Overview
- The Premio FIL de Literatura en Lenguas Romances was conferred at the fair’s inauguration, with the jury hailing Maalouf as a leading contemporary voice who probes modern fractures and cultural crossings.
- In his address, he outlined three missions for literature: to clarify global complexity, to persuade readers of a common human destiny, and to spotlight values that uphold dignity and freedom.
- He warned that rapid advances in fields such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology are outstripping moral and political evolution and are feeding a new arms race.
- He argued that technological gains are irreversible while moral progress is fragile, urging deliberate, sustained action to place innovation in the service of people rather than control.
- Speaking to reporters, he voiced bleak expectations for resolving the Israel–Gaza conflict, saying it is likely to endure indefinitely, as his public appearances at the fair continue this week.