Former Lebanese Minister for Presidential Affairs and Political Council Member of the reformist FPM Party visits Australia

Australia: Former Lebanese Minister for Presidential Affairs and Political Council Member of the reformist Free Patriotic Movement Party (FPM) in Lebanon, Dr Pierre Raffoul recently visited Australia and met with Lebanese community heads and the United Australian Lebanese Movement (UALM) in capital cities around Australia.

The tour commenced with a visit to Canberra the nation’s capital where he was hosted for lunch at the home of UALM ACT Coordinator Mr Nakhle Aoun in the presence of Lebanon’s Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Mr. Milad Raad.

After the Canberra leg, a meeting was held at the UALM Melbourne Office in the presence of UALM Federal Coordinator Mr. Maroun Khoury and UALM State Coordinator Mr. Dany Osta. The meeting focused on political developments, the economic and social issues in Lebanon.

In Sydney, the UALM called for a Political Forum where Dr Raffoul met with partisans, supporters and member of the Lebanese community at the Holroyd Centre in Merrylands. Present were FPM National Council Member Mr. Tony Tawk, Deputy Coordinator of the UALM Sydney Branch Mr. Tony Rizk, representative of AL Mustaqbal newspaper Joseph El Khoury and Mr. Elie Kaltoum representing Oz Arab Media.

Renowned Poet Fouad Neeman El-Khoury delivered a stirring introduction, “When the direction is lost in the game of chairs, and when politics degenerates into a slave market, there still remains a breath of leadership that focuses on the foundations; there still remains a loud voice that bears witness to freedom and rights. During a difficult period telling the truth is hard, yet remaining silent is even harder; in the era of fraudulent media, the white dove still soars high and its name still remains as white as snow…Dr Pierre Raffoul the loud voice of truth and righteousness and whose name is as white as snow.”

Dr Raffoul discussed with the audience the situation in Lebanon at all levels be it politically, socially and at a party level; reassuring all those present that as long as there are those who want to build a state and fight corruption, Lebanon has a bright future.

The tour was completed with a visit to the UALM Queensland Office where he met with its Coordinator Mr Labib Chemali and partisans from within the community.

What is remarkable about Dr. Raffoul’s Australian tour is his keenness to deliver a message from His Excellency President General Michel Aoun to everyone, in which he says that Australia is very dear to His Excellency’s heart stating “When he visited it, he was sure that while you live here, your heart remained in the motherland, and your loyalty to Lebanon is equal to your loyalty to your second motherland, Australia.”

He went on to state on behalf of President Aoun, “His Excellency the President also reassures you that this struggle is not a gamble, but rather a life choice, and we are committed to it for the sake of Lebanon and for the sake of the loved ones who died for it. He continued, stressing that in our march there are no special interests, but rather for the interest of the country, and that no matter how intense it is, in the end, we will achieve Lebanon’s resurrection.”