AMBASSADOR OF LEBANON HOSTS RECEPTION HONORING HELEN THOMAS

Ambassador Antoine Chedid:

“Helen remains an inspiration for hope and truth and the belief in human justice”

On Monday, October 19, 2009, the Ambassador of Lebanon Antoine Chedid and his wife Nicole, hosted a reception at their residence in honor of Helen Thomas on the occasion of the publication of her new book, Listen up Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know or Do, written with co-author Craig Crawford.  During the reception, the Ambassador made the following remarks:

It is with my utmost pleasure that my wife, Nicole and I, welcome you all tonight for this particular book signing event at the Lebanese Embassy as we give our thanks and much appreciation to an exceptional lady and friend who has been a pioneer in journalism and an idol for those pursuing the truth.  Let’s celebrate together tonight our dearest Helen Thomas.

In her remarkable professional journey, Helen captured the essence of journalism and always touched the minds and hearts of all those who listened and learned from her.  Beyond all titles and designations, Helen remains an inspiration, an inspiration for hope and truth and the belief in human justice.

Helen shares her origins with a land full of culture and history; a land that made a great difference in the history of writing.  This Land is Lebanon, where the Phoenician Alphabet emerged and spread all over the Mediterranean over 3000 years ago.  This legacy of human interaction and communication has been constantly carried by Helen to yet another level; this has been always shown through her striking choice of words and persistent search for reasonable and trustworthy answers.

With Lebanese blood flowing through your veins, Helen, we all figure out now where you got your attitude.

Speaking about Lebanon, I seek this opportunity tonight to inform you, dear friends, that my country was elected just last week as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. We consider this as an honor and a challenge.

Helen, you symbolize for the many generations of diverse descent an insightful and empowering success story.  For over 67 years, Helen has been in the front row of history, and for 49 years, she has been up-close and personal covering the United States’ presidents starting from President John F. Kennedy.  She has traveled the world countless times with the U.S. presidents and kept her audience attuned to unfolding history.

I would also like you to give a warm welcome to Craig Crawford, co-author with Helen on their book, Listen Up Mr. President : Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know or Do, and to Andrea Mitchell, NBC’s Chief Foreign Affairs correspondent and host of MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” who will do the honors of introducing our dear friend, Helen.

Your book, Helen and Craig, is a revealing book of practical wisdom; it makes us all aware of what it really takes for a U.S. president to succeed in office, and it also shows us how the “Dean of the White House Press Corps” can be a very vital agent of change and awareness.  The themes really touch upon the basic foundations of democracy and the universal responsibility of presidents to “make their country better”.

So please make yourself at home and let us all celebrate and give toast to this iconic woman who has done great service not only to her country and to journalism but also to Lebanon and the world.

Congratulations and Mabrouk for Helen.

=================================