The Youth expressed their joy in the following speech:
Hello everyone, thank you for coming. My name is Marc Ghanem, and this is Melanie Kahwaji, and we are here with the WLCU Youth Chapter.
Mr Hage, It’s a true privilege to have you here, not only as an award winning author, but one of Lebanese descent, and as someone with whom our youth can identify. Through your unique brand of humor and masterful storytelling you have helped us find a connection with our culture in a way that doesn’t strip us of our Canadian identity. Your writing reminds us of the hardships our parents experienced through war and immigration but allows us to overcome this through humour.
Congratulations on your new designation with the Library. You’re an inspiration to youth of all backgrounds, but especially to Lebanese youth, proving that with hard work anyone can reach their most ambitious goals. We’re very proud of how you represent our culture and in recognition of that we’d like to offer you this small gift… 