A dinner was hosted at the On Sunset restaurant by the Sydney chapter of the Kataeb Party on Tuesday, 9th May, in honor of George Haddad, the former President of Kataeb Australia, and his successor, Laudy Farah Ayoub. The event was organized by Kataeb Sydney, now led by its new President, Elias Nasr. The restaurant reached maximum capacity as Kataeb members, representatives of other parties, and church representatives gathered to honor the leaders for their work in the party. Haddad was also presented with an award for his 30 years of service to the party in Melbourne.
The crowd was seated to begin the program, which started with an introduction of Nasr to deliver a speech. The speaker’s podium was positioned in front of the flags of Australia, Lebanon, and the Kataeb, with banners of the Gemayel leaders, both past and present, adorning the wall behind the speaker.
Nasr began his speech by expressing gratitude to the attendees and paying respects to leaders Ayoub and Haddad, praising them for their honorable service. He specifically commended Ayoub for her five years of leadership in Kataeb Sydney, highlighting her wisdom, energy, responsibility, and the respect she has shown to party members, which strengthened the Sydney wing. Nasr also expressed his belief that Ayoub will be an excellent leader as the head of Kataeb Australia. He showed respect for Australia as a great country and expressed hope that God would watch over Lebanon during its current struggles. Nasr firmly stated his belief that the President of Lebanon should be elected by the Lebanese people and that the selection process should not be influenced by foreign entities.
Lebanon has had a vacant presidency since Michel Aoun left office in October 2022, amidst various crises such as the aftermath of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, frozen assets in banks, and shortages, including bread. The national situation has further deteriorated, with the failure to elect a president being just one of the many problems faced by Lebanon. This situation has highlighted the increasing division within the political class, as evidenced by Parliament’s inability to find a compromise candidate despite holding over ten sessions to elect a new leader.
Haddad emphasized the importance of service, both within the Kataeb and in general, while expressing gratitude to Ayoub, Nasr, and all those in attendance. In his comments, he also stressed the significance of youth within the party and for Lebanon as a whole, highlighting the importance of the next generation of Lebanese youth taking up leadership roles to carry on the work of the Kataeb and to serve Lebanon.
Following Haddad’s speech, Ayoub, the former President of the Sydney chapter who later became the head of Kataeb nationwide, delivered her speech. She also expressed appreciation for everyone present and acknowledged the leaders accompanying her that night. Ayoub spoke about the importance of the party’s work and its members, emphasizing the need to continue that work for the betterment of Lebanon.
Haddad was then presented with an award for his extensive 30-year service to the Kataeb. Currently, the Kataeb holds four seats in the Parliament of Lebanon, led by Sheikh Samy Gemayel, the son of former President Amine Gemayel.
