Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi delivered a speech at a dinner for the Lady of Lebanon parish in Melbourne, stating: "What distinguishes our people in Lebanon and around the world is that education is essential for them. They are attempting to destroy this sector, but we will never give up, as education is a matter of life or death for us." He expressed that "the essence of our problem in Lebanon is the lack of trust among officials, and regrettably, the people no longer trust Lebanon; they have lost faith because they are not loyal to each other, as everyone is only concerned about their own interests. They do not want to sit around the table to find solutions to Lebanon's problems, and no one among them wants to incur losses. When trust is lost, the danger becomes very significant; it is an essential element of life, yet it is absent in Lebanon, which is very unfortunate. The main issue remains as stated in the preamble of the constitution, which declares that Lebanon is the final homeland for all its children. Unfortunately, not all of its children are for Lebanon, which is a disgrace.
For us as a church, our trust in Lebanon and all Lebanese is immense, and we work diligently to preserve this gem in the East. Despite all difficulties, we cannot abandon our faith and we work day and night to maintain our homeland, which God has made unique in its surroundings. Now more than ever, as a church, we trust in Lebanon and all Lebanese, and our efforts are continuous to establish trust among all Lebanese. We have faith in Lebanon, its people, and its leadership."
It is worth mentioning that the honorary dinner was held at the invitation of the Maronite parish in Melbourne in honor of Patriarch Al-Rahi, with the attendance of the Maronite Archbishop of Australia and New Zealand, Bishop Antoine Sharbel Tarabay, and Bishop Paul Sayah, Pastor of the Lady of Lebanon parish, Monsignor Joe Taqchi, and the Director of Media and Protocol Office at the Patriarchal Edifice, Walid Ghiyad. The dinner, held in the Maroun Hall of the church, was attended by representatives from various sectors including the Victorian government, the Consul General of Lebanon, members of Parliament, and representatives from Lebanese parties and movements, alongside many leaders of associations and institutions as well as members of the Lebanese community.
The event commenced with the national anthems of Lebanon and Australia, followed by an introduction by Fadi Joud. Monsignor Joe Taqchi then delivered a speech, after which Bishop Tarabay spoke about the Maronite community in Australia.
