Krami Launches Fifth Edition of National Writing Competition

Minister of Education and Higher Education Reema Karami and Chairman and General Manager of BEMO Bank Dr. Riad Aboujaoudi launched the fifth edition of the national writing competition "Lebanon as We Dream It 2026" under the theme "Musical Memory," during a meeting held at Minister Karami's office.

In addition to the BEMO Bank team, the meeting was attended by Levon Amirjanian, Regional Representative of the International Organization of La Francophonie in the Middle East; Pablo Romero, Cultural Attaché at the Brazilian Embassy in Lebanon; and representatives of partners: the French Institute in Lebanon, the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO, Antoine Library, "L'Orient Le Jour" newspaper, and the "Al-Sabil" Association. This year's edition revolves around the theme of "Musical Memory." The initiative was born in 2022 with a vision from BEMO Bank to move towards the future with practical and confident steps, transforming over the years into a unifying national platform through which Lebanese youth, both in the homeland and abroad, express their vision for tomorrow's Lebanon. The initiative aims to revive hope among young people by inviting them to rediscover Lebanon through writing, as an educational project that enhances self-discovery, understanding of others, and belonging to one's roots.

Al-Solh

The Secretary-General of the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO, Amira Al-Solh, affirmed that "the Commission is proud to join this national initiative," noting that it "places its network of 89 public and private schools affiliated with UNESCO, committed to civic education and sustainable development, at the disposal of the competition."
Toutounji

The Head of the Competition, Nevin Toutounji Haj Shahin, indicated that "Lebanon will live, and its youth will dream of their tomorrow before living it," saying: "In 2026, despite everything, we won the crazy bet: to make more than 600 Lebanese students think, write, and dream. The output came out better than previous ones, with greater maturity and less reliance on artificial intelligence."

She added: "The theme of this fifth edition is invoking a musical memory: three notes, and here we set off into the heart of our memories, which candidates will narrate not only in Arabic, French, and English, but also in Portuguese and Spanish."

Al-Khoury

The Head of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Fine Arts at the Ministry, Sonia Al-Khoury, presented the project's journey and previous editions, stressing that she "sought to highlight the energies of Lebanese youth, their creative imagination, and their deep belief in a better and more beautiful Lebanon," saying: "Your work complements the Ministry's efforts, and such activities do a lot. This competition is contagious with its positivity."

Karami

Then Minister Karami spoke, welcoming the attendees and expressing her appreciation for this national cultural initiative. She thanked Dr. Aboujaoudi, BEMO Bank, and all partners for "the growing effort over five years, where the initiative has transformed into a distinctive annual cultural appointment represented by rich and expressive heartfelt writing about the flow of emotions and attachment to Lebanon, linking its resident and expatriate wings."

She announced the launch of the competition and signed the official circular declaring the actual start, saying: "I see the project as a ray of sunshine and positivity in a very difficult environment experienced by our students. Connectivity with the diaspora is of great importance, and the project improves significantly in this regard. Dreaming is important; despite major crises, we must never stop dreaming and effectively encourage our students to engage in thinking positively about the future."

Romero

For his part, the Cultural Attaché at the Brazilian Embassy, Pablo Romero, expressed his happiness at participating, saying: "We thank BEMO Bank and the Ministry of Education for providing the opportunity to write about Lebanon. We are pleased to participate, especially since the Brazilian community in Lebanon is significant, and adding Portuguese to the languages of the competition strengthens ties between the two countries."