Amine M Daouk,

Engineer from Beirut,

Honorary President of Makassed

100th Anniversary of Libnan Al Kabir

To name Lebanon Libnan al Kabir or Greater Lebanon immediately implies that there are Smaller Lebanons dispersed all over… and in fact, we have been seeing Smaller Lebanons ever since 1920. Which means that neither the 1920 accord nor the 1943 accord have worked, in my opinion, because both were NOT Made in Lebanon!!!

I am a positive optimist by nature, as my friends know me, and I continue to be, until I am asked about my opinion of our governing personalities; they have really overstayed their welcome and in the process trampled over all possible alternatives, hence the outrageous emigration by the young intelligentsia and talent. Only firm believers in Lebanon as a Nation have stayed behind, and you might say those who could not afford to leave.

Destiny will have it that the 1920 and the 2020 accords are both umbrellaed by France. In both situations the French did not create a real French type state (non-sectarian or even laïque), nor did the Lebanese rise to the needed patriotism and nationalism, but have prided themselves in that model. We need a nationalistic unity outside government and a nonaligned government for change and development to succeed. National Unity will only be achieved outside sectarianism that divide and never unite. Here again, neither the 1943 entente “mithaq” nor the Taïf accord produced this desired unity.

Where is my optimism?? I say we cannot continue this downhill free fall; we will eventually stop and regain our position with the new generations who will eventually be in control. This can happen over two election sessions and the new non-sectarian Lebanon will rise.

4th August 2020, a black date for Beirut, has definitely sent a spirit of refusal of the governing regime by the people, as this was coupled with a systemic deterioration of the financial stability, believed to have been caused by the governing elite’s, former and present, corruption and private gain and security. That unbelievable blast obliterated a lifeline of the country, the Port of Beirut (the toughest competitor to the Port of Haifa), it washed away a sophisticated heritage and rendered a peaceful Beiruti people homeless. That hit the heart deeply because a beautiful part of Beirut that bore the hopes of unity of the youth with their heritage was desecrated by the disastrous plunder. 

BUT the positive product was a surge of men and women, young and old, rushing in to save, help, love and console in a sisterly manner the otherwise despondent residents. The positive product are words and poetic writings and expressions of hurt emotions and love and compassion that flowed generously through the pen of our Beiruti youth, such as that of my granddaughter, Ayla Jabr, published here in this sensitive magazine, Beirut’s Agenda Culturel.