About SOC

Distinguished audience,
Our gathering today marks a pivotal moment.
We are not simply launching a project — we are making an appeal:

An appeal for reconciliation between citizens and the State,
An appeal to break down the barriers that divide Lebanese people,
And an appeal for civic engagement.

We are laying the foundations of a national program — “Generation of Citizens” — a forwardlooking vision that rises above crisis, transcends division, and dares to plan for the future with courage and conviction.

Today, we inaugurate its first cornerstone: “The School of Citizenship.”
Through every crisis, we have said that the youth of Lebanon are the hope of the future — yet what have we truly done to help them live up to that hope?
When we imagine a generation built on solid foundations, our thoughts naturally turn to our schools — public and private — whose centuries-old educational mission remains one of Lebanon’s greatest sources of pride.

Yet, how aware are we of their ability to uphold and promote the values of active citizenship?
While awaiting the curriculum update led by our Ministry of Education and the Center for Educational Research and Development — an effort focused on renewing Lebanon’s overall educational approach — we sought to launch a civic engagement project that bridges communication between youth and the State through our schools.

This project — whose details will be presented by our team — connects Lebanon from north to south.
Some may see it as utopian, perhaps even idealistic.
That is why I appeal not only to your mind, but also to your heart.

From the heart of a mother who has watched her children grow up amid a crisis that seems endless — one that has overshadowed every glimpse of hope.
From the heart of a citizen who, for most of her life, has seen generations divided by sectarianism and regionalism, rather than united by a shared sense of patriotism.
And from the heart of a woman who deeply believes in each and every one of you — because I have witnessed, time and again, the immense potential of Lebanon’s youth on the world stage, and their extraordinary ability to contribute to the renewal of their country.
This project, though simple in its concept, is revolutionary in its scope:
To turn our schools into centers of active citizenship.
To turn our classrooms into spaces of values and responsibility.
And to turn our students into advocates for change, grounded in shared principles and common purpose.

To all school principals who bear the weight and responsibility of our educational institutions, I say: you are the builders of the future — the ones shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

To all teachers, I say: despite the challenges you face and the grievances you carry, you remain the true pioneers of this project. We are deeply grateful for every seed you plant in your classrooms, for every word that nurtures critical thinking, respect, and responsibility

And to all parents, I say: together with our schools, you form the two pillars of the nation — the foundation upon which we seek to rebuild loyalty, belonging, and faith in Lebanon’s future.

And to you — the young men and women of Lebanon — I speak with the deepest sincerity: We want you to be better than us… so that you may live the better days we once dreamed of. That is why we call on you to embrace this endeavor, to join the Generation of Citizens, and to work together for a Lebanon that is more united, more just, and stronger than ever before.

In conclusion, this project bears no name of a person, an institution, or a party. It is the fruit of a shared and valued partnership among all those gathered here today. It marks the beginning of something long overdue — the beginning we should have made right after the war, to bring our people together. But too often, circumstances silenced our will.

Today, we can choose to do nothing… or we can choose to begin, here and now.
For everything is possible, when it stands beneath the roof of citizenship.

Thank you.