Pharaon, Henri-Philippe

▪ 1994

      Lebanese politician and businessman (b. 1901?, Alexandria, Egypt?—d. Aug. 6, 1993, Beirut, Lebanon), was a founding father of independent Lebanon, the designer of the Lebanese national flag, and a champion of peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims. Pharaon was born into a wealthy Greek Catholic family and educated in Switzerland and France, where he received a law degree. He entered the parliament when Lebanon gained independence from France (1943-46). As foreign minister (1945; 1946-47), he oversaw Lebanon's role as a founding member of the Arab League. In the late 1950s he sought to mediate between the country's pro-Western and pro-Arab factions, but when he was not appointed to the compromise Cabinet, he gradually withdrew from politics. Pharaon's business interests included a major role in the port of Beirut, control of one of the country's leading banks, a fabulous art collection he acquired for the Pharaon palace in central Beirut, and one of the world's largest stables of Arabian racehorses.

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