Remarks made by 

Philip A. Salem in the opening ceremony, on October 17

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Today we are gathered here to celebrate our love and commitment to our beloved Lebanon, and at the same time to celebrate our gratefulness and thankfulness to America.

We gather at a difficult time for Lebanon. This country has been at war for more than half a century, and now it is navigating through very difficult times and existential challenges. Now, more than ever before Lebanon needs our help. That’s why part of the proceeds of this festival will go toward supporting Lebanese families in need and Lebanese children with cancer. 

This is more than a festival. It is an expression of solidarity, compassion, and our enduring responsibility to our homeland. Today is also a day of joy. We are here to reconnect with old friends, and make new ones. To celebrate our community and share with our children and grandchildren the story of where we came from. Being of Lebanese origin is a great privilege.  As we are descendants of people with great dignity, in spite of economic collapse and conflicts Lebanon had the generosity of hosting refugees from all of the Middle East. Refugees from Palestine, Iraq, and Syria, but Lebanon itself never exported a single refugee to the world. Sixty years of wars, and there’s no Lebanese anywhere in the world who lives in a tent and who is supported by United Nations agencies. There is not a single beggar in the streets of Houston or New York who is of Lebanese origin. 

The Lebanese in diaspora is a story that has not been elegantly told. Lebanese immigrants never went to a country only to make a living; they always helped shape the future of their host countries and made major contributions to the world. Michael DeBakey, one of us here in Houston, who revolutionized heart surgery and was the most famous heart surgeon in the 20th century, this man was a Lebanese from Marjeyoun. Danny Thomas, who founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, the world's leading children's cancer center, is Lebanese from Bsharri. 

Lebanese immigrants integrated into every community they lived in, and they are loved for their contributions, generosity of heart, goodness, and friendship. At the inauguration of the Lebanese Club in Mexico City, Mexico's president at the time, Adolfo Lopez Mateos, said, “If you don’t have a Lebanese friend, you must  look for one.” 

At the end, I have two messages for you today. 

1. You should be proud of being of Lebanese origin. 

2. I assure you that Lebanon will never die. Through its 6,000-year history, armies marched in, armies marched out, but Lebanon survived.  

Thank you for supporting the American Lebanese Cultural Center (ALCC). Thank you for being here today. Enjoy and have fun.