Biography
Tahar Ben Jelloun, born in Fez, Morocco, in 1944, is a distinguished author, poet, and painter. After attending a bilingual French-Moroccan primary school, he studied philosophy at the University Mohammed V in Rabat, where he published his first poetry collection, *Hommes sous linceul de silence* (1971). Ben Jelloun later taught philosophy in Morocco but moved to France in 1971 due to the Arabisation of teaching. He continued his studies in psychology at the University of Paris and began writing articles for *Le Monde*.
Ben Jelloun’s literary career began with his first novel, *Harrouda* (1973), and his doctoral thesis on social psychiatry was reflected in his work, *La Réclusion solitaire* (1976). His novel *L’Enfant de sable* (1985) brought him acclaim, and he won the Prix Goncourt in 1987 for its sequel, *La Nuit sacrée* (1987). He has authored several educational publications, including *Le Racisme expliqué à ma fille* (1998) and *L’Islam expliqué aux enfants* (2002), and is frequently invited to speak at academic institutions across Morocco, France, and Europe.
In 2008, Ben Jelloun was elected to the Académie Goncourt and is recognized as the world’s most translated author, with works in 45 languages including Esperanto and Braille. His accolades include the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award for *Cette aveuglante absence de lumière* (2004), the Prix Ulysse in 2005, the Legion of Honour from French President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008, the Erich-Maria-Remarque Peace Prize in 2011 for *L’étincelle. Révolte dans les pays arabes*, and the National Order of Merit in 2012.
Artwork
