The World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU) has donated a sculpture of Gibran Khalil Gibran to the City of Los Angeles. The statue was unveiled on December 5th, 2014 at the Los Angeles Central Library.
The sculpture is in commemoration of the 130th anniversary of Gibran’s birth in the city of Bsharri, Lebanon. It was designed and completed by Victor Issa. it is a hollow bronze bust sculpture entitled “Gibran Khalil Gibran” that weighs 120 lbs. measures 36”x24”x17” with an average thickness of 3/16” and attached to a 100 lbs. concrete base that measures 3 ½’x 30”x 20”.
The location of the sculpture has been confirmed within the Central Library perimeters by a unanimous vote of the Board of Library Commissioners with the presence of the Librarian John F. Szabo and his staff members, Deputy Harry Semerdjian serving Council member Mitch O'Farrell of the City's 13th District, Tania Picasso, Art Manager at the Public Art Division, Anise Garabet along with Milad Oweijan and John Couri Hanna representing the WLCU Greater Los Angeles chapter.
The members of the WLCU identified the Central Library as a proposed site because the sculpture is of Gibran Khalil Gibran, an author who contributed work to both Lebanese and American literature and since June 20, 2006, Beirut, Lebanon has been a sister city to Los Angeles; a program that fosters friendly meaningful exchange between two cities through various cultural forms.