Google's famous doodle on Wednesday celebrates Ounsi el-Hajj, a famed Lebanese writer, poet and translator who was born in 27 July 1937 and passed away on 18 February 2014. El-Hajj was one of the most influential Lebanese poets of the second half of the twentieth century and a key contributor to Lebanon's cultural and poetic renaissance. He also wrote columns for Annahar and Al-Akhbar daily newspapers. Ounsi translated several plays by Shakespeare, Ionesco, Camus and Brecht into the Arabic language. His first poetry collection, Lann (Not), was published in 1960 and sparked controversy because of its style. He joined Al-Hayat newspaper in 1956, then later joined Annahar, where he headed its cultural section until he became its chief editor from 1992 until 2003. He issued Annahar's cultural supplement, one of the best cultural journals in the Arab region, and established Poetry magazine in 1957. The Google Doodle commemorating Ounsi can be viewed in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, UAE Oman, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and Egypt. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture
