On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Argentina and Lebanon, the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), in collaboration with the Embassy of Argentina in Lebanon, is organizing a photo exhibition on the Visit of President Camille Chamoun to Argentina (1954).

This event, hosted by the Latin American Studies and Cultures Center, the International Affairs Office, the Library, and the School of Law and Political Sciences, will take place on Wednesday, November 24, 2021, at 10:30 a.m., in the Jean El Hawa Auditorium.

The exhibition will open from November 24 to December 3, 2021, at the USEK Library.

Background

The relations between Argentina and Lebanon began at the end of the 19th century with the emigration wave during the reign of the Ottoman Empire. In 1943, Lebanon gained its independence, recognized by Argentina in 1945. It was then that Argentina established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Lebanon.

In May 1954, Lebanese President Camille Chamoun conducted an official visit to Argentina and met with the President of Argentina Juan Domingo Perón, a visit that will bear fruit and lead to the opening of embassies in Beirut and Buenos Aires.

Relations between the two countries have strengthened over the years. Notably, in 1998, Argentine President Carlos Menem made an official visit to Lebanon, and in 2012, President Michel Sleiman made an official visit to Argentina.

On the occasion of this event, H.E. Mr. Mauricio Alice, Ambassador of Argentina to Lebanon, will make a presentation to highlight the mutual diplomatic, commercial, cultural cooperation forged between Lebanon and Argentina, two geographically distant countries, but humanly close due to emigration.

The presentation will be followed by an exhibition of photographs and documents about President Camille Chamoun's visit to Argentina, taken from the Chamoun family archives preserved at USEK. The exhibition will also showcase digitized photos and newspapers digitized in Argentina as part of the Conservation of Lebanese and Syrian Heritage in Latin America, a project developed by USEK in collaboration with the Ninawa Daher Foundation in Buenos Aires. The project deals with the digitization of the archives of the Diario sirio-libanés of the Sirio Libanés of Buenos Aires (Syrian Lebanese Club of Buenos Aires), Sociedad Libanesa de Rosario (Lebanese Society of Rosario) and Centro Argentino Investigación Inmigración Libanesa (Argentine Research Center on Lebanese Immigration). The digital archives are part of USEK's Latin America Collection.