On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War, President of the Republic Joseph Aoun delivered a speech in Lebanese Arabic – a sign of empathy with a people still deeply scarred by the legacy of war and ongoing crises. More importantly, he called on the Lebanese to learn from the past in order to build a future of peace, grounded in unity and the rejection of violence, under the auspices of the state.
In a solemn address delivered in a popular tone, the head of state spoke “to all Lebanese who still suffer from the consequences of war,” invoking the dead, the wounded and the families who continue to wait for news of their missing loved ones. “Let us remember those who died, those whose wounds still bleed,” he declared. The president lamented the fact that the country had to endure the flames of war before even considering reforms. “Why couldn’t we reform our system without going through war? Our war, and those waged by foreign powers, played out on our soil, at the cost of our blood. We alone paid the price,” he emphasized.
Calling for a collective awakening of conscience, President Aoun stressed, “It is time to learn from our mistakes.” He insisted, “No one can eliminate the other in this country. Violence and hatred solve no problems in Lebanon.”
Recalling the unanimous commitment of the Lebanese to their homeland, the president reaffirmed that “salvation can only come from the state and its institutions.”
Addressing the security tensions in the south of the country, the president denounced a “pernicious scheme” aimed at destabilizing Lebanon. He stressed the need to entrust the country’s defense exclusively to its legitimate institutions. “It is time for us all to affirm that no force can protect Lebanon except its state, its army and its official security forces,” he stated, calling for a firm commitment to this path.
President Aoun concluded with a call for a “total commitment” to a cohesive state project to ensure the country’s future. His speech ended on a hopeful note: “Our unity is our weapon, and our weapon is our army – so that every fiftieth anniversary to come may be a promise of peace, joy and life. For we were born to live, and life was created for us.” As if, with this final message, the president sought to turn a sorrowful anniversary into a new starting point – toward a Lebanon reconciled with itself, under the leadership of a stronger and more just state.
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