Prime Minister Nawaf Salam hosted at the Grand Serail, members of the Maronite Foundation, along with 80 young Lebanese diaspora members participating in a program visit to Lebanon.
In his delivered speech before the delegation, Premier Salam said: ''
Welcome home.
I say that not as a polite greeting, but as a truth. Whether you flew here from Buenos Aires, Sydney, Montreal, Paris, Los Angeles, or anywhere in between, this land is part of your story.
Even if you’ve never walked its streets before, you carry it in your name, in your family’s stories, in the values and traditions you grew up with.
Looking at you today, I see more than just a group of young visitors. I see the living bridge between Lebanon and the world. You connect this small but historic country to the global stage.
You bring with you two sets of gifts — the opportunities, knowledge, and experiences from where you live, and the roots, heritage, and identity of Lebanon. That combination makes you powerful.
Your presence here is not just a symbolic visit. It is a statement — that Lebanon is not forgotten, that despite distance and time, the connection remains alive. And as you travel through our mountains, visit our valleys, and speak with people here, you are participating in a dialogue between Lebanon’s past and its future.
Let me be honest with you: Lebanon today is not where we want it to be. We face political challenges, economic hardship, and the consequences of years of instability. But we are determined — as a government and as a people — to rebuild. This can only be achieved through an ambitious reform agenda, and working towards ensuring that the state has the monopoly of arms, both of which we have embarked on.
We are laying the foundation for something different: a respected, sovereign state that serves all its citizens, wherever they live. This means rebuilding not just infrastructure and institutions, but also rebuilding trust — trust between the state and its people, and trust between Lebanese at home and Lebanese abroad.
For too long, the role of the diaspora has been seen too narrowly — as if your only contribution is sending money to support families back home. Of course, your financial support has been vital, but you are more than that. We want you to be active participants in Lebanon’s life — in its politics, its economy, its culture, and its voice in the world.
Lebanon’s story is not complete without you. This is not just your parents’ or grandparents’ homeland. And like every living story, it needs new chapters — written by new generations.
While you are here, connect deeply. See Lebanon as it is — in all its beauty and all its challenges. Think about what you can contribute, whether through your profession, your networks, your investments, or your advocacy. Plant the seeds of involvement now, so your bond with Lebanon is not just a memory, but an active commitment.
And when you return abroad, do not leave Lebanon behind. Carry it with you in your words, your work, and your actions. Defend it when it is misunderstood. Support it when it struggles. Celebrate it when it succeeds. The real distance between you and Lebanon is not measured in miles, but in how much of it you keep alive in your heart and in your daily life.
On behalf of the government, I thank you for coming, for caring, and for believing. And I promise you: we will continue to work — through reform, accountability, and rebuilding — to create a Lebanon worthy of your pride, and a Lebanon that will always be ready to welcome you, not as guests, but as partners in its journey forward.
Welcome home — today, and always."
In his delivered speech before the delegation, Premier Salam said: ''
Welcome home.
I say that not as a polite greeting, but as a truth. Whether you flew here from Buenos Aires, Sydney, Montreal, Paris, Los Angeles, or anywhere in between, this land is part of your story.
Even if you’ve never walked its streets before, you carry it in your name, in your family’s stories, in the values and traditions you grew up with.
Looking at you today, I see more than just a group of young visitors. I see the living bridge between Lebanon and the world. You connect this small but historic country to the global stage.
You bring with you two sets of gifts — the opportunities, knowledge, and experiences from where you live, and the roots, heritage, and identity of Lebanon. That combination makes you powerful.
Your presence here is not just a symbolic visit. It is a statement — that Lebanon is not forgotten, that despite distance and time, the connection remains alive. And as you travel through our mountains, visit our valleys, and speak with people here, you are participating in a dialogue between Lebanon’s past and its future.
Let me be honest with you: Lebanon today is not where we want it to be. We face political challenges, economic hardship, and the consequences of years of instability. But we are determined — as a government and as a people — to rebuild. This can only be achieved through an ambitious reform agenda, and working towards ensuring that the state has the monopoly of arms, both of which we have embarked on.
We are laying the foundation for something different: a respected, sovereign state that serves all its citizens, wherever they live. This means rebuilding not just infrastructure and institutions, but also rebuilding trust — trust between the state and its people, and trust between Lebanese at home and Lebanese abroad.
For too long, the role of the diaspora has been seen too narrowly — as if your only contribution is sending money to support families back home. Of course, your financial support has been vital, but you are more than that. We want you to be active participants in Lebanon’s life — in its politics, its economy, its culture, and its voice in the world.
Lebanon’s story is not complete without you. This is not just your parents’ or grandparents’ homeland. And like every living story, it needs new chapters — written by new generations.
While you are here, connect deeply. See Lebanon as it is — in all its beauty and all its challenges. Think about what you can contribute, whether through your profession, your networks, your investments, or your advocacy. Plant the seeds of involvement now, so your bond with Lebanon is not just a memory, but an active commitment.
And when you return abroad, do not leave Lebanon behind. Carry it with you in your words, your work, and your actions. Defend it when it is misunderstood. Support it when it struggles. Celebrate it when it succeeds. The real distance between you and Lebanon is not measured in miles, but in how much of it you keep alive in your heart and in your daily life.
On behalf of the government, I thank you for coming, for caring, and for believing. And I promise you: we will continue to work — through reform, accountability, and rebuilding — to create a Lebanon worthy of your pride, and a Lebanon that will always be ready to welcome you, not as guests, but as partners in its journey forward.
Welcome home — today, and always."
