Beyrouth

On Friday, 20th of November, 2009, under the high patronage of Mr. Ghassan Moukheiber, Member of the Lebanese Parliament, the Armenian Catholic Mesrobian High School celebrated the Lebanese Independence Day.

The MP Ghassan Moukheiber arrived at 12:30PM to Mesrobian, where he was welcomed by Msgr. Vartan Ashkarian, the General Vicar of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate. In presence of two students wearing Armenian folkloric costumes, the MP ceremoniously broke the traditional wecoming bread and salt. Following that, he headed towards AUC "Hovhannes Boghossian" theatre hall to celebrate the Independence Day with Mesrobian students. He was welcomed by the students under a burst of applause.

The ceremony started with the Lebanese and Armenian national anthems. Following that, the students performed dancing, singing, poem recitation, martial art show, and playing on guitar and violin. At some stage in the artistic program, Mr. Gregoire Kaloust, the principal of Mesrobian High School, came forward to address his thoughts to the audience. In his speech, he welcomed the MP Ghassan Moukheiber, wishing him success in his national duties and hoping that the country will head towards civil and economic development and the preservation of human rights.

After the principal’s speech, the guest of the day, MP. Ghassan Moukheiber, came forward to share his thoughts with the audience. In his word, he highly appraised the nationalistic atmosphere he felt during his visit to Mesrobian. This is an atmosphere, he stressed, where the true Lebanese nationalism is painted in Armenian colors. In this institution, proper importance is given to the national and civil education, which is the main ingredient to build the future of the nation, he concluded.

At the end of the ceremony, MP Ghassan Moukheiber left his memorandum in the Golden Book of the college.