President Michel Aoun inaugurated the eighth conference of the Arab Women's Organization on "The Arab Woman and Cultural Challenges."
According to the National News Agency, he stated, "I am pleased to open today the eighth conference of the Arab Women's Organization, which chose Beirut as a venue to discuss 'The Role of the Arab Woman and Cultural Challenges' and how to transform them into opportunities for solidarity and success. As everyone anxiously awaits the repercussions of the ongoing health crisis that has shaken the world, eyes are focused on women, as they are in an advanced position to face various difficulties, if they are prepared and empowered. How can this be achieved?" Aoun added that all civilizations are the product of culture, and culture is a three-dimensional strategic work based on: raising awareness of intellectual, scientific, and artistic heritage, and training to activate, develop, and enrich it. He considers this type of necessary development for our societies, starting from women, cannot be achieved without providing equal opportunities between men and women. Any negligence in this regard would double the contradiction between aspirations and reality.
During his speech, Aoun emphasized the importance of overcoming cultural obstacles through cultural means, as successfully done by the pioneers of the renaissance, both women and men, in the early last century. He expressed, "We all look forward to your conference succeeding in laying the foundations for producing a renewed culture and disseminating knowledge to move forward in overcoming what hinders the achievement of the required equality, relying on reason and the spirit of openness and acceptance of the other." This is what we intended when we launched the initiative to establish the "Human Academy for Encounter and Dialogue" in Lebanon, which was endorsed by the United Nations.
He pointed out that women have generally advanced to many prominent positions in various aspects of life, work, innovation, and excellence, despite the obstacles and difficulties and disparities in their rights, legally and in practice, from one country to another. He stressed the need to activate the role of women in societies and launch an effective educational approach that meets the aspirations of the twenty-first century. He took this opportunity to express appreciation to all those who contributed to preparing and organizing this conference, hoping that its recommendations would meet our aspirations for a better tomorrow for our peoples and countries.
