From Akkar which he passionately loved to the big vast world, as big as are the dreams and aspirations of Issam Fares who is honored today by the international community along with two influential leaders who contributed in the international political-making: Bill Clinton and George Bush. New York, October the 28th 2009!
The International Crisis Group, an institution that is active in the settlement of the international intricate crises and dilemmas, is honoring the Lebanese statesman Issam Fares along with George Bush and Bill Clinton for his contribution in raising high the slogan of Lebanon the peace, democracy, and culture, and for his extensive international ties which have contributed in promoting the culture of peace.
Issam Fares Speech at the United Nations
New York- September 22, 2004
‘Lebanon has an international dimension that goes beyond its size and population through its emigrants who inhabit every nook and cranny of the world’
Under the slogan ‘To Pursue the Peace Process’, this remarkable honor crowns all the previous honoring events witnessed by the son of Bayno, this politician who gave Bayno more than it gave him. This was illustrated when he played the role of the Deputy Premiership that was inexistent, never played, and even unrecognized! Fares was ‘the touchstone’ at the Cabinet, the safety valve of the sessions, and the dynamo of the ministerial sessions. Had he not chaired these sessions, they would have been unable to carry out any project or translate into action any vision of the most sensitive and delicate files in the Lebanese Republic. In all this, he remained the MAN of loyalty and friendship to all, thanks to his exposure, wisdom, and honest patriotism.
Issam Fares, who had boycotted the effective political exercise prior to the 2005 parliamentary elections, constantly continued to share the concerns of Lebanon, its compatriots, and its institutions, particularly in the North. He continued to show support for the State and the citizens in their daily life, their obsessions, as well as in their developmental, social, educational and cultural demands. Fares continued to make donations through the foundations, associations, and factories he established to contribute in securing development, freedom, and peace. Among the most prominent foundations we cite is the Fares Foundation which represents a conclusive proof of the attention he devotes to people and to reconstruction without any discrimination or segregation.
Intervention of Mr. Sajie Atie
Business Manager of Mr. Fares
‘Today, the selection of a personality such as Issam Fares with two Presidents of the world’s superpower is in fact an honor for Lebanon which shall be in the level of this great superpower’
Intervention of Ambassador Abdullah BouHabib
Director of the Issam Fares Center for Lebanon
‘Fares’ honoring is an honoring to Lebanon and its presence in the international forums. It is certainly an honoring to His Excellency Mr. Fares in the international tribunes and his representation of Lebanon in these tribunes’
‘Issam Fares has established a great number of international humanitarian institutions. As you know, he founded the Issam Fares Lecture Series at Tufts University which has become today an oasis for permanent communication, hosting the world’s most influential leaders; It is to enumerate also the American Task Force for Lebanon chaired by his son Mr. Nijad Fares who is also immunizing the Arabs and Lebanese rights, mainly in the United States, the Endowment Funds created by His Excellency to support health causes and scientific research at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and California, and Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy& International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, as well as Issam Fares Center for Lebanon, and the Fares Foundation which has been active for 30 years now. So this day, 35,000 students have been graduated thanks to the Fares Foundation’.
‘His Excellency had asked us to establish two and a half years ago a political think-tank that enjoys his support. It serves as a platform to discuss the Lebanese issues. We always hold seminars and conferences in this Center’
‘It is to mention also the infrastructure, the services offered, and the big highways constructed today in the village of Bayno. His Excellency is undertaking a remarkable revitalization. Today’s best accomplishment there is laying the cornerstone of the Issam Fares Institute for Technology which is fully financed by Mr. Fares’
In the TV Report
‘Issam Fares, who received an Honorary Doctorate from more than one university in the United States, has been offered a great number of awards and decorations from big world leaders. The Issam Fares Tufts Lecture Series gave Fares works big humanitarian dimensions. Issam Fares says, ‘There is on unique concern. My hobby is to serve Lebanon from any position I held or from any place I went to’. This is effectively the case: From any place in the world, Fares works, knows, and follows up the tiny details in every village, and every Lebanese and Arab issue, working silently to serve the Lebanese and Arab causes without any discrimination or segregation, in his firm belief in peace, exposure, dialogue, and coexistence. For this reason, everybody unanimously loved him’.
‘There is eagerness for Lebanon and for personalities such as His Excellency Mr. Issam Fares’
‘I say it on behalf of His Excellency that for him, sometimes a small honoring from a village in Akkar equals the honoring of these superpowers that honor him’
In the Report
Honoring Issam Fares today is a Medal from Humanity which adds to his medals in the hearts of all the Lebanese people, an honoring to Lebanon and the Arabs altogether’.
From the Quotes of His Excellency Mr. Issam Fares
‘Because Lebanon gave a lot, Lebanon deserves a lot’