World Lebanese Cultural Union
The WLCU World Council held its meeting on 26, 27 & 28 April 2013 at Hotel Marriott in San Francisco – California headed by the World President Michel Doueihi, World Secretary General Toni Kaddissi, World Vice Presidents: Najib Khoury Mikhael (Africa), Elias Kassab (North America) and Said Yazbeck (Europe), Former World President Anise Garabet, President of the Regional Council for North America François Abou Naaman, President of the Regional Council for Europe Roger Hani, Vice President of the Regional Council for America Mohamad El Choum, Regional Assistant Secretary General for Latin America Fady Tawil representing the President of the Regional Council for Latin America, Presidents of the committees, Presidents of the National Councils, WLCU officers and members from all continents and youth representatives from the state of California.
After a welcoming speech from the President of San Francisco Chapter Khalil Khoury, WP Doueihi made his speech in which he thanked the organizers and the attendees who came from different continents to participate in this meeting, then he sent a salutation to His Excellency the President of the Republic General Michel Sleiman, praising his wise policy, and wishing the Prime Minister Tamam Salam the success in his rescue mission.
All administrative, financial, committees, and regional reports and the incoming messages were presented, including the report related to the membership of the WLCU in the Department of Public Information (DPI) and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) belonging to the United Nations, where the WLCU Chief Administrative officer in the NGO Committee former WP Anise Garabet explained the role and work of the WLCU within this organization.
After that, the participants discussed the items of the agenda and listened to the report of the WSG which included several subjects such as: the visit of young men and women from Lebanese descent from all continents to Lebanon from 16 to 26 August 2013, where the WVP for Africa Najib Khoury Mikhael presented an amount of 50 000 USD to help in the success of this visit. Anita Abel Karim from Los Angeles was appointed to be responsible of following up the preparations for this visit in North America. The participants also expressed their impressions for the active movement of the world council for youth in launching new youth chapters in different continents. Also, the participation of the WLCU in the ceremony of Miss Emigrants organized by the Municipality of Dhour Chweir – Ain el Syndianeh where the WLCU chapters in several countries organize ceremonies and elect misses to participate in the final ceremony in Lebanon in 10 August 2013.
The participants approved the project submitted by Engineer Bassem Medawar related to the update of the WLCU website, where the updated site will be launched in a short period of time. The participants sent a special greeting to the regional and national councils in Latin America who are preparing for their congress which will be held from 2 to 5 May in Bogota and praised the effective role of the WLCU in those countries. They also thanked the WLCU officers and members in Latin America and Brazil for their efforts to contribute in the preparation for the visit of Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Rai.
In the second day, WLCU Regional Council for North America held its meeting in San Francisco headed by the president of this council François Abou Naaman, in the presence of the WP Michel Doueihi and the WSG Toni Kaddissi, and they discussed several topics and displayed the main activities of this council.
WLCU San Francisco Chapter held a gala dinner in honor of the WP and the participants in the meeting and in the presence of the judge in the Supreme Court of California from Lebanese origin Jimmy Kaado and several persons from the Lebanese community.
