NGO Commission – Year in Review 2016

2016: A year in Review

WLCU attendance at UN Conferences / Campaigns / Meetings / Briefings

1) 60th Session on the Commission on the Status of Women

2) World Press Freedom Day

3) The Supporting Syria and the Region Conference

4) High-level Summit on managing large-scale movements of migrants and refugees

5) Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities

6) 71st session of the UN General Assembly


Paris, ULCM-France – March 18, 19 & 20 – 2016 –

“Days of Lebanon”

At the initiative of the World Lebanese Cultural Union in France (ULCM-France) and in collaboration with a group of Franco-Lebanese associations, the 2nd edition of the “Days of Lebanon” took place on the 18th, 19th and 20th of March 2016, under the patronage of H.E. Mr Ghady G. El-Khoury, Chargé D’affaires of Lebanon in France.

This event was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of tourism of Lebanon, the Lebanese Tourism Office in France, in partnership with the municipality of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, with the support of the parliamentary group “France – Lebanon friendship”.

Invitees were: associations, clubs, rallies, exhibitors, artists painters, musicians, writers, restaurateurs, comedians,… As well as all the French friends of Lebanon to participate in these days of cultural, social, artistic and festive, either by their presence of course or by their activities, shows, books, paintings…

Encouraged by the great success of the first edition of May 2015, over ten thousand visitors and forty participating associations renewed this experience by bringing new Franco-Lebanese associations around this event.

The organizers of this event who contributed to the achievement of these three days were all volunteers.

The benefits of this second edition of the “Days of Lebanon” were dedicated to the new Centre of the autism of the Lebanese association Sesobel.


United Nations Headquarters – New York City – March 14 – 17, 2016

Conference on the Status of Women (CSW60)

The president of the World Lebanese Cultural Union Alejandro Kuri Pheres along with a delegation of 25 members participated at the UN/CSW60 held in New York between 14 & 17 March 2016.
Mrs Hana Rustom Archibald, WLCU Chairperson of the Social Affairs Committee, had several interventions on behalf of the organization, especially by providing a document on women’s rights in Lebanon, which was documented with the Secretary General of the UN.
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=E/CN.6/2016/NGO/124

The document addressed the need to develop laws to protect women from domestic violence and to provide equal opportunities. It was an opportunity for the delegation to learn about other international delegations, especially Arabic, and exchange views about the conditions and situation of Arab girls and women, particularly young women.
During the CSW60, the WLCU delegation arranged another meeting With the Department of Political Affairs (DPA) at the Office of the Secretary-General’s assistant for refugees to discuss another issue related to the refugees in Lebanon.


United Nations Headquarters – New York City – September 19, 2016

“High-level Summit on managing large-scale movements of migrants and refugees”.

On September 19, 2016, the World Lebanese Cultural Union, Headed by its new World president, Elias Kassab, participated at the “High-level Summit on managing large-scale movements of migrants and refugees”.
The delegation attended the Opening Session, Roundtable meetings before holding a special meeting at the offices of the DPA with Darko Mosibob, Deputy Director of the Middle East Office for Political Affairs, and John soliki, First Advisor to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) along with other deputies. Attorney Steve Stanton, representing the WLCU presented a Discussion Paper summarizing the situation in Lebanon. Mr Kassab who declared “The 19th of September an International Movement Day for Lebanon”, delivered an abstract titled “LEBANON – THE HOST NATION THAT HAS BECOME THE HOSTAGE”