On December 20, 2013, the Pathways to Success Association hosted its year-end closing colloquium entitled “Territories and Talents”. The event was delivered to 300 people, 100 of whom are young men and women who are currently pursuing their studies or their professional careers.

The conference, held under the patronage of HE Mr. François Lamy, Minister Delegate in the Ministry of Territorial Equality and Housing, took place in the Clemenceau Hall at the French Senate in the Luxembourg Palace. Several partners were involved to ensure success, among which we can mention the Euro-African Partnership, AJIR Association (consisting of former harkis), ACSE and Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (Lebanon), etc.

The event was inaugurated with a speech by Mr. Jean Mallot, political advisor to Mr. Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French Prime Minister, and closed by HE Mrs. Catherine Génisson, Senator of Pas-de-Calais, and HE Mrs. Hélène Conway-Mouret, Minister Delegate in charge of French Citizens Abroad. The colloquium, using the motto "You can give talents to the future; we want to give a future to all the talents", raised issues relating to securing help for the deserving youth to get sponsorship from individuals and institutions that contribute in their social and professional success.

USEK, for its part, was represented by a distinguished delegation honored in the symposium, comprising of HE Mr. Ziad Baroud, former Minister of the Interior, Prof. Mr. Elie Assaf, counselor at the Presidential Palace and professor of economics and finance at the Faculty of Business and Commercial Sciences at USEK, Mr. Prof. Nehme Azoury, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Commercial Sciences at USEK and Mrs. Prof. Nicole Saliba-Chalhoub, President of the Doctoral College at USEK.

The Delegation of USEK contributed in the context by inviting participants to be on a discussion panel focused on the issue of merit as a universal value, after which it committed to sponsor two young deserving students of IUT Lille 2 - Law and Health - Roubaix.
Following the work sessions, the President of Pathways to Success presented badges of honor to Father Hady Mahfouz, President of USEK, which was received by Prof. Nehme Azoury, on his behalf. 

Only a genuine social solidarity could probably one day, if not overcome the injustices of the world, at least de-dramatize it.