Lebanon’s Top Diplomat Reaffirms Peace Principle During Vatican Visit

Foreign Minister Youssef Raji kicked off his trip to the Vatican and Italy on Monday by visiting the Maronite Pontifical Institute in Rome, accompanied by a delegation that included Lebanon’s ambassador to the Holy See, Fadi Assaf, and Lebanon’s ambassador to Italy, Carla Jazzar. The delegation was received by the Patriarchal Vicar to the Holy See and head of the institute, Monsignor George Abi Saad, along with the institute’s director, Monsignor Joseph Safir, a number of priests, members of the institute’s community, and several members of the Lebanese diaspora.

Raji expressed his delight at touring this historic landmark, writing in the institute’s guestbook a message underscoring “the importance of the Maronite school and the Patriarchal Agency in Rome, as they embody the depth of the relationship between the Maronites and the Holy See, and highlight Lebanon’s message based on faith, pluralism, science, openness, and peace.” He praised the institution as “a beacon of science and culture that has contributed to preparing pioneers who carried Lebanon’s civilizational image to the world and cemented its role as a meeting ground between civilizations and cultures.”

Addressing members of the Lebanese diaspora, Raji emphasized “the crucial role played by Lebanese expatriates in building bridges of communication between Lebanon and the world, in conveying Lebanon’s cultural and humanitarian image, and in strengthening its presence in the societies where they reside.” He reiterated “Lebanon’s adherence to the principle of peace, the extension of state authority over all its territory, and the consolidation of stability to ensure a better future for all Lebanese.”