Background
Azkoul, Karim was born on July 15, 1915 in Rashaya, Lebanon. Son of Nageeb Azkoul and Latifeh Assaly.
Diplomat researcher Philosophy educator
Azkoul, Karim was born on July 15, 1915 in Rashaya, Lebanon. Son of Nageeb Azkoul and Latifeh Assaly.
Degree, Institute Oriental Studies, Jesuit University, Beirut, 1933—1934. Degree, La Sorbonne, Paris, 1936—1937. Degree, Institute for Foreigners, Berlin University, 1934.
Degree, University Berlin, 1934—1935. Degree, University Bonn, 1935—1936. Doctor of Philosophy, University Munich, 1938.
Azkoul was a professor of History, Arab and French Literature and Philosophy in various colleges in Lebanon from 1939 to 1946. He was the Director of an Arabic publishing house and monthly Arabic review The Arab World in Beirut from 1943 to 1945. Karim Azkoul was Lebanon"s representative at the United Nations" talks on Human Rights at the time of their establishment.
There, he is known to have worked closely alongside Charles Malik.
He was Rapporteur of the Committee on Genocide in 1948. Other work of his with the United Nations includes having been Acting Permanent Delegate to the United Nations from 1950 to 1953 and Head of United Nations Affairs Department (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon) from 1953 to 1957.
On the 10th of November 1950, he was photographed at a United Nations radio alongside René Cassin, Georges Day and Herald Commander of Order of Leopold Roy, participating in a roundtable discussion for the use of French-speaking countries. He went on to become the Head Permanent Delegation to the United Nations from 1957 to 1959.
He was photographed shaking hands with Dag Hammarskjöld (then the United Nations Secretary General) when receiving his credentials there in 1958.
From 1959 to 1961, Azkoul was Consul General of Lebanon in Australia and New Zealand. From 1961 to 1964, he was Ambassador to Ghana, Guinea and Mali, and to Iran and Afghanistan from 1964 to 1966. Azkoul was a journalist from 1966 to 1968 before teaching as Professor of Philosophy at the Beirut College for Women from 1968 to 1972.
In 1970 to 1972 he was a Professor of Philosophy at the Lebanese University.
In 1978, he was Chief Editor of The Joy of Knowledge (Arabic Encyclopaedia) and responsible for ten volumes therein. of Theological School of Balamand, Lebanon. Likewise as Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists and Novelists association, Emergency World Council, Hague in 1971.
Azkoul featured as an actor in a full-length film entitled Le Voyage étranger by Serge Roullet, released in 1992. Azkoul plays the role of "Le viel homme", or "the old man".
Although Karim Azkoul made it a point to specify he was in no way anti-Semitic or anti-Jewish, he nevertheless was of a firmly anti-Zionist political stance.
He also strongly advocated Arab unification, and often spoke out against foreign national intervention in the Middle East. He predicted that tensions would worsen if the United States continued to increase its military presence in the Middle East. He also maintained that Lebanon (and the rest of the Arab world) was well on its way towards genuine democracy, as long as the western powers did not act against United Nations wishes when involving itself in the region"s politics.
Delegates to United Nations, New York City, 1947—1949. Rapporteur United Nations Committee on Genocide, 1948. Delegate United Nations Human Rights Commission, 1947—1958, United Nations Committee on freedom of information, 1949.
Vice-chairman United Nations Sub-Committee on Freedom of Information, 1949—1952. Vice chairman Human Rights Commission, 1958. Charge d'Affaires Lebanese Permanent Mission to United Nations, New York City, 1950—1954.
Director Department International Affairs & Conferences & Treaties in Minister of Foreign Affairs, Beirut, 1954—1957. Chief permanent rep of Lebanon to United Nations New York City, 1957—1959. Consul-general Australia, New Zealand, 1959—1961.
Ambassador Ghana, 1961—1964. Vice chairman Human Rights Committee, 1958.
Married Eva Corey Azkoul, September 3, 1948. Children: Jihad, Randa.
