Maria Maalouf

Maria Maalouf
Born	November 25, 1968 Zahlé,Lebanon
Nationality	Lebanese
Other names	ماريا معلوف
Occupation	Journalist

Maria Maalouf (Arabic: ماريا معلوف‎), is a Lebanese journalist "and political analyst. Maalouf made international news when she received death threats on her cell phone. One threat from a Lebanese man told Maalouf in English, that "you are a dead girl." "اعتبري نفسك ميتة "^[1] Maalouf quickly alerted the authorities.

The message that Maria Maalouf received on her cell phone was in response to a political program she had taped earlier that day. On that program Maalouf invited renowned German criminal investigator Jürgen Cain Külbel who spoke about his latest book, and argued that the Mossad was responsible for the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri rather than Syria.

Media

Maalouf used to host a political program on NewtvSat called "bela raqeeb" (Arabic for "without censorship"). She now hosts a political program on the Lebanese channel NBN. Maalouf's objective political analysis and research is foreign in the typical partisan media of Lebanon.

Biography and Achievements

• Maria was born in Zahle and belongs to a family that has effectively collaborated in the intellectual and literary life in Lebanon and the Arab World. She has been intensely affected by the cultural and intellectual product of various familial authors, literary writers, and politicians at home and overseas.

• Maria finished her secondary studies at the Congregation of the Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family. She then joined the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Lebanese University. She completed her MA thesis entitled “The Political History of the Hrawis in Recognition of the Late President Elias Hrawi”, and received her diploma under the title of “The Abolition of Political Sectarianism between Supporters and Opponents”.

• Maalouf reinforced the idea of her thesis using articles, researches, and seminars in Lebanon and other Arab countries.

• She is currently working on her PHD in Political Sociology.

• Some of her works include: “A Woman Looking for a Home”, “The Political History of the Hrawis”, “The Abolition of Political Sectarianism”, “The Zionist Forgery of Christianity”, and her book “The Tunisian Woman: The Age of Challenges”.

• She prepared and presented the political program “Bila Rakib” on New TV, which hosted more than 1,400 Arab and Western presidents, ministers, and prime ministers for over 150 episodes. She also presented this program on Libya Mediterranean Channel. Another program she presented was “With Maria Maalouf” on the Lebanese television network NBN. In addition, she presented an Arab political program on the Egyptian El Mehwar TV Network.

• She was the last journalist to have met President Yasser Arafat before his death.

• She is the owner of Dar Al Khaleej Printing and Publishing that issues The Gulf Mirror (Meraat Al Khalij), an economic, social, and cultural magazine, as well as Banko, a magazine concerned with banks and other media and advertising activities. She is also the owner of another daily, Lebanese, political newspaper called The Pioneers (Al Rouwad), which was first issued in 1932 and has been issued weekly since 2011. Maalouf has been renowned for conducting the first press interview with Habib Al Shartouni, who assassinated President Bashir Gemayel and that kept a low profile at the time. Arrouwad newspaper has also been issued electronically since 2007, delivering breaking news about the latest updates in both regional and international arenas.

• She was the first Lebanese journalist to have met with President Obama after his election, as well as with other business men and women from different parts of the world.

• She participated in several seminars and forums that dealt with media, politics, and sociology.

• She is an advocate for women’s, family, and human rights, and has participated in seminars and forums on these issues.

Shields and medals

• Maria Maalouf holds numerous shields and medals, some of which are: - shield of Oman’s council – Sultanate of Oman - medal of the state of Maryland – United States - medal of Lebanon for press and media - honorary shield from the Youth of Rashmaya - shield of the Arab-European Center of Human Rights in recognition for her efforts in defending Austria’s liberty - honorary and appreciative shield from the Cedar National Movement of Lebanon

Interviews

• She interviewed a number of Arab and international personalities, such as the president of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bakir Izetbegović, former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, American thinker Francis Fukuyama, and United States National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski. Moreover, she recently hosted President Amin Gemayel and former Lebanese Minister of Justice Ibrahim Najjar on her program Lel-Rouwad Faqat. The program also hosted many political and economic figures from the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Minister of the state of Maryland, the Vice Mayor of Baltimore, the Vice President of the Iraqi Council of Ministers Dr. Tariq al-Hashimi, and former Prime Minister of Iraq Dr. Ayad Allawi.

Personal life

• She is currently working on and presenting her program Lel-Rouwad Faqat—the first political Arabic program on the YouTube channel Al-Rouwad Web TV.

Works

• A Woman Looking for a Home

• The Political History of the Hrawis

• The Abolition of Political Sectarianism

• The Zionist Forgery of Christianity

• The Tunisian Woman: The Age of Challenges

• Mahdi: Imamate, Caliphate, the Shahada, the Absence, the Wait, the Return

Television Programs

• El Mehwar TV Network – With Maria Maalouf • Al Moutawasset TV – Bila Rakib • NBN Network – With Maria Maalouf • New TV Network – Bila Rakib

References

1. http://web.archive.org/web/20110708050440/http://leilamagazine2.blogspot.com/2006/05/blog-post_114904979627340795.html. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2008. Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

• (Al Rouwad) newspaper

External links

• Maria Maalouf Official site