Maison Naaman pour la Culture (Dar Naaman lith-Thaqafa), was founded in 1979 by Mitri Naaman (1912-1994), poet and writer, known for his writings in Arabic as well as for his translations of Malraux, Maurois and Bernanos. His work was rewarded by two decorations: Al Ma'aref (Lebanon, 1985), and Chevalier des Arts et Lettres (France, 1989).
Maison Naaman pour la Culture was run since its foundation by Naji Mitri Naaman, co-owner, who became sole owner of the house in 1983.
In 1981, Naji Naaman published a first series of studies and researches about the Arab world entitled Politics and Strategy (Siyassa wa Stratégia).
In 1983 he began the publishing of the Encyclopedia of Contemporary Arab World (Mawsu'atul-'Alamil-'Arabiyyil-Mu'assir).He also published
in 1985 The Arab World, another series of studies and researches about the Arab world, and, in 2000, a new encyclopedia, Encyclopedia of Arab Events (Mawsu'atul-'Alamil-'Arabiyyil-Mu'assir).The biographical volumes he first published in Arabic, as from 1985, were edited in English as from 1999 via Naaman Biographical Centre (NBC): i.e. 2000 Prominent Arabs of the 20th Century, and World of Arabs.
In 1987, Naji Naaman inaugurated Galerie d'Art Naaman (Art Gallery). In 1991, he established a free of charge series of literary books entitled Ath-Thaqafa bil-Majjan, and created in 2002 Naji Naaman's Literary Prizes (Jawa'iz Naji Naaman al-Adabiyya) that awarded between 2003 and 2009 more than 340 laureates from all over the world, and made his publishing house a "polyglot" one printing in more than fifty different languages.
In 2007, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the death of Monsignor Nicolas Naaman, he created a new series of prizes: Naji Naaman’s Targeted Literary Prizes (Jawa'iz Naji Naaman Al-Adabiyyal-Hadifa) , i.e.:
- Archbishop Nicolas Naaman's Prize for Human Virtues.
- Mitri Naaman's Prize for the Defense and the Advance of Arabic Language.
- Angélique Bacha's Prize for the Consolidation of Family Ties.
- Marie-Louise El-Hawa Prize of Moral Literature for Children.
The same year, he launched the following cultural activities: "Mitri and Angélique Naaman Commemorative Room" (Salatu Mitri wa Angélique Naaman Al-Isti'adiyya) , the "Wednesday’s Meetings" (Liqa'ul Arba'a') (literary and cultural salon), and L'Atelier d'Écriture (Al-Muhtaraf Al-Adabi, a writing workshop).
In 2008, it’s the turn for him to establish a series of public kiosks for free of charge books and a free library of complete works.
It is to be notified that Naji Naaman opened in 1999 all stocks of Maison Naaman pour la Culture to any person or association wishing to acquire free of charge books on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the House’s foundation, the fifth anniversary of its founder’s death, and the proclamation of Beirut as Arab cultural capital. He did the same in 2009 on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the House’s foundation, the fifteenth anniversary of its founder’s death, the proclamation of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as Arab cultural capital, and the proclamation of Beirut as world book capital.