UN-ESCWA and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were honored on Thursday, 24 April, at a meeting organized by the Steering Commission for the Annual Lions Day with the United Nations, to celebrate “The Importance of Cooperation between the United Nations and the Lions Clubs International”, at the Press Syndicate headquarters in Beirut. The meeting was also an occasion to mark the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of the International Peacekeeping Forces in Lebanon.

The meeting was attended by Youssef Nusseir, Chief of the Information and Communication Technology division at UN-ESCWA, representing UN Under-Secretary-General and UN-ESCWA Executive Secretary, Bader Omar AlDafa. Also participating were the UNIFIL Political Affairs Officer, Tim Reid, representing Force Commander General Claudio Graziano, Ambassador of Sudan at Lebanon, Jamal Ibrahim, the Officer in Charge of the Embassy of Tunisia in Lebanon, Muhammad Massouda, Colonel Ghassan Ezzeddine, representing the Lebanese Army Commander, General Michel Suleiman, President of the Press Syndicate, Muhammad Baalbaki, the Governor of Lions District 351 (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan), Farid Kaawar, his deputy, George Bou Chedid, the former Governor, Fayyat Dabbousi, and the President of the “Lions Day with the UN Committee”, Rana Abou Zahr Rifai.

Kaawar and Rifai presented honorary shields to AlDafa, Graziano and Baalbaki.

AlDafa’s speech highlighted the importance of ensuring factors of economic and social progress, which fosters stability and consolidates friendly inter-state relations. Along this line, he noted the progress made in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The percentage of people living in extreme poverty has indeed dropped to less than 20%, while the percentage of children who have access to schools in developing countries has increased by 10%, compared with the 1990s. On the other hand, “woman’s active participation in professional life has risen, while child mortality has decreased globally”, he said. Supported by the United Nations, many developing countries have achieved concrete progress in devising strategies and policies to achieve the MDGs, and as a regional arm of the United Nations, UN-ESCWA works towards assisting its member countries in achieving these goals. The regional commission also indeed “focused its activities in response to the needs of the region”, with a concentration on five main priorities: “water, energy, globalization, integrated social and economic policies, and technology (namely information and communication technology at that)”. 

For his part, Reid explained the importance of the international peacekeepers’ work, pointing out that individuals in this international force represent all international forces in the international organization, which aims to safeguard global peace and security. He noted as well that Lions Clubs and the United Nations embody a common vision to create and spread the spirit of understanding among peoples, and contribute to sound citizenship and good governance.

Kaawar and Rifai exposed the work of the Lions Clubs in District 351, which encompasses 86 Clubs and 2000 members, 33% of whom are women. The value of aids and donation the Clubs offer exceeds the amount of 781 thousand US Dollars yearly.

Lions Clubs International occupies a permanent consultative seat at the UN Economic and Social Council. Lions Clubs celebrate Lions Day with the UN since 1979, and the cooperation between both parties has led to many positive results on different levels and in different spheres, especially in developing countries.