2008 Woodie Awards
Lebanese speaker discusses homeland
Adam Asmar
Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: News
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Nay Awde spoke to a Middle Eastern studies class about the history, politics and personal experiences of her homeland.
Awde was born in Lebanon and moved to the U.S. in 2005. She is currently studying biology and said she hopes to become a teacher. She speaks both Arabic and English fluently.
She said one of the reasons she is in the U.S. is because of the low employment rate for graduates in Lebanon.
"Most people get their diploma and get on a plane," Awde said.
Awde also explained some of the events Lebanon has endured during the past 100 years.
Lebanon has undergone wars and internal strifes, including one civil war and two wars against Israel, she said.
According to the Web site www.un.org, the most recent war was in 2006 with Israel, in which Hezbollah militants captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid and took them to Lebanon.
In response, Israel launched massive air strikes against Lebanese cities and infrastructure.
The fighting was brought to a cease-fire upon both sides accepting U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.
Recently, Awde said Lebanon has been plagued with violence and internal strife as fighting has been raging in Palestinian refugee camps in southern Lebanon between the Lebanese army and a group known as Fatah al-Islam.
In February 2005, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri died in a car bomb in Beirut. She said many Lebanese people accused Syria for the assassination.
Following the murder of Rafik, Awde said she attended one of the protests, known as the Cedar Revolution, demanding an end to Syrian influence and dominance in Lebanon.
After mounting pressure from protests, Syria eventually withdrew all of their troops from Lebanon who were stationed there since 1976.
Awde explained the diverse religious climate existing in Lebanon.
She said she is Greek Orthodox, one of the many Christians that make up 39 percent of the population.
The rest of the country identifies themselves with either Sunni or Shi'a Islam, which holds 59 percent of the population, she said.
Awde said, because of the religious diversity, Lebanon has constitutional guidelines stating the required religions of certain political positions. The president must be Christian, the prime minister must be of Sunni Islam and the speaker of parliament must be of Shi'a Islam.
This is all to try and ensure a civil war does not break out again, she said.
Awde talked about some of the fame that generated from Lebanon.
Many actors and actresses are Lebanese descent, including Tony Shaloub and Salma Hayek, she said.
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