Nota: This article has been written following a visit made on 7th August 2014, to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Lebanon General Michel Sleiman. I had the privilege of meeting with Mr. President in private in his office and discussed with him the mission statement of L’Echo du Cèdre and solicited his support and contribution.
His message was clear and sound: “No matter what happens, never lose faith in your country. The future belongs to you and to the young boys and girls of Lebanon.”
Lebanon’s battle for hope: Youth of Lebanon Rise and Move Forward!
After years of uncertainty and fear following the 1975 Lebanese civil war, the hope of a brighter future for Lebanon came about in 2005 when a Lebanese intifada, known as “the Cedar Revolution”, made headlines around the world. Millions of Lebanese, men and women, of all ages, took to the streets of Beirut demanding unity, justice, and freedom from foreign oppression.
The spirit of the 2005 Cedar Revolution is still very much alive. Since then a new Lebanon has arisen. One looking to regain its sovereignty and to rid itself of sectarian conflicts and religious strives.
Today in the face of religious fanaticism and terrorism, and more than ever before, we need to stand on guard for our nation: to rise and move forward.
Rise, in the sense that we need to abandon old habits and forget old rivalries. Move forward, in the sense that we now need to build a new nation, embrace the new world order, adopt the rule of law as the backbone of our democratic society, respect one another in our diversity, and build trust around common values.
In our quest for democracy it is imperative for us to revive our national unity. Our country can only regain its independence and therefore its strength if the people of Lebanon unite and participate in the redevelopment and reconstruction of their country.
With sadness in his eyes, Mr. President turned to me and said: “We used to be ashamed to say in front of foreign visitors coming from democratic countries, that our parliament and government institutions are attributed based on one’s religious identity. Unfortunately today, this is all what we talk about. We need to rise above those differences and artificial barriers.”
Indeed, Lebanon is home to eighteen different religious sects. It is built on a fragile consensus embedded in a Constitution and a National Pact dividing the power and the nation’s wealth among the various religious groups. However, our inter-confessional diversity is not only the essence of our rich heritage it is also a message of freedom, peace and fraternity. Lebanon is a model of pluralism and a special space for dialogue and coexistence of different cultures, ethnicities and religions.
The future of Lebanon lies in the hands of its youth. “Lebanon is a message and its youth are the bearers of this message”, as President Sleiman likes to say. It is dependent upon the manner in which they are brought up, educated, trained and equipped. There lies upon their shoulders the obligation to build a country, its human resources, its infrastructure, its laws, and its institutions. They are the future.
“Extremism and fanaticism are not at all inherent to Lebanon’s religious culture or history” said President Sleiman. “Ask your readers to work hard”, he added. “Ask them to rise above the current corruptive political system and start putting Lebanon first. Lebanon’s interest is what matters, and this is what we should be fighting for”.
It is up to the next generation of Lebanese men and women to rethink a new Lebanon. Together with the help and contribution of its diaspora, Lebanon will regain its place among the democratic nations and will become what it was meant to be, a land of peaceful coexistence and tolerance.
Only unity will ensure our survival for the decades to come!
Erik W. Chiniara - 8\8\2014
His message was clear and sound: “No matter what happens, never lose faith in your country. The future belongs to you and to the young boys and girls of Lebanon.”
Lebanon’s battle for hope: Youth of Lebanon Rise and Move Forward!
After years of uncertainty and fear following the 1975 Lebanese civil war, the hope of a brighter future for Lebanon came about in 2005 when a Lebanese intifada, known as “the Cedar Revolution”, made headlines around the world. Millions of Lebanese, men and women, of all ages, took to the streets of Beirut demanding unity, justice, and freedom from foreign oppression.
The spirit of the 2005 Cedar Revolution is still very much alive. Since then a new Lebanon has arisen. One looking to regain its sovereignty and to rid itself of sectarian conflicts and religious strives.
Today in the face of religious fanaticism and terrorism, and more than ever before, we need to stand on guard for our nation: to rise and move forward.
Rise, in the sense that we need to abandon old habits and forget old rivalries. Move forward, in the sense that we now need to build a new nation, embrace the new world order, adopt the rule of law as the backbone of our democratic society, respect one another in our diversity, and build trust around common values.
In our quest for democracy it is imperative for us to revive our national unity. Our country can only regain its independence and therefore its strength if the people of Lebanon unite and participate in the redevelopment and reconstruction of their country.
With sadness in his eyes, Mr. President turned to me and said: “We used to be ashamed to say in front of foreign visitors coming from democratic countries, that our parliament and government institutions are attributed based on one’s religious identity. Unfortunately today, this is all what we talk about. We need to rise above those differences and artificial barriers.”
Indeed, Lebanon is home to eighteen different religious sects. It is built on a fragile consensus embedded in a Constitution and a National Pact dividing the power and the nation’s wealth among the various religious groups. However, our inter-confessional diversity is not only the essence of our rich heritage it is also a message of freedom, peace and fraternity. Lebanon is a model of pluralism and a special space for dialogue and coexistence of different cultures, ethnicities and religions.
The future of Lebanon lies in the hands of its youth. “Lebanon is a message and its youth are the bearers of this message”, as President Sleiman likes to say. It is dependent upon the manner in which they are brought up, educated, trained and equipped. There lies upon their shoulders the obligation to build a country, its human resources, its infrastructure, its laws, and its institutions. They are the future.
“Extremism and fanaticism are not at all inherent to Lebanon’s religious culture or history” said President Sleiman. “Ask your readers to work hard”, he added. “Ask them to rise above the current corruptive political system and start putting Lebanon first. Lebanon’s interest is what matters, and this is what we should be fighting for”.
It is up to the next generation of Lebanese men and women to rethink a new Lebanon. Together with the help and contribution of its diaspora, Lebanon will regain its place among the democratic nations and will become what it was meant to be, a land of peaceful coexistence and tolerance.
Only unity will ensure our survival for the decades to come!
Erik W. Chiniara - 8\8\2014
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