Paris witnessed yesterday, Tuesday, in the town hall of the 16th arrondissement, the launch of the Lebanese-French Coordination Committee (CCLF). This second initiative reflects the extensive Lebanese diaspora, following the establishment of the Lebanese-American Coordination Committee in 2021, which proved effective in serving the Lebanese cause and the shared American-Lebanese interests from Washington.
The launch event gathered a crowd of members from the seven associations, as well as French personalities of Lebanese descent and other French figures. The newly established Lebanese-French Coordination Committee includes the following associations: Lebanon Change (CL), the Lebanese Gathering in France (CLF), the Lebanese Diaspora Institution (DLO), the Lebanese Forum in Europe (FLE), Lebanese Citizens Worldwide (MCLM), Our New Lebanon - France (ONL - France), and the Lebanese Diaspora Network (TLDN-France). The Civil Impact Forum (CIH) participated in the event as the Lebanese advisory organization for the committee.
The committee highlighted the overlapping interests between France and Lebanon during its presentation of a national civil vision under the title "The Lebanese Cause: Current Challenges and the Move Towards a State of Citizenship."
The conference opened with a welcoming speech, followed by the associations presenting the main themes of the committee's vision:
- Implementing the Lebanese constitution in all its provisions to preserve the Lebanese cultural identity in freedom, plurality, and coexistence.
- Priority to restoring sovereignty.
- Halting the use and introduction of sectarian concepts in the political sphere.
- Establishing a state of citizenship and respecting plurality.
- Pushing towards achieving justice with a rule of law and competence.
- Respecting Lebanon's neutrality based on the Baabda Declaration (2012) while implementing the resolutions of the United Nations and the Arab League as Lebanon is a founding member of both.
- Executing structural and sectoral economic, social, and financial reforms.
- Implementing expanded administrative decentralization.
- Affirming the right of Palestinian refugees to return as stated in UN resolutions, and facilitating the return of Syrian refugees in a way that avoids any form of disguised or direct naturalization.
In conclusion, the committee launched the "Paris Declaration" calling for a state of citizenship, for Lebanon to be a sovereign and independent nation, and for working towards achieving the values of freedom, justice, equality, and freedom of belief and opinion in all political, economic, and cultural fields.
It is noteworthy that the Lebanese-French Coordination Committee (CCLF) will focus on joint efforts between groups, institutions, and French personalities of Lebanese descent to achieve its vision's objectives, supporting shared French-Lebanese issues. The committee aspires to build bridges of cooperation between France and Lebanon through active diplomacy and initiatives to strengthen the values of freedom, justice, human rights, and common interests, while enhancing Lebanon's role in the international community in cooperation with France.
