NNA - The Order of Malta Lebanon launched its Agro-Humanitarian program during a ceremony held at the Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA), in the presence of Mr. Abbas Hajj Hassan, Minister of Agriculture, representing Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Mr. Walid Nassar, Minister of Tourism, representing Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Former Prime Minister Tammam Salam, His Beatitude and Eminence Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Rai, Mr. Youssef Khalil, Minister of Finance, Mr. Hector Hajjar, Minister of Social Affairs, Mr. Georges Bouchikian, Minister of Industry, Sheikh Dr. Mahmoud Al-Khatib, Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Sami Abdel Khalek, representing the Sheikh Akl of the Unitarian Druze Community, the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon Monsignor Paolo Borgia, the Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Lebanon Mrs. Maria-Emerica Cortese, Unifil Italian Joint Task Force Commander General Fontana, Commander in Chief at the Lebanese Armed Forces Major General Hassan Aoude representing the Army Commander, Colonel Mazen Sakr representing the General Security General Director, Brigadier General Henry Mansoury representing the ISF’s General Director, in addition to the Members of Parliament Marwan Hamadeh, Ragy El-Saad, Wael Bou Faour, Nehmat Frem, Former Minister Ziad Baroud, Head of the Lebanese Catholic Media Center Father Abdo Abou Kassem and Mrs. Rabab Al-Sadr.
At its core, the Agro-Humanitarian project is a testament to the dedication of the Order of Malta Lebanon (OML) to ensuring food security, fostering economic recovery, and empowering smallholder farmers, women, and youth. By taking a holistic approach to resilience-building, the OML aims to equip communities with the tools and resources needed to withstand and recover from adverse shocks effectively.
On this occasion, the President of the Order of Malta Lebanon Mr. Marwan Sehnaoui took the floor and stated: “It is an honor for me to stand before you today to launch the Agro-Humanitarian Program of the Order of Malta Lebanon on a national scale. As we embark on this new chapter in our organization's history, it is essential to highlight our long-term commitment to enhancing health and social welfare, which have been fundamental to our mission for decades. In fact, over 70 years ago, the Order of Malta Lebanon was a pioneer in providing primary healthcare services and social support to everyone across Lebanese territory.”
Mr. Sehnaoui added: "Our steadfast commitment to defending the principles of dignity, hope, coexistence, and compassion, with dedication, humility, transparency, and excellence, has guided our actions and efforts. However, in light of the increasing challenges faced by our society every day, we felt an urgent need to expand the scope of our work to cover more than just our traditional missions related to health and community."
Finally, he acknowledged the efforts of all partners and donors, who were later on thanked during this event.
The patriarch then took the floor, expressing his gratitude to the Order of Malta Lebanon and reflecting on four dimensions of the project, namely: spirituality, upholding our roots, preserving the land that is a national heritage, and agro-humanitarian development.
He also conveyed heartfelt thanks, on behalf of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, to the Sovereign Order of Malta for their assistance to Lebanon through their national association, in various Lebanese regions.
Following that, the representative of the Sheikh Akl of the Unitarian Druze Community Sheikh Dr. Sami Abi Al-Muna, Sheikh Sami Abdel Khalek, speaking on behalf of the three Muslim cmmunities, praised the Order’s work in serving humanity within Lebanon's culturally rich society, strengthening people's ties to their land and supporting food security, which will bring the Lebanese people back to their lands. He also thanked the Order for launching initiatives aimed at alleviating the suffering of the resilient and persevering Lebanese population.
After the screening of a documentary showcasing the journey of the Agro-Humanitarian program, a moderated Q&A session by Mr. Yasser Akkaoui, editor in chief of Executive magazine, provided attendees with the opportunity for an in-depth learning about the program from Mr. Raphael Debbané, Chairman of the Agro-Humanitarian board, and Dr. Elias Ghadban, Advisor and member of the board, illustrating OML's unwavering commitment to supporting local agriculture and fostering peace and solidarity within communities and on the long run, influencing public policy.
In recognition of their invaluable contributions for Lebanon’s prosperity, OML expressed gratitude to its partners, who put their lands at the service of OML for a period of 20 years, these include the Order of the Carmelite Fathers, the Lebanese Maronite Order, the Jesuits, the National Litani River Authority, the Mariamite Maronite Order, and Mr. Fady Romanos.
This program is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development BMZ in collaboration with Malteser International, and Fondation Bettencourt-Schueller.
Minister of Agriculture Mr. Abbas Hajj Hassan stated: “We congratulate the Order on the launch of the Agro-Humanitarian program. Connecting the people to their lands is a gift from God. We value all the efforts that were exerted, and hope this program is the start of a sustainable partnership for an agricultural renewal that revives people and their lands.”
The closing speech of His Excellency Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Order of Malta, delivered by ambassador Maria-Emerica Cortese, highlighted the organization's commitment to placing agriculture at the forefront of its vision for 2030, thanking the OML for its commitment to the 970-year-old mission of the sovereign Order of Malta in this region and the donors and partners who are supporting their work.
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