NNA - Under the headline of "Media Protects Lebanon", the "Land of Creators" Foundation "أرض المبدعين" honored a number of distinguished media professionals, led by Caretaker Information Minister Ziad Makary, who patronized the event which was attended by a crowd of cultural and intellectual figures, unionists, general managers and about 400 media professionals.

In a brief word inspired by the occasion, Minister Makary saluted “the martyrs of the media in Lebanon who fell in this destructive war for our country...and also every media person who was on the front danger lines. If this indicates anything, it shows that the media scene in Lebanon is not mediocre at all. Why? Because Lebanon is certainly the “land of creators,” and also the land of liberties...and freedom of expression in Lebanon is the most precious and greatest goal that I have sought since the first day I assumed my duties at the ministry.”

Touching on the need to have a new government the soonest, Makary said, “I am speaking to you from a true desire from the heart to stop performing my duties in the ministry, as of next week, and as soon as possible, for two reasons: the first is that we must have a new government to revive the country, and the second is to provide opportunities for new people to take over the tasks. I sincerely hope that the successor will be a female minister because Lebanese women deserve it, and my words come from experience, because I worked with a team that was mostly women. Of course, there was ‘disagreement’, but there was work, productivity, and creativity, and we achieved everything we aspired to do in relation to the ministry.”

Makary concluded by saying: "I am happy that upon leaving the ministry, I now have a large family, which is you, and this is what makes me feel proud."

===========R.Sh.