The International Festival of the Lebanese Emigrants’ Committee held on 19 August 2010, a press conference at the Press Club – Furn El Chebbak. This Conference was held on the occasion of the festival closure for the year 2010, and to meet with Miss Lebanon Overseas Tauany Abou Rejaili who was elected on 13 July 2010 in Hotel “Le Royal” – Dbayeh, before she travels to Brazil.
The Chairman of the International Festival of the Lebanese Emigrants’ Committee Fadi Bou Dagher attended the conference in addition to the Lebanon Office’s president of the World Lebanese Cultural Union Toni Kaddissi, President of the public relations department in the IFLE Marina Hajj, Miss Lebanon Overseas Tauany Abou Rejaili (Miss Lebanon in Brazil), the runners-up and their families.
The President of the Press Club Mr. Youssef Howayek started the conference by a welcoming speech, and pointed out that the Press Club “is not only a forum for political seminars and meetings but also it is a forum to meet with beauty queens and emigrants as well.
Then Mr. Fadi Bou Dagher said,: ” The International Festival of the Lebanese Emigrants’ Committee thanks the President of the Lebanese Republic General Michel Sleiman, and the Ministries of Tourism, Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Culture, the media, the embassies, the ministers, the deputies, the judges, the religious, the army command, the general managers, the security services, the Maronite Foundation, the World Lebanese Cultural Union, the companies and private institutions who took part in the success of the International Festival of the Lebanese Emigrants for the year 2010, which was concluded by the ceremony of electing Miss Lebanon Overseas Tauany Abou Rejaili (Lebanese origin from Kafarzabad-Bekaa). The committee announces the launching of its new activity “The Global Lebanese Network” in seven languages at the following address: www.lebanese-emigrants.net.
Mr. Kaddissi was asked whether the World Lebanese Cultural Union urges the Lebanese in the Diaspora countries to issue their Lebanese identity, he replied: “We worked a lot and sought with the authorities in Lebanon to issue a law giving the citizenship to the Lebanese descendants. But we are also working with the Maronite Foundation to urge the Lebanese emigrant to obtain the Lebanese nationality, but first they must register through the chapters of the WLCU, so we can give the identity to the largest number of the Lebanese emigrants in the Diaspora countries”.
He added: “The WLCU chapters in the world search for the Lebanese in the Diaspora and take the necessary documents from them, and we also have a website where they can enter and fill out the application, and then take it to the consulate to get the Lebanese identity.”
Mr. Bou Dagher was also asked: What are the tasks of Miss Lebanon Overseas?
He Replied: “Miss Lebanon Overseas has to work on the communication between the Lebanese abroad and Lebanese residents. The influx of candidates from all over the world, in the collaboration with the World Lebanese Cultural Union to participate in the election, is the first step because the Misses visit Lebanon for the first time. And, the Miss will carry this project to enable the communication between the resident and expatriate Lebanon”.
And then, Miss Lebanon Overseas was asked the below questions:
Do you want to learn Arabic?
She replied: “After I got this title, my first objective is to learn Arabic.”
What is your plan for this year?
She replied: “Since the largest number of Lebanese exists in Brazil, I will try to visit the states there, the clubs and associations to talk about the beauty of Lebanon and the culture that is found in every Lebanese, and to urge the Lebanese in Brazil to maintain this culture, and the Lebanese Emigrant to visit his home country Lebanon.”
What is your experience during your presence in Lebanon?
She replied: “I was very impressed with the beautiful nature and with the openness of the Lebanese people to the various cultures of the world and I will pass on this image to the Lebanese in Brazil and will urge them to visit Lebanon.”