WLCU WORLD MEETING IN MEXICO-MAY 2000
Statement of WLCU National Mexican Council President
MR.GEORGE BECHARA
Excellence Lebanon Ambassador in Mexico Mr. Nouhad.
Engineer Jorge Nacif Caram, Chaiman of the Consejo Directivo del Club Centro Libanes de la Citudad de Mexico (board of director of Mexico City’s Lebanese Center Club);
Distinguished Former Chairmen of the World Lebanese Cultural Union;
Brothers Chairmen of the Lebanese Clubs and Associations throughout the Mexican Republic;
Your attendance is an honour for me
Some decades ago, the idea of a World Lebanese Union was merely a thought within our parents’ minds and hearts. This concept provided, the most suitable way to constitute a Universal Lebanese Union that would preserve Lebanon’s name, heritage and legate.
Starting from that moment, much was said and done to achieve this goal, nevertheless, the painful agony suffered by Lebanon in the last twenty five years, as the bitter and unnecessary division among us, have led to the weakening of our efforts and the undermining of our way towards our greatest ideals.
Today, all that is history; one that must be considered only to remember it, not to suffer it; one that cannot be changed but that can be interpreted and understood; one that belongs to the past, as the future belongs now, to us. We are facing a time of renascence, of dreams, of labour and achievements; a time to be aware of the fact that other nations and races are no superior to ours.
Watching you all here today brings me happiness and hope to consolidate the Lebanon that we all wish for. That dream of our grandparents and parents, that was just an illusion before, is today coming true. Today, more than ever, that idea of a Universal Lebanese Union is renewed. Your presence here lights the fire within our heart, to leave our children a sole inheritance called “Lebanon”. A legacy that fills us with its tradition, roots, and heritage.
The interest shown by all those who learnt the news of such important undertaking, demonstrates that both adults and young people are willing to see all of Lebanon’s children together underneath the shade of the great cedar tree. This fact gives us opportunity that we have claimed for so long to keep the promises and wishes of our ancestors who have left their trace throughout the world and for whom we have sworn not to forget our origin. However, this opportunity brings along responsibilities such as the obligation to consolidate a stronger World Lebanese Union with a higher level of participation and a sound legal framework; once we have a better organization we will have real power and strength to meet our objectives, and also a more active stand and participation in all affairs regarding Lebanese. This way, we will validate our rights to have free speech and vote as Lebanese citizens in the world within a legal framework.
A World Lebanese Union offering a staff truly interested in the Lebanese and their migration affairs, constituted by people that are genuinely identified with Lebanon, with its ideology and needs. People willing to contribute in Lebanon’s actual development.
A World Lebanese Union that encourages youth to fight for what belongs to them by blood right, making a general call to the government asking for more convenient procedures to register our children as what they are “True Lebanese”, with much more right to the citizenship than some other groups favoured by it. Let us have the opportunity to help Lebanon to preserve its autonomy and sovereignty in such critical moments in its history.
A World Lebanese Union that teaches the history and greatness of our Lebanon to our children by means of educational organisms that allows our children to get the essential knowledge of our race, so they can really feel their ancestry and have the need to fight for it. A Lebanon without boundaries, where every Lebanese home can be a piece of land where any son of the cedar can grow roots.
A World Lebanese Union that is an independent and autonomous organism that acts like a spokesman for every Lebanese immigrant in the world. A Union that watches over the interests of all those who are still linked to the land of their ancestors and who proudly live and breathe the smell of the cedar and feel the colors of their flag.
A World Lebanese Union that allows us to “have access to the fortune of being river instead of lagoon, of being rain instead of watching it rain.”
Let us take advantage of our time and energy to work hard in order to reach the objectives that we set to do, and let us be an example to the world on how we reach our goals found on honesty, work, passion, brotherhood an cordiality, which are all characteristics of our race; just the way the founder of the World Lebanese Union in Mexico did it forty years ago. Let us be then the most distinguished citizens of the countries that embraced our fathers, and who gave us a home. Let’s dignify our origin in this renewed Lebanese World Union.
Hence feel yourself welcome and let God help us to harvest what we are about to sow today.
Thank you very much.