Sheikh Al-Aql exchanges calls with Patriarch Al-Rahi and Sheikh Al-Khatib and meets with the Minister of Education

The Sheikh Al-Aql of the Unitarian Druze community, Sheikh Dr. Sami Abi Al-Muna, met at the Druze community headquarters in Beirut with the Minister of Education and Higher Education, Judge Abbas Halabi, and the President of the Lebanese University, Professor Bassam Badran, to discuss a number of educational and university issues.
After the meeting, Minister Halabi stated: “We were honored to visit His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Sami Abi Al-Muna at the Druze community headquarters, along with the President of the Lebanese University, Professor Bassam Badran. During the meeting, we reviewed the conditions of the Lebanese University, with explanations provided by the university president regarding some concerns held by His Eminence about the challenges facing the university in these difficult and impossible circumstances. I believe those very important explanations reassured His Eminence regarding the university's academic level and its professional future, which we are particularly proud of, especially after the international rankings issued recently, particularly by internationally recognized British entities, where the Lebanese University outperformed all universities in Lebanon and earned its proper place within the university landscape even in the Arab region and the world.”

He added: “The visit was an opportunity to discuss general issues and national affairs, and there was an agreement of opinion on the necessity of activating the work of constitutional institutions, and for the government to do everything possible to face challenges and find solutions.”

In response to a question, Halabi said: “On the eve of the official exams, which will begin on June 29th under the rule of the unified exam in all Lebanese regions, of course, the events in the South raise our concern, and we hope that security and objective conditions will be available to enable our students in the South to participate in these exams. We have been successful this year in completing a normal and natural school and university year, which enabled all students to be in their classrooms, as well as teachers and professors, and we are all hopeful for the continuation of this pace for the coming school and university year, God willing.”

Chanieh

At his residence in Chanieh, he received a delegation from the families of the town of Maaser El Shouf, and Mr. Ramzi Ghanem, accompanied by member of the Druze Council, Mr. Mounir Barakat.

Communications

On another note, the Sheikh Al-Aql received a phone call from Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi to invite him to a spiritual occasion in Bkerke. For his part, he made a call to the Deputy Head of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council, Allamah Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib, to offer condolences on the passing of his uncle, the late Hajj Jawad Hussein Al-Khatib.

Separately, a delegation from the Mashyakhat Al-Aql and the Druze Council, commissioned by the Sheikh Al-Aql, offered condolences to the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, on the passing of his virtuous mother, Hajjah Umm Hassan. The delegation was received at the party’s political council headquarters by former Minister Hajj Mahmoud Qomati and a number of officials. The delegation included: Sheikh Judge Gandhi Makarem, Druze Council members Mohammed Ghannam and Fadi Al-Attar, and advisors Daniel Said, Amer Zeineddine, and Zeineddine Ghannam.

During the meeting, Judge Makarem praised the qualities of the late lady, affirming “standing at this stage by the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine in the face of the ongoing Israeli aggression,” and stressing “the importance of Lebanese openness to one another, and the necessity of cooperation between various national components to reach the election of a President of the Republic.”

For his part, Minister Qomati welcomed the delegation, thanking the Sheikh Al-Aql for his gracious gesture, confirming “the necessity of communication,” and explaining “the achievements made by the resistance in Lebanon so far in terms of equations of power, protection, and fortification for our homeland, Lebanon, and in support of Palestine and its oppressed people.”

The Sheikh Al-Aql also delegated Druze Council member Sheikh Sami Abdel Khaleq to offer condolences for the brother of Sheikh Bilal Al-Mulla at Al-Khashoggi Mosque, and to participate in a seminar on “Sexual Harassment and Preserving Human Dignity” at the headquarters of the Middle East Council of Churches in Beirut.