Inter Scholar Competition 2016

Here below are the two themes (quotes from Michel Chiha’s writings):

“When confessions have no political representation, religious chiefs will naturally represent them. Thus, rather than tempering themselves and blending into the life of the nation as befits a country this century, confessional issues bounce back and are exacerbated”. Domestic Politics, August 30th, 1944.

“Palestine, a land sacred to three faiths, Christian, Muslim and Jewish, is for this reason and others, indivisible; the international trusteeship formula must be retained for it so that none of the protagonists can dominate the other or others”. Palestine, May 3rd, 1946.

VIDEO here

151 participants from 22 schools participated in the language of their choice.

4 subjects/themes from Michel Chiha’s books have been proposed; 2 from Domestic Politics and 2 from Palestine:

Subject 1: “As I have explained for some time, for us, the Chamber of Deputies (…) is the official demonstration of our ‘desire to live together’ and the will to share in the state’s gestation period. If we abandon this, we will instantaneously fall into religious assemblies (…).” Domestic Politics, July 30th, 1947.

Subject 2: “You need not be a wizard for the administrative machine to function better, for the state’s money not to be wasted, for holidays not to become even more numerous, for an election not to become a deception, for citizens to find civil servants who listen attentively, and for favor and intrigue not to violate laws systematically.”
Domestic Politics, December 12th, 1946.

Subject 3: “Arab resistance is not only necessary; it is vital. In the long term, it is true, it is genuinely a matter of life and death for the Near East, from Asia to Egypt.”
Palestine, May 18th, 1948.

Subject 4: “Hence an unstable Near East is in the process of becoming one of the sins of the world.” Palestine, January 6th, 1949.

The award ceremony was held on Saturday, May 14th, 2016 at 5:00 pm at the Bristol Hotel.

Watch the presentation of schools and award ceremony here

List of the participating schools:

Collège des Frères Mont La Salle.
Collège Louise Wegmann.
Makassed -Houssam Eddine Hariri High School – Saida.
National Evangelical Institute for Girls and Boys – Saida.
Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais – Beirut.
Collège Notre-Dame de Nazareth – Beirut.
Collège Notre Dame du Mont Carmel des Srs Carmélites- Fanar.
École Notre Dame de la Paix des Sœurs Basiliennes Chouérites – Dora.
Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour.
Collège des Saints Cœurs – Sioufi.
Collège de La Sagesse – Beirut.
Lycée Saint Elie -Darb Es Sim – Saida
Antonine Sisters School Hazmieh- Jamhour.
Ecole du Couvent St Sauveur.
Institution Ste Anne the Sisters of Charity of Besançon.
Collège Protestant Français.
Daughters of Charity School Dar En-Nour.
Ecole Saint Jean-Marc des Soeurs des Saints-Coeurs – Jbeil.
Rafic Hariri High School – Saida.
Collège Khadija El- Kobra / Makassed.
Brummana High School.
Ecole St Joseph de l’Apparition – Beirut.

The Foundation is proud to announce the winners of the 2016 competition:

In the Arabic language category:
First Prize was awarded to Aline Meghaizel of the Lycée St. Elie in Darb Essime in Sidon.
Second Prize was tied between Raneem AI Assaad of the National Evangelical Institute for Girls and Boys in Sidon and Hind Choucair of the Makassed-College Khadija El Kobra in Beirut.
Third Prize was also tied between Rita Saliba of the Collège  des Soeurs des St. Coeurs in Jbeil and Ayten Diab of the Institution St. Anne des Soeurs de Besançon in Beirut.

In the French language category:
First Prize was awarded to Alia Karam of the Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais in Beirut.      Second Prize was won by Jad Aoun of the Collège Louise Wegman in Beirut.
Third Prize went to Moussa Prince of the Collège Louise Wegman in Beirut.

In the English language category:
First Prize went to Enzo Al Adm of Brummana High School, Metn.
Second Prize was awarded to Serena Maria Dib of the Collège Notre Dame de Nazareth in Beirut.
Third Prize was won by Rayan Dabbous of the Collège Protestant Français in Beirut.