On November 21, 2024, the students of the Armenian Catholic Mesrobian High School celebrated Lebanon's Independence Day which this year coincides with an unprecedented alarming period that the country is going through, amongst the widespread atmosphere of grief, pain and the prevalent concerns caused by the large number of victims and the terrible destruction caused by war operations. Rev. Father Sahag Keshishian, parish priest of the St. Savior Church, Father Raphael Jawharji, as well as teachers and parents were present at the ceremony.
Opening the ceremony in front of the students gathered in Mesrobian's main courtyard, student Tiffany Eid recalled the memory of the representatives of Lebanon's Independence generation, pointing out that those who created Independence today demand from us to remain loyal to Lebanon and protect its identity as a torch bearer of freedom, dignity and civilization.
The speaker of the day was Mr. George Krikorian, a member of the Municipal Council of Bourj Hammoud, who emphasized in his speech that Lebanon will overcome the tragedy that is currently affecting the entire country and will rise again from the ashes like a phoenix. He assured the students that the Lebanese homeland will emerge stronger from these attacks and will move forward with the will and wisdom of its citizens in the Lebanese spirit of peaceful coexistence.
In his speech, Mesrobian’s Principal, Mr. Gregoire Kaloust, bequeathed inspiring messages to the students, stressing that the Lebanese, and especially the new generation, should honor their homeland not only during ceremonies, but by living sincerely, with dedication and with active work. “You should become an active participant in the restoration of this homeland, standing up for the values that made Lebanon stand out among many countries of the world as a mission, as the Pope John Paul II called it.”, said Mr. Kaloust.
(You can listen to a part of Mr. Gregoire Kaloust’s speech here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mesrobiancollege/posts/8546456508813861/)
With an artistic program, Mesrobian's student choir performed the Lebanese anthem, accompanied by a flag ceremony. Students from the 5th grade performed with recitation. Four classes of the elementary school performed songs. A group of students from the 7th and 8th grades recited while Jean Pierre Vartanian and Kevin Solakian played some melodies.