The sports tournament “Sport in Motion, Peace in Action, Be the Missing Peace” kicked off at the Antonine Sisters Secondary School – Mar Elias Ghazir, hosted by Caritas Lebanon – Youth Department. The event was attended by officials, religious, political, and security representatives, with Minister of Youth and Sports, Nora Bayrakdarian; representing President General Joseph Aoun.
The event began with the national anthem and the Caritas anthem, followed by welcoming speeches from Melissa Khairallah and Dr. Pierre Mahfouz, representatives of Caritas Youth, who emphasized the importance of sports as a means of social expression and self-realization.
Caritas President, Father Michel Abboud, emphasized that for Caritas, sports goes beyond competition; it embodies human sincerity and helps break down individualism.
In her speech on behalf of the President of the Republic, Minister Bayrakdarian stressed the importance of sports as a tool for peace, dialogue, and the promotion of human values, praising Caritas’ initiatives in empowering youth and fostering a spirit of volunteering and teamwork.
The celebration included a dance performance by Caritas Youth and a video recap of the first day, before the men’s and women’s tournaments officially began. Maroun Khalil, representing the Lebanese and Arab Union of Traditional Popular Sports, also delivered a speech emphasizing the significance of these sports in society.
At the end of the event, prizes were awarded to the winners.