The International Maronite Foundation hosted a meeting with the
Bishops from Lebanon accompanying His Beatitude Nasrallah Peter
Sfeir on his trip to the United States. The meeting was held in
Los Angeles.
Opening remarks by Chairman of the Foundation, Edward Salem,
focused on the goals and objectives of the Foundation. The primary
one of which is to support the Patriarch and the Patriarchy as it
works both religiously and politically. The Foundation is growing
rapidly in numbers as well as tasks to be performed. However, said
Salem, the need is for effective communication and exchange of
thoughts and strategy with the Maronite leadership both in Lebanon
and around the world. The Foundation has established links and
contacts with the various Maronite organizations in the many
countries and is assisting in the formation of others.
The Foundation is in support of the patriarch in his call for
the removal of all foreign elements from Lebanon. It is working in
the United States, especially, and in other capitols, to garner
support for the negotiated removal of all from Lebanon and a
return of Lebanon to full sovereignty. The Foundation also
supports the Patriarch’s position that the Palestinians must not
be permanently settled in Lebanon as part of any global Middle
East solution. The Foundation is actively working to ensure that
the Patriarch’s positions are widely disseminated and given the
proper attention at the right levels of government both in the
United States and abroad.
The Bishops as a group, expressed their support for the
Foundation, and indicated their desire to broaden the
communication links between the leadership in Lebanon and the
Foundation to expand the areas of cooperation. Specific projects,
such as the Maronite League of Lebanon’s project to bring
English-speaking youth to Lebanon to familiarize themselves with
their roots
and to learn Lebanese during the summer are important and are to
be supported.
The Foundation emerged from the actions taken at the
International Maronite Congress of 1994. The Bishops urged the
Foundation to hold another conference soon. Dr. Eli Ayoub,
Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Foundation, indicated
that plans were under way to hold a conference sometime in the
summer or fall of 2002. In the meantime, the Foundation would host
a planning conference as a preliminary dialogue with Maronite
leaders sometime later this year or in the winter of next year.
A discussion ensued concerning creating a closer bond among the
Christian Leadership in Lebanon. By
encouraging dialogue and finding common grounds, we can help
create a unity of purpose among all. We can also encourage the
approach that even though there are political parties and other
individual interests, everyone must consider themselves first
Lebanese, then Christians and Maronites, and lastly as political
groups. If Lebanon, as a nation fails for lack of support from a
unified nation, then all will be lost.
Further discussion took place on the ability of the Foundation
to influence US policy on Lebanon, and the ability of our officers
and members to heighten the focus on the key issues. Active
efforts are under way to work with the key policy makers in
Washington at all levels to influence US foreign policy activity
concerning Lebanon. The Foundation has created alliances
among other Christian organizations to bolster their efforts.
The loss of the youth and middle class families in Lebanon to
emigration as they move to Australia, Canada, the US and other
lands is a major worry to the Christian leadership. They asked the
Foundation to explore activities, both from a political and
humanitarian perspective, to assist in creating jobs and careers
for the youth in Lebanon, to help it retain the “brain-trust” that
will fuel the economy of Lebanon in the future.
The meeting adjourned to attend the mass of the Patriarch.
In attendance:
From Lebanon
Bishop Bechara Rahi
Bishop Chickrallah Harb
Bishop Boulos Matar
Bishop Tanios El Khoury
Bishop Francis Basissari
Bishop Mounjhed El Hachem
International Maronite Foundation
Edward Salem, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Eli Ayoub, M.D., Chairman of the Executive Committee
Judge James Kaddo
Joseph Ayoub, M.D.
Antoine Khoueiry, M.D.
John Nassar, DDS
Joanna Nassar, OD
Emira Matar
