World Lebanese Cultural Union
Los Angeles, February 5, 2026
Office of the World President
PRESS RELEASE
Recommendations of the 24th World Congress of the World Lebanese Cultural Union:
The voting right of expatriates is a democratic constitutional right, and we will confront those obstructing it in decision‑making countries.
Lebanon can raise its GDP to 250 billion—provided weapons are restricted to the state and corruption is addressed.
The World Lebanese Cultural Union concluded its 24th World Congress in Los Angeles, California, which was hosted by the Los Angeles chapter. The conference lasted for three days and ended on January 31, 2026. The congress reaffirmed the democratic transition of the Union’s leadership every two years, electing Ferris Wehbe as World President, Khalil Khoury as Vice President. Bassem Medawar was appointed Secretary-General. The Board of Trustees elected Michel Doueihi as Chairman. The World Youth Council elected Linda S Kuri from Mexico as President and Adriana Daher from Bolivia as Secretary-General.
The North America Conference elected Eddie Abdulkarim as President, Milad Oueijan as Vice President for the U.S., and Marwan Sader as Vice President for Canada.
The congress opened in a public session presided over by World President Roger Hani, attended by numerous official, political, and diaspora figures, including Lebanon’s Ambassador in Los Angeles Bashir Sarkis, MPs Salim Sayegh and Fadi Karam, representatives from the Kataeb Party, Lebanese Forces, and Free Patriotic Movement, Ambassador Ed Gabriel representing ATFL, representatives of the Lebanese‑American Coordinating Committee LACC, and Mr. Paul Hindi, President of ALPI-PAC, Ambassador Walid Maalouf representing LARP, and Sami El-Kadi representing the Lebanese for Lebanon Foundation, in addition to community leaders, former world presidents, members of the World Council, regional presidents, and representatives of national councils from all continents.
After concluding its work, the WLCU in Los Angeles honored Nijad Fares with the Courage Award in recognition of his service to both the diaspora and Lebanon.
The congress reviewed reports from global committees and continental branches and held roundtable discussions on various topics, culminating in adopting the following recommendations:
INTERNAL AFFAIRS
- Adoption of internal administrative and financial decisions for the next stage.
- Conduct visits to regional branches, national councils, and chapters to assess conditions, provide support, and establish new chapters.
- Implement technological advancements within the Union in administration, membership, media, culture, heritage, and communication.
- Revive and expand the LEBolution youth program to integrate cultural and academic partnerships with Lebanese universities, supported by training from the parent organization.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
- Renew support for President Joseph Aoun’s inaugural speech and the ministerial statement of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government, especially the stance on restricting arms to the Lebanese state under the Constitution and relevant international resolutions, including Resolution 1701.
- Affirm that the time has come to end Iranian occupation through arms in Lebanon, which has destroyed the state, encouraged corruption, and created a parallel economy modeled after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
- Call for ending Lebanon’s open-ended conflict since 1969 through a new official peace stance beyond the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002.
- Express disappointment at Speaker Nabih Berri and certain parliamentary blocs regarding the electoral law, describing their position as degrading and disgraceful.
- Affirm the constitutional right of expatriates to vote and commit to defending this right internationally.
- Stress that restoring expatriates’ trust—who send $7 billion annually to Lebanon—is essential to encouraging reinvestment. Criticize the “financial gap law” for equating the corrupt with the innocent.
- Announce upcoming proposals to reform the banking sector, with studies showing that 33 economic sectors can help raise Lebanon’s GDP to 250 billion if weapons are restricted to the state.
- Decide to intensify international pressure for Lebanon’s sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and expand diaspora alliances to strengthen Lebanese advocacy abroad.
- Warn that Lebanon is losing its human capital and skilled workforce, and migration will not stop without governance reforms, anti-corruption measures, and restored sovereignty.
- Assert that only a just and sovereign state with good governance can restore trust and investments, anchoring future generations in the homeland and encouraging emigrants to return.
We were never immigrants, but displaced. We left the state—but never the homeland.
