President Aoun: We Must Keep Our Hopes High for Lebanon

President of the Republic Joseph Aoun affirmed that "the steadfastness of the Lebanese and their faith in their country were the foundation of the ability to overcome difficulties and hardships, and of Lebanon's endurance. Our unity is sufficient to lift our country forward."

He stated: "We began with this government addressing the rampant corruption that had persisted for years, and we are waging a war against those who reject the logic of the state while we seek to establish the state. Therefore, responsibility is shared and applies to all Lebanese."

President Aoun's remarks came during a meeting at Baabda Palace with a delegation from the Maronite General Council, led by its president, Engineer Michel Matta.

At the start of the meeting, Engineer Matta thanked President Aoun for receiving the delegation, saying: "Mr. President, from the Maronite General Council, our deep appreciation for your firm national stance and your wise leadership of the country during this difficult phase. Our visit today to the Presidential Palace is a gesture of solidarity with you, supporting the causes you fight for, and backing your reform and rescue efforts. We are certain that Lebanon cannot afford to waste any more time, and its salvation requires strong will, a strong state, and a national decision."

He added: "The Maronite General Council, since its founding, has remained a national institution whose primary goals are preserving Lebanon as a message, safeguarding its pluralism, upholding the formula of coexistence, and placing national interest above all else. Today, we stand at a historic milestone dear to the council’s heart: 150 years since its establishment. 150 years of service, dedication, and faith in Lebanon as an eternal homeland for all its children. The symbolic depth of this occasion is heightened by its coincidence with the historical path leading to the creation of Greater Lebanon, during which the founding patriarch Elias Hoyek was one of its most prominent figures and architects. May you, like him and under his blessing, carry Lebanon’s cause to international forums, striving to keep it a homeland for all its components—free, sovereign, independent, diverse, open to its surroundings and the world, based on partnership among its sons, both resident and diaspora."

He continued: "The coincidence of these historic milestones with your presidency holds special significance in our eyes. It is an opportunity to renew our covenant with Lebanon, restore trust in the state, and build the future on new foundations. We see in you hope for restoring the dignity of institutions, launching a reform and rescue process requiring courage, determination, and continuity. The Maronite General Council will remain alongside every sincere effort you make to save Lebanon, reinforce the rule of law, protect the constitution, defend freedoms, strengthen judicial independence, and build a productive economy capable of restoring hope to the Lebanese people."

Matta highlighted that "the Lebanon we envision is not a Lebanon of divisions or compromises, but a state where every citizen feels a full partner in their homeland, where their rights are protected, their dignity preserved, and their future shaped only within the framework of state institutions." He said: "From our position within the Maronite General Council, we extend our hand to you, Mr. President, to work together toward the Lebanon envisioned by Patriarch Elias Hoyek, the Lebanon for which our ancestors sacrificed, and the Lebanon our children and grandchildren deserve. Let our celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Maronite General Council be an occasion to renew our commitment to an independent Lebanon, and let this anniversary coincide with your presidency be a moment to renew hope that Lebanon can rise again, that the state can reclaim its role, and that the Lebanese, if united in will, can write a new chapter in their nation’s history."

Finally, Matta said on behalf of the Maronite General Council and all those who believe in Lebanon as an eternal homeland for all its children: "We stand beside every genuine rescue and reform initiative, and every step that restores Lebanon’s sovereignty, the state’s dignity, the citizen’s honor, and the youth’s hope for the future."

May God protect Lebanon and its people, and may He grant you, Mr. President, strength to bear this national trust."

President Aoun

In response, President Aoun welcomed the delegation, commending the efforts of the Maronite General Council, emphasizing that "building nations is a shared responsibility, not resting on the shoulders of one individual or faction alone, but each according to their place and role. I stress that national interest must remain the top priority, above any personal interest, so that the country may achieve reconciliation." He said: "Lebanese youth and the new generation are the fundamental driving force wherever they are. The lessons we have learned from history and the many crises Lebanon has endured—especially since 2019 until today—are that the steadfastness of the Lebanese and their faith in their country have been the foundation of overcoming difficulties and hardships, and of Lebanon’s endurance. Our unity is sufficient to lift our country forward, and rallying around the national interest as a whole is the cornerstone."

He added: "We began with this government addressing the rampant corruption that had persisted for years, and we are waging a war against those who reject the logic of the state while we seek to establish the state. Therefore, responsibility is shared and applies to all Lebanese. The government has taken measures within economic and financial reforms—true, they are insufficient, but they have achieved growth. We expected further growth this year, but the war has dashed that hope. Nevertheless, Lebanon remains standing, and its institutions endure. We hope to emerge from this situation so that Lebanon returns to its natural position, as it was known in the 1970s—a position not difficult to achieve if we truly believe in Lebanon and preserve it as a pluralistic message for East and West, as Pope John Paul II once said."

He continued: "The world views Lebanon with respect, and friendly countries long for the image of the old Lebanon they once knew. This noble goal we strive to achieve demands that we rally around a state that protects everyone and works for the benefit of all, and move away from sectarianism, partisanship, and religious bias."

President Aoun added: "On the negotiation front, the state took a decision it had no alternative to after the war brought devastation and suffering. While negotiations are neither easy nor quick, and obstacles and difficulties exist, they remain vastly preferable to war. We share the same objectives: liberating the south, deploying the army to the border, recovering prisoners, returning displaced families, and reconstruction. As experience has shown, these goals cannot be achieved through war; therefore, negotiation remains the only viable option."

President Aoun concluded: "We must keep our hopes high for Lebanon, seize the opportunities we have, and refrain from relying on anyone or on aid, but instead on investment—this is what I say to every country—and we call for giving Lebanon and the Lebanese a chance."

Director of International Relations at the Asian Olympic Council

Additionally, President Aoun held diplomatic, sports, and administrative meetings. In this context, he received, in the presence of Minister of Youth and Sports Nora Birekdarian, the Qatari Ambassador to Lebanon, Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Faisal Al Thani, and the Chairman of the Office of the President of the Asian Olympic Council and Director of International Relations at the office, Sheikh Faisal Ahmed Ali Al Thani, along with their accompanying delegation.

The discussion focused on the status of the Lebanese Olympic Committee, aiming to safeguard the interests of Lebanese sports while ensuring compliance with laws, regulations, and Olympic statutes. President Aoun praised the achievements of Lebanese athletes both domestically and internationally, stressing the importance of Lebanon’s sporting presence worldwide and within international committees, including the Olympic Committee.

Ambassador Hadi Jabber

Diplomatically, President Aoun discussed with Lebanese Ambassador to India Hadi Jabber bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them, as well as the role of the Indian battalion serving within the international forces, UNIFIL, in the south.

Ambassador Bashir Azam

President Aoun discussed with Lebanese Ambassador to Russia Bashir Azam Lebanese-Russian relations and ways to strengthen them, along with cooperation between the two countries across various fields.

Head of the Central Inspection Board

Administratively, President Aoun met with the Head of the Central Inspection Board, Judge Georges Atta, discussing the work of inspections across various government departments and institutions, combating corruption and bribery, and ensuring proper performance in state administrations and all entities under central inspection oversight.

Wadi Safa Museum

Culturally, President Aoun received former Minister Elias Hanna along with a delegation comprising Ghassan Farhat, Mayor of Niha al-Chouf; Colonel Ilyas Francis; and Dr. Norma Haddad Hanna. They briefed him on ongoing preparations to establish a museum dedicated to the late great artist Wadi Safa in his hometown of Niha al-Chouf. Notably, the municipality has donated a plot of land measuring 2,500 square meters, now transferred to the Ministry of Culture for the museum’s construction.

Minister Hanna and members of the delegation clarified: "The purpose of establishing this museum is to preserve the works and heritage of the late artist, ensuring it becomes a cultural and artistic project for future generations and contributes to revitalizing tourism in the town."

President Aoun commended the delegation’s efforts to honor the memory of the artist Wadi Safa, recognized as one of Lebanon’s and the Arab world’s artistic giants. His musical and artistic compositions enriched Lebanon’s and the Arab world’s cultural legacy and served as a cultural and heritage bridge connecting Lebanon to the world."