Australian Ambassador Tom Wislon in Zgharta
The visit of the new Australian Ambassador to Lebanon, Mr. Tom Wilson, commenced with a tour of the historic Saydet Zgharta (Our Lady of Zgharta) neighborhood. He visited the Church of Our Lady, walked through the old street, and then proceeded to the atelier of artist Samih Zaatar. The tour concluded with a visit to the Youssef Bey Karam Museum.
Following that, we had the honor of organizing the second photographic exhibition titled “From Zgharta to Australia,” held under the patronage of the Mayor of Zgharta-Ehden, Pierrot Zakhia El Douaihy, and in cooperation with Lebanon Seasons.
As for the official ceremony, which took place at the Municipal Theater, it was presented by the journalist Robert Frangieh and featured speeches by:
- Mr. Pierrot Zakhia Douaihy, Mayor of Zgharta-Ehden
- Mr. Pierre Morco Douaihy, President of the For Zgharta Zawieh Association
- Mrs. Natalie Khawaja, representing Lebanon Seasons
The event concluded with a speech by the Australian Ambassador, which he delivered in Arabic.
We also had the honor of presenting His Excellency with a historical photograph of Australian soldiers taken in Ehden in 1942, a gesture that embodies the depth of Lebanese-Australian relations throughout history.
The occasion wrapped up with a tour for the attendees through the exhibition, which highlighted milestones of the shared history between Lebanon and Australia.
