Raghida Dergham honoured in Beirut

In its annual iftar, the Bayader Welfare Association this year chose to honour journalist Raghida ‎Dergham. The event took place in the presence of Minister of Information in the caretaker government Waleed al-‎Daouk, head of the Press Syndicate Mohammed al-Baalbecky, and the head of the Federation of the ‎Chambers of Industry, Agriculture and Commerce in Lebanon Mohammed Shoukair. During the event Shoukair praised Dergham and said “Raghida Dergham raised Lebanon’s name by her excellence in the field of media and ‎journalism, and proved her ability to compete with major international media professionals.”‎ A documentary was played showing parts of a biography on ‎Dergham, before she took to the stage to speak about her career as well as the current situation in the Middle East. In her speech Dergham, who works for Al Hayat newspaper, highlighted the role of the youth in the ‎transition phase in the region, referring to the revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, and ‎Syria.‎ “In Lebanon we are not in a battle field, this is new to us, and we are still in a strange semi-‎safe zone. Safe between stability and mistrust and waiting. We are in a critical stage, afraid ‎to demand what we should demand, and afraid to remain silent as silence devotes one reality after ‎the other,”‎ Dergham said. She noted that “a day will come where we should complain and rebel. Rebel against more than ‎one side and against more than one political authority. Rebel doesn’t mean killing and disobeying, and ‎doesn‘t necessarily mean weapons. I hope we protect this country from the tyranny of weapons,”‎ she added. She called upon everyone in contributing to build trust and tranquillity in this complicated ‎transition phase.