A delegation from the Lebanese Golf Federation visited the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. George Klass, at his office in the ministry, in the presence of his office director, Hussein Omar. The delegation included the President of the Federation and the Golf Club, Karim Sleem Salam, Secretary Dr. Nizar Al-Zein, Treasurer Robair Brins, and media advisor Hassan Mohieddin. Salam presented the minister with a request letter to sponsor the third school championship in golf organized by the federation on Saturday, June 22, at the golf club in Beirut - Al-Jnah area.
Minister Klass welcomed the delegation members, thanking them for the sponsorship invitation and highlighting the federation's local and international activities despite the difficult circumstances facing Lebanese sports on all levels. He noted that these conditions hinder the ministry from fully performing its sponsorship role, but this has not deterred the ministry from initiating actions according to available resources, emphasizing the role played by the Golf Club and its activities, confirming its importance on both national and sports levels. He referenced a statement from Prime Minister Najib Mikati, noting that the club represents a bright image of Lebanon’s civilization that must be preserved towards the world and the continuity of this institution while maintaining its active role.
Following this, Salam provided a comprehensive explanation regarding the state of golf, mentioning the challenges, a list of external achievements, development programs for juniors, and talent discovery, along with several upcoming external commitments. He then spoke about the school golf championship, which was held in its previous editions in 2017 and 2019, pointing out a large participation in the third edition, where 12 public and private schools, including two schools for individuals with special needs, will compete. Lebanon is recognized as the first Arab country to cater to golf for individuals with special needs.
Salam revealed that the school golf program includes a weekly visit to each school, where a team of coaches teaches the principles and rules of the game, equipped with the necessary equipment provided by the International Golf Federation. The federation will receive students from these schools at the golf club every Sunday. He emphasized that the aim of the school championship is to discover talents for nurturing and enhancing their abilities, noting that the number of students in this program has reached 780 so far.
At the end of the meeting, there was a discussion about player Oliver Bustani, who created a special golf car recently showcased at the Beirut Sports Festival. The minister announced his willingness and the ministry's readiness to hold a honoring ceremony for the mentioned player, the date of which will be determined later.
