The President and Board of Directors of the Bekaa Industrialists Association celebrated the Lebanese Army Day with a national musical evening under the patronage of General Joseph Aoun, Commander of the Lebanese Army, and with the participation of the Council of Bishops of Zahle and Bekaa. The event took place in the courtyard of St. Nicholas Church at the Gardenia Grand D'or economic complex in Zahle.
Attendees included Archbishop Ibrahim Mikhaiel Ibrahim of the Melkite Greek Catholic diocese of Furzel, Zahle, and Bekaa; Metropolitan Antonios Saoud, the head of the Orthodox Diocese of Zahle, Baalbek, and surroundings; Brigadier General Mahfoud Aoun, Commander of the Bekaa military region representing the Army Commander; Brigadier General Mansour Nabhan, head of the military chamber at the Ministry of Defense; Colonel Andrew Harrouk, Commander of the Military Police in Bekaa; Colonel David Bishalani, Commander of the Sixth Intervention Regiment; Colonel Nabil Zouqi, Head of State Security in Bekaa; Louis Lahoud, General Director of the Ministry of Agriculture; Engineer As'ad Zghib, Mayor of Zahle and the suburb of Ta'nael; Saeed Yassin, Mayor of Majdel Anjar; Mrs. Marlene Daher, head of the Michel Daher Social Foundation; former MP Eli Marouni; Judge Imad Al-Athath; Nicolas Abu Faisal, President of the Bekaa Industrialists Association; Michel Afrahm, General Director of the Directorate of Agricultural Scientific Research; former Ambassador Jean Maakaroun; Ziad Saada, President of the Zahle Traders Association; Maroun Makhlouf, President of the Zahle Cultural Council; Monir Altini, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce; Toni Taameh, head of the Agriculture Committee at the Chamber of Commerce; Ibrahim Al-Saqr, head of the Saqr Group; and a large number of industrialists from Bekaa, mayors, local leaders, priests, nuns, and a large audience of Zahlians and Bekaa residents.
The event was presented by media figure Nakhal Adhimi, who said: "On your seventy-seventh birthday, we have only the Lebanese Army left; everything else has fallen away. Many bet on your downfall to leave the ground open, but you surprised everyone by enduring, protecting, nurturing, rebuilding, healing, and helping to become a refuge for the Lebanese. In this bitter time, what is your secret, oh army? I will tell you: Long before it was an army, the Lebanese Army is the great heart, a heart that weeps for the wounded and the poor, a heart that bleeds for the victims of the port explosion, as the Lebanese await the truth on the eve of the second anniversary. A heart that burns with the flaming tires of the protesters searching for lost rights, a heart that weeps for the poor searching for a morsel of bread steeped in humiliation, a heart on the borders defending a homeland fractured by its politicians, a heart in devastated Beirut healing its wounds. And you still ask why the army? Some wished to dismantle it; it held firm. They tried to pull it into the alleyways of politics; it grew stronger. It faced financial siege and rose against it; it was deprived of equipment yet became a safety valve with living flesh."
Metropolitan Antonios Saoud delivered a speech on behalf of the Council of Bishops of Zahle and Bekaa, stating: "This valiant army whose motto is 'Honor Sacrifice Loyalty' deserves its people to uphold for it the values of dignity, support, and loyalty so that, with a full commitment to the principles between the people and the army, this nation rises to a new life based on justice that respects no one but the truth, on equality that is free of bias, where everyone is accountable and answerable to the law, and on prosperity built on shared resources and the efficiency expected of every responsible individual, preventing any monopoly, exploitation, or neglect of the rights of citizens with limited income. This dream nation we aspire to build has begun to bear fruit thanks to the concerted efforts of the sincere among spiritual and temporal leaders and security forces, led by the Lebanese Army in command, officers, and personnel."
He then presented a recognition plaque to the representative of the Army Commander and another plaque to Nicolas Abu Faisal, President of the Bekaa Industrialists Association, who in turn dedicated it to all resistant Lebanese industrialists in this land, as we can no longer continue without industry and agriculture until the rest of the sectors recover. Abu Faisal welcomed the attendees, confirming that the Lebanese Army deserves to celebrate its day— the day of heroes.
Following this, the Mar Elias choir performed a series of national songs starting with the masterpiece "Betelij Al-Dunya" by Fairuz, moving through Majida El Roumi's "Ya Beirut" to songs of the Lebanese Army such as "Rashee El-Foul" and "Sabou Foukak Nar," among other patriotic songs.
The evening was graced by the singer Dr. Rina Al-Jamil Abu Faisal who, with her angelic voice, performed national songs by Fairuz and "I Dream of You, Lebanon" by Majida El Roumi, along with a selection of beautiful songs.
The Zahle star Nicolas Al-Asta, as the guest of honor, concluded the evening with his most beautiful patriotic songs "Baqui Al-Watan" and "Ya Waqif A' Ahoud Al-Mawt," alongside the timeless piece by late artist Zaki Nasif "Mahma Yitjarah Baladna" and closed with Sabah's masterpiece "Ta'la Wta'amar Ya Dar," amid participation and applause.
