On the occasion of Zahle RUC anniversary, and upon the invitation of Rev. Fr. Michel Abou Tacca, Director of the RUC, a lunch was organized at Casino Nmeir, in the presence of H.E. Mgr. Mansour Hobeika, Bishop of Zahle and Bekaa, Rev. Fr. Neemtallah El Hachem, General Assistant of the Lebanese Maronite Order (LMO), Rev. Fr. Hady Mahfouz, USEK President, Mr. Joseph Diab Al Maalouf, mayor of Zahle - El Maalaqat, Rev. Fr. Charbel Raad, Superior General of the monastery of Saint Antoine in Zahle, in addition to deans, directors, lecturers, etc.

The welcome speech was given by Fr. Abou Tacca wherein he expressed his pride towards Zahle RUC whose mission is to apply the vocation of the LMO on the educational and human level in this region. He highlighted that “our main objectives for this region consist in putting an end to emigration in order to better serve the milieu to which students belong, and therefore, to contribute to its development and to strengthen academic life”. Fr. Abou Tacca added that efforts are being deployed to enable students who live in rural areas to pursue their studies in the same place without the need to bear transportation fees to commute.

In turn, Fr. Mahfouz took the floor to thank the administration of Zahle RUC for its educational and human role in the Bekaa region, while insisting on the importance on the educational vocation of the LMO in all regions across Lebanon.