gemayel.[7] He also taught at the School for Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.[4] From 1993 to 2018, Salem served as the president of University of Balamand.[8]

Personal life

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Salem met his wife, Phyllis Sell, in the US during his studies there,[3][5] and they married in 1954.[2] They have four children.[3] One of their children, Paul Salem, is the president of the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C.[1]

Work

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Salem has published various articles and books, including Prospects for a new Lebanon (1982), Violence and Diplomacy in Lebanon (1994), My American Bride: A Tale of Love and War (2008), and In Dialogue with Lebanon: A Personal-Political Narrative (2023).[9]

Awards

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Salem was awarded the Grand Cordon of Order of St. Peter and St. Paul in 2004.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Tom Najem; Roy C. Amore (2021). Historical Dictionary of Lebanon (2nd ed.). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 272. ISBN 978-1-5381-2044-6.
  2. ^ a b "Personal Journey". Official website of Elie Salem. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Who's Who in Lebanon (19th ed.). Beirut: Publitec Publications. 2007. p. 307. doi:10.1515/9783110945904.476. ISBN 978-3-598-07734-0.
  4. ^ a b c d "History Makers. Elie Salem". American University of Beirut. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  5. ^ a b Elie Adib Salem (2008). My American Bride. A Tale of Love and War. Quartet Books Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7043-7137-8.
  6. ^ Bassel F. Salloukh (2011). "The Art of the Impossible: The Foreign Policy of Lebanon". In Bahgat Korany; Ali E. Hillal Dessouki (eds.). The Foreign Policies of Arab States: The Challenge of Globalization. Cairo; New York: American University in Cairo Press. p. 297. doi:10.5743/cairo/9789774163609.001.0001. ISBN 9789774163609. S2CID 155984365.
  7. ^ "Gemayel's Envoys Leave Damascus for Beirut". Associated Press. Damascus. 7 March 1987. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  8. ^ "University of Balamand History and Evolution".
  9. ^ "Salem, Elie Adib". Amazon. Retrieved 7 June 2024.