الاتحاد الكاثوليكي العالمي للصحافة- لبنان اوسيب – لبنان
Antelias, December 1st, 2003
The Union Catholique Internationale de la Presse in Lebanon condemns the way the Government is dealing with the issue of the Lebanese University and expresses fears about plans aiming at privatizing this university as it was the case with the UNESCO Palace. These fears are due to the investment and profit trend prevailing now among people in power.
The communiqué of the UCIP includes the following:
1- The issue of the Lebanese University is a national affair par excellence, this university being at the heart of the cultural and educational mission in Lebanon. It is also one of the components of democracy of education on which Lebanon is based. Any attack to this university would be an attack against public freedoms by jeopardizing the right to education and to equal opportunities.
2- Any equivocation in the accomplishment of the demands of the national university would raise fears for the continuation of investment and privatization policy that aims at laying hand on the wealth of this country; the same policy that threatens the Lebanese cultural values including the UNESCO Palace.
3- The Lebanese society owes to the LU hundreds of thousands of distinguished graduates who contributed to the rebirth of Lebanon as well as the high level of culture and knowledge of the absolute majority of the students of Lebanon. Investment in construction is not enough for achieving the progress of a State; the human factor being still the basis for any development. Therefore, meeting the demands of the LU teachers cannot but serve the interest of the country and put an end to the Lebanese brain draining and the loss of the country's potential.
