STATISTICS ABOUT LEBANON

1. Lebanon has 18 religious communities
2. It has 40 daily newspapers
3. It has 42 universities
4. It has over 100 banks (that is banks and not branches of a bank)
5. 70% of the students are in private schools
6. 40% of the Lebanese people are Christians(this is the highest Percentage in all the Arab countries)
7. There's 1 doctor per 10 people in Lebanon (In Europe & America , there's 1 doctor per 100 people)
8. The name LEBANON Appears 75 times in the Old Testament.
9. The name CEDAR ( Lebanon 's tree) appears 75 times too in the Old Testament!!
10. Beirut was destroyed and rebuilt 7 times (this is why it's compared to The Phoenix ).
11. There are 3.5 Million Lebanese in Lebanon.
12. There are around 10 Million Lebanese outside Lebanon !

OTHER INTERESTING FACTS:
1. Lebanon , the country, was occupied by over 16 countries:>Egyptians-Hittites-Assyrians- Babylonians- Persians- Alexander the Greeks- Romans - Byzantine- Arabs-The Crusaders-The Ottoman Empire- Britain- France - Israel- Syria.
2. Byblos (city in Lebanon ) is the oldest, continuously living City in The World.
3. Lebanon 's name has been around for 4,000 yrs non-stop (it's the Oldest Country/ nation's name in the world!)
4. Lebanon is the only Asian/African country that doesn't have a Desert.
5 There are 15 rivers in Lebanon (all of them coming from its own Mountains)
6. Lebanon is one of the most populated countries in its Archeological Sites, in the World!!!
7. The first alphabet was created in Byblos (city in Lebanon )
8. The only remaining temple of Jupiter (the main Roman god) is in Baalbeck, Lebanon (The City of the Sun). This is also the largest of all of the Roman Temples.
9. The name of BYBLOS comes from the BIBLE or BOOK
10. Lebanon is the country that has the most books written about It.
11. Lebanon is the only non-dictatorial country in the Arab world (It Has a President!)
12. According to Christianity Jesus Christ made his 1st miracle in Lebanon , In Sidon (The miracle of turning water into wine).
13. The Phoenicians (Original People of Lebanon) built the first boat, and they were the first to sail ever!
14. Phoenicians also reached America long before Christopher Columbus did.
15. The 1st law school in the world was built in Lebanon , in Downtown Beirut .
16. People say that the cedars were planted by God's own hands. This is why they're called "The Cedars of God", and this is why Lebanon is Called God's Country on Earth." Is it not a real Crime Against Humanity to destroy a country with such history?

* We received this from Mrs. Silva Lousinian Jemjemian

Armenians in Arab Countries: an interview with Hrayr Jebejian

Interview conducted by Mr. R. Chilingirian

Question One: You mention in one of your articles that the assimilation of the Armenians in the Arab countries is much slower than in the Western Countries, mainly in Europe and the USA. Can you elaborate as to what aspects help the Armenians keep their identity and their language in the Arab countries, and what aspects keep them away from assimilation with the Arabs?

There are a number of issues that need to be taken into consideration when answering this question. Yes, the assimilation of the Armenians in the Middle East and the Arab world has been slower than that of Europe and the West for a number of reasons.

  1. The social structure and set up of the Middle East communities: The Armenian communities in the Arab world, and especially in Lebanon, have been considered as one of the officially recognized denominations, irrespective of their number. The social setup in some of the Arab countries inherited the millet (denominational) system from the Ottoman Empire. The denominational system, irrespective of its many disadvantages, provided a platform for communities to preserve their national identity, culture, and language.
  1. The Arab World and the Middle East are mainly Islamic countries and have Islam as their official religion. The Armenians, as a Christian minority living in communities with Muslim majority, have done their utmost to maintain their Christian faith. The Armenian communities in the Middle East and the Arab World have gained the confidence and the trust of the locals. They have taken part and contributed immensely to the economy and infrastructures of their adopted countries. Having said that, it has always been a crucial factor for the Armenian communities to maintain their faith. The Armenian communities created ghettos which, however, should not be translated as living isolated lives and not interacting with the local community. Rather sticking strongly to their churches and social and cultural institutions for their communal/social life and the upbringing of the new generation. The Armenian culture, as we all are aware, is influenced and inspired by the Christian faith. The preservation of their Christian faith helped the Armenian communities in the Middle East to maintain their national identity, too.
  1. There is also the emotional component. The Arab World and the Middle East are geographically close to Western Armenia, presently under Turkish occupation. The geographical proximity with historical Armenia keeps the Armenian community in the Middle East in a state of alert, prone to preserving their national identity and struggling for the resolution of a just Cause.
  1. The Arab world welcomed and helped the Armenians after the Genocide. The friendly ties and connections, throughout history, between the Arab and Armenian nations, have been important indicators of the two communities’ understanding of each other and respect towards one another. The Arabs hold great respect for the Armenian nation’s faith and culture. The latter has helped in maintaining the language and the national identity of the Armenian community.
  1. It is only appropriate to single out Lebanon and its overall social system and its contribution towards the maintenance of the Armenian national identity. Lebanon has been a stronghold of the Armenian community, where they organized themselves, their community life, and developed a strong platform for a community (Kaghout) in various avenues and respects. The development of the Armenian community in Lebanon helped to maintain the “Armenianness” of not only of the Lebanese Armenians, but also of other communities in the Diaspora. The Armenian community in Lebanon acted and still does as a “Data Bank”, where human, educational, cultural, and intellectual resources are provided to other Armenian communities in the world.

Question Two: Lately, we've been reading and hearing a lot from analysts on television, who say that the Lebanese immigrants leaving to the Gulf are easier to get them back to Lebanon, and they are not regarded as immigrants, unlike those who have left, say, for France, USA, or other Western Countries, never to return. Is this also true about the Armenians living in Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Iran?

It is imperative that we bear in mind an important element when we talk about those who go to work in the Gulf region. Those people do not and cannot become citizens of these countries, irrespective of the number of years they stay there. Whereas, those who go to Europe and the West for employment, eventually, can become citizens. I believe this is a very important factor as to why people eventually return to their home country after living several years in the Gulf.

The situation of the Armenians in the Diaspora can not be compared with the Gulf experience. The Armenian communities in the countries you mention, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Iran, and Jordan, have a historical presence in the region. Moreover, the Armenians living in these Diaspora communities are citizens of these countries. We are Lebanese-Armenian, Syrian-Armenian, etc. The cultures of these countries have become ours together with the Armenian one. The latter, however, should not be taken as a negative indicator, especially, if we balance it well with our Armenian Heritage. On the contrary, I consider it to be cultural richness that adds to our identity.

In the end, it is needless to say that we have to bear in mind that we were born in this part of the world because our grandparents and parents were driven out of their homeland. So, we need to navigate in these circumstances and in the countries where we are all now living until such a time when justice for the Armenian Cause will take place. The challenge for the Diaspora Armenians is to preserve their Armenian identity and culture while embracing the local one. I am one of those advocates who call for “moderation” and “balancing” (havasarageshroutyoun) between the dual identities in the Diaspora context. We are Armenians with a rich cultural and ethnic heritage and a struggle for a just cause. At the same time, we are destined to live outside our homeland because of the Genocide. We are thankful and grateful for the countries that hosted us and we share their culture by “balancing” it with ours.

Social Psychology: Lend An Ear

"The first time the car broke down we were somewhere in North Carolina, "my mother-in-law told me over the phone. "We had it fixed, and then it stalled again in Delaware. But the worst was on the Verrazano Bridge duringrush hour. It seemed as if we'd never get home."
"That sound terrible," I said, ready to launch into my own horror story - a car that conked out at 9:30 p.m. in a desserted mall parking lot.
But someone knocked at her door, so she had to say good-bye.
"Thank you for listening," she added, "but most of all for not telling me your worst car story."

My cheeks burning, I hung up. In the days ahead I found myself thinking about the wisdom of her parting words. I can't count the number of times I've begun to complain - about a fight, a professional disappointment, or even car problems - only to have my friend cut me off with "The same thing just happened to me." Suddenly we're talking about her ungrateful kid, her leaky fuel line. And I'm left nodding my head in all the right places, wondering if we haven't all come down with a bad case of emotional attention deficit disorder.

What we all hope for when we're feeling low or agitated or wildly happy is to find a friend who sounds as if he or she has all the time in the world to listen. We don't always want answers or advice. Sometimes we just want company.

Haigazian University receives $700,000 US grant

BEIRUT: US Charge d'Affaires Michele Sison presented on Thursday a donation of $700,000 to Dr. Paul Haidastian, the president of Haigazian University, to finance scholarships for deserving students. This funding, provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will support 371 students as they pursue their educations. "One of the US core values is education. It is a value that Americans share with Lebanese. Our support for Haigazian University, as well as other Lebanese educational institutions, assists students as they make Lebanon, the region and the world a better place," Sison said.

Junior Youth Group Leaders appreciate their predecessors and their past leaders

On Friday, 23 May 2008, during the night, the present leaders of Emmanuel Junior Youth Group had invited their peers and the past leaders of the youth group and the pastor and his wife, to have together a very nice appreciation dinner. All the leaders were present...

The present leaders: Mrs. J. Ohanian Kozman, Mr. M. Ibitian, Mr. R. Chilingirian, Mr. Mr. Hagopian, Mr. J. Baghboudarian and Mr. H. Gojigian.
The past leaders: Mrs. Kathia Kozman Habib, Mrs. Sirag Karagoezian Basmajian, Mr. M. Chilingirian, Mr. H. Hanneyan and Mr. H. Akbasharian.
Also present were Rev. D. Basmajian, and Mr. S. Ohanian, who helped the Badaniatz team during their recent retreat in Mount Smash. Each leader was awarded with a plaque of servanthood, on which their name and their service years were written. These plaques were from Peter's Brass, that were given by Mr. M. Ibitian. At the end of the appreciation night, the leaders surprised Jimmy, Mano and Raffi by celebrating their birthdays with a delicious cake.