Speaking at the ceremony were:
-Dr Nadim Khoury - ESCWA Deputy Executive Secretary
In his statement, Dr Nadim Khoury gave an overview of the historical cooperation between the Rotary International and the United Nations, which has expanded over years to include development projects on several issues. Khoury also noted that the MDGs world agenda beyond the year 2015, which will be launched by the UN General Assembly next September, constitutes a milestone that requires first, wide consultations among all stakeholders without exception; second, drafting the Goals in manner that responds to the ambitions of all states and takes into consideration their specificities; and third, dealing with the MDGs as a unified package including harmonized governance and economic and social policies at the national level and among the regional and international levels. The Deputy Executive Secretary concluded by saying in this regard that the responsibility directly falls on ESCWA for coordination in the Arab region. [ESCWA website]
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-Dr. Michel Jazzar - Rotary International Representative to UN-ESCWA
Dr. Michel P. Jazzar said that Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation support the UN Millennium Development Goals-MDGs and, through its humanitarian, educational, and health programs, has obtained the highest consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Through the support and guidance of Rotary International, Rotary clubs implement projects dealing with current challenges such as illiteracy, hunger, poverty, disease, lack of clean water and environmental pollution. [ESCWA website]
Speech Michel P. Jazzar [English]-->Address Dr Michel P Jazar-English version.pdf
Speech Michel P. Jazzar [Arabic]-->Michel P. Jazzar-Arabic.pdf
-Mr. Jamil Mouawad - 2013-14 Rotary District 2452 Governor
Speaking of the Rotary work in Lebanon, Mr. Jamil Mouawad mentioned three main projects currently underway. The first is related to providing Lebanese students and youth with clean water in public schools; the second is related to eradicating digital illiteracy in Lebanon; and the third, combating drugs through awareness campaigns. [ESCWA website]
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-Mrs. Sonia El Khoury - Director of the Orientation Office at the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education
El Khoury, fspoke of the collaboration between the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education and ESCWA. Noting the lack of strategic planning in certain areas of education, she said that human skills and expertise abound however in the Ministry and in the public education sector in Lebanon. [ESCWA website]
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-Pr. Frederic Maatouk - Dean of Social Sciences Faculty at the Lebanese University
Pr Maatouk said that development was not a meditative science, rather an analytical and executive one aimed at creating positive change. This is obvious in the text of the report, which provides clear examples in the framework of a new development vision. [ESCWA website]
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-Dr Adib Nehmeh - ESCWA Regional Advisor on Governance and National Dialogue
--> Presented the main findings of the report [Arabic - 450MBs] -->MDGR book 2011 launch.pptx [ESCWA website]