“A year already, right there, to the day.
We are all here to remember this apocalypse.
Guilda Ghanem, the president of the Puteaux Liban Amitié association, does not hide her emotion.
It is in tribute to the victims of the two explosions at the Port of Beirut, on August 4, 2020, that she organized a ceremony which was held this Wednesday evening under the cedar tree planted a few years ago by the members of her association, course du Maréchal-Leclerc, in the city center of Puteaux.
After the disaster, the Lebanese diaspora of Hauts-de-Seine very quickly organized the mobilization.
It was through numerous donations of food, clothing and hygiene kits that the citizens of the department had tried to respond to the emergency.
A year later, the Lebanese associations are still on the bridge.
Medicines and infant milk
“After the explosion in Beirut, the solidarity in the Hauts-de-Seine was magnificent,” recalls Guilda Ghanem. By the fall, we had been able to send around twenty containers of basic necessities. Today, with the health crisis, humanitarian needs are no longer exactly the same as last year. Lebanon is in particular need of medicine and infant milk. »What the town hall of Neuilly-sur-Seine understood. With the help of the Amitiés Neuilly-Liban association, the municipality has just sent 25,000 boxes of milk for children.
“Lebanon needs everything,” says Thérèse, a Franco-Lebanese who attends the tribute ceremony. I am leaving for the country on Saturday and my suitcases are already crammed with drugs that I will distribute on site. By her side, her friend Sana has already sent a parcel of medicines two days ago.
May Rahal, general secretary of the Asnières Liban Amitié association, makes the same observation as Guilda Ghanem.
“Mobilization has certainly declined a bit, but that's normal.
The French have their own problems with the Covid crisis, she admits.
However, people are always there during our one-off collections.
In addition, we have outside help, like Middle East Airlines.
This airline allows those traveling to Lebanon to take additional baggage, free of charge, to transport the donations that our association collects.
»A way of sending aid more easily than in containers.
Candles and wreaths to pay tribute to the victims.
LP / ED Éléonore Disdero
Indeed, despite the goodwill of associations, donations are sometimes difficult to send.
The Asnières Liban Amitié group can attest to this: 2,000 euros were collected after the explosions, but the money has not yet been sent to Lebanon.
“After the tragedy, humanitarian aid and NGOs poured into the country,” explains May Rahal.
As we don't want to give our kitty to the first comers, we take the time to pay close attention to where the money goes.
We favor local associations and families, ”she continues, promising that the 2,000 euros should arrive in the land of the Cedars next month.
"We don't forget them"
In Vanves, the town hall created the Solidarité Vanves Liban collective, of which Rita Kapro is the coordinator.
The latter is full of praise for the mobilization of Hauts-de-Seine for its country of origin.
“Even today, I receive calls from individuals who ask me what they can do to help us, who ask me questions about the situation in Lebanon,” she recounts.
Josette and Maurice are not Lebanese.
However, they were present this Wednesday evening.
“We have a lot of Lebanese friends and the situation is very sad in their country, regrets Maurice.
We wanted to show them our affection.
"This ceremony is to tell the victims and those who have lost everything that they are not forgotten", testifies Guilda Ghanem, upset.
So for the Lebanese, the mobilization continues.
