NNA – The followimg is the speech of President of the Republic, Genetalnbsp;Joseph Aoun, onnbsp;the occasion of the Annualnbsp;Iftar banquet at Baabda palace: quot;

Mr. Speaker of Parliament,

Mr. Prime Minister,

Former Presidents,

Your Eminences, Beatitudes, Graces andnbsp;Excellencies,

Ministers,nbsp;

Members of Parliament,

Ambassadors,

Distinguished guests,

nbsp;This is not a speech.nbsp;It is simply a heartfelt reflection.

Allow me to begin withnbsp;something personal. Today marks my 70thnbsp;day in this institution. From the very first moment I have thought guidance from ldquo;the Bookrdquo; asnbsp;one of mynbsp;greatnbsp;predecessorsnbsp;used to callnbsp;Itnbsp;-nbsp;the Constitution.

I often paused at two particular phrases:nbsp;ldquo;Nonbsp;authority is legitimate if it contradicts the pact of mutual coexistence.rdquo;

ldquo;The President of the Republic is the head of State and the symbol of national unity.rdquo;

I now confess that I have repeatedlynbsp;pondered overnbsp;theessence of these words. What do they truly mean?

And what do theynbsp;ask of me, and of all of us?

And untilnbsp;Inbsp;envisioned thisnbsp;gathering,nbsp;I suddenly grasped the fullnbsp;depth of these words, as if their constitutional and national spirit was meant for a moment like this.

That isnbsp;whennbsp;I realized that the legitimacy of any authority in Lebanon as an entity, a nation and a state lies in our togetherness.

To live together, tonbsp;celebratenbsp;life together.

To pray together, to fast together and to break bread together.

To resist togethernbsp;andnbsp;tonbsp;triumphnbsp;together.

To share joy and to mourn together.

To let our unity be ournbsp;greatest strengthnbsp;sonbsp;that we may wipe away the sorrow andnbsp;makenbsp;joynbsp;everlasting.

Wenbsp;must remain together, no matter the challenges.nbsp;

nbsp;And when I reflect on the Presidentnbsp;of the Republic being the symbol of national unity, Inbsp;knownbsp;that it meansnbsp;andnbsp;demands,nbsp;that I be here and that you all benbsp;here, undernbsp;this very roof,nbsp;the roof of our state, our nation and our covenantnbsp;of unity.

Because our unity is ournbsp;greatest asset,nbsp;our strongest shield and our source of resilience.

It is our most formidable weapon, our richest heritage and our most enduring legacy.

Through unity,nbsp;we safeguard our homelandnbsp;from any aggressionsnbsp;or ambitions.

Through unity,nbsp;we reclaim our rights, liberate our land and bring our captives home.

Through unity,nbsp;we achieve prosperity,nbsp;ensurenbsp;stability andnbsp;preserve our independence.

Through unity,nbsp;we rebuild what has been destroyed and we make sure that destruction never happens again.

Through unity,nbsp;wenbsp;sownbsp;joy in the eyes of our children and hope in their hearts so thatnbsp;theynbsp;may reapnbsp;anbsp;future worthy ofnbsp;their dreams and ournbsp;sacrifices.

Through unity,nbsp;we rise after everynbsp;fall,nbsp;wenbsp;prevail after every setbacknbsp;and we heal every wound.

And wenbsp;move forward, always believing in a bettertomorrow.

Through unity, nonbsp;community is left behind,nbsp;nonbsp;rightsnbsp;are deniednbsp;and nonbsp;one is marginalized.

And if wenbsp;evernbsp;lose sight of this fundamental truth,nbsp;divine providence reminds us from above by uniting the sacred season of Lent with the blessed month of Ramadan.

It reminds us thatnbsp;bothnbsp;fasts lead tonbsp;a single profound truth: for Christians,nbsp;Lent is the path to Resurrection.For Muslims, asnbsp;the Holy Hadithnbsp;statesnbsp;ldquo;when Ramadan begins the gates of Paradise are opened.rdquo;

Thus,nbsp;the Lord of the heavens and the earth, affirms that we are one. That we arenbsp;unitednbsp;andnbsp;will remain sonbsp;forever.

nbsp;Ramadan Kareem and a blessednbsp;fast.

Inbsp;welcome you to this sanctuary of faith in our unity.quot;

nbsp;

nbsp;

=====================nbsp;