Daizy attendance at Ambassador event
July 18, 2024After nearly 5 months away my return to Lebanon was official when I stepped out last night to attend the Australia Day celebrations hosted by Australian Ambassador Andrew Barnes and his wife Teresa at The Sporting Club Beach resort on the shores of the glorious Mediterranean Sea.
It was a wonderful way to return to my much loved Lebanon and reconnect with members of th Aussie-Lebanese community, warm friends, compatriots and colleagues as well as make new ones.
While Australia Day is officially celebrated on January 26, Ambassador Barnes acknowledged the sensitivity of that date for members of Australia’s Aboriginal community who consider it “Invasion Day” and when life, as they had known it for thousands of years, changed in an instant when the English settlers arrived in 1770. (Not too dissimilar to a story being played out just south of Beirut!) But Ambassador Barnes added he chose July because it also felt like a real Aust Day, smack bang in the middle of a hot and sweaty summer. 🥵
Thank you to the Australian embassy officials for hosting such a wonderful night, especially Janet Rachkidi, Executive PA to Ambassador Barnes, who was relentless in her efforts to make everyone feel welcome.
The band, the superb @domaine_wardy, the delicious Aussie Wagyu, and watching the Aussies trying to dabke was priceless. Oh what a night. 😍
Blessed to be back in Beirut ❤️
English Script:
Andrew Barnes: Many Lebanese are struggling, they deserve better and Lebanon deserves better. As we all know, Lebanon is a country with huge potential. It is blessed with a stunning geography of breathtaking mountains and valleys and a coastline as beautiful as anywhere in the world except for Australia. In addition, you have one of the most educated, creative and entrepreneurial populations of any country in the world, with one of the highest numbers of universities per capita. But without undertaking some basic reforms to your economy and your judicial system, Lebanon will not reach its potential, and the future for the young generation will be bleak.
