Lebanese American Renaissance Partnership (LARP)
Press Release
Washington, DC
November 23, 2006

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The Lebanese American Renaissance Partnership (LARP) mission to Lebanon held on November 10-11, 2006 at the Phoenicia Hotel has concluded and announced the beneficiary of its Renaissance funds. The objectives of this mission were to support the government of Prime Minister Fouad Seniora in its effort to stabilize and rebuild Lebanon, help lift the spirit of the Lebanese people and, after consultation with our USAID mission in Lebanon, contributed $15,000 each to the following non-governmental Lebanese organizations:

Sesobel assists mentally and physically handicapped children with educational programs, medical care, and physical, speech, occupational, and psychological therapies. It also provides guidance and support to the families of these children.

Association of Motherhood and Infantile has fifteen free medical clinics throughout Lebanon to help poor women, children and the elderly. The clinics are equipped with soup kitchens and provide free medicines.

Lebanon Family Planning Association provides reproductive health and family planning services, supports capacity building for women, educates young people about the consequences of risky behaviors such as AIDS, and implements population-related activities.

Children's Cancer Center of Lebanon , which is an affiliate of Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, provides Lebanon's children with the latest cancer treatment without discrimination and at no cost to families. Since 2002, more than 338 patients have been treated, and over 600 diagnostic laboratory tests were done free of charge.

Two members of the LARP delegation, Mrs. Laurice Maalouf Hachem and Mr. Sam Hachem announced an endowment fund of $10 million to educate needy Lebanese children from all religious confessions at the banquet dinner on Friday November 10, 2006.

Four Lebanese Ministers participated in this conference, Minister of Economy Sami Haddad represented Prime Minister Fouad Seniora, Minister of Finance Jihad Azoor, Minister of Industry the late Pierre Gemayel and Minister of Public Services Nayla Mouawad. Also participated Deputy Boutros Harb, Deputy Samir Frangieh, Advisor to PM Seniora Ambassador Mohamed Chatah, former Deputy Fares Souaid, Mr. Ahmad Al-Assad the son of former speaker of the Parliament Kamel Al-Assad, Mr. Nadim Gemayel the son of the late President Bashir Gemayel, Mr. Fouad Abou-Nader, Mr. Joseph Nehmeh, head of foreign relations of the Lebanese forces, and Journalist May Chidiac. 

From the American side the total US delegates who participated in this conference were 60 Lebanese American business, professionals and community leaders.  The largest US civil society group to visit Lebanon thus far. Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, David Barth, Egypt/Regional Director USAID and Juliet Wurr, Public Diplomacy US Embassy Beirut. More than 150 participants from the Lebanese business community including the members of the American Lebanese Chamber of Commerce and its President Salim Zienni. See attached presentations at the conference for your consideration.

Spearheaded by Walid Maalouf, Director of Public Diplomacy at USAID, LARP is an initiative of Lebanese American business and community leaders who have joined to support the sovereignty of Lebanon in its reconstruction efforts and to establish a link between Lebanese entrepreneurs and their United States emigrant counterparts.