​It is a great pleasure and honor to address our beloved community in North America for the first time in my capacity as President of the University of Balamand.  First, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph, to Dr. Elias Arous and to all the members of the Balamand Educational Foundation for organizing this Gala Dinner in support of the University of Balamand and its mission. 

In view of the prevailing destructive conflicts that are invading the entire Arab region, and the socio-economic impact of those raging wars in Syria and Iraq that led to massive waves of exodus to our Lebanon, it is the duty of all universities, including the University of Balamand, to reinitiate the concept of inter cultural dialogue in order to reinstall the building blocks of an evolving society of accepting differences and creating a community of ethics and moral values. It is our obligation to instigate reason amidst unreason, to give purpose to history despite the absurdity of current events, and to annotate a future no matter how dark is our present. 

The University of Balamand, on its thirtieth anniversary, is and will always be, an oasis of peace on a holly hill that defies the harsh circumstances of the political and social status quo prevailing in Lebanon. Over these years, UOB has grown into 11 Faculties and 5 campuses, spread across the country. It has recently ventured into the United Arab Emirates where the University of Balamand Dubai welcomed this year its first class of students in Biology, Engineering and the Humanities.  We are in the process of building a state-of-the-art medical center that provides premium healthcare to a region deeply in need, while delivering significant academic and scientific research which is the Alma Mater of the University.  

All of this could not be achieved without the help of a multitude of benefactors who gave their utmost to uphold higher education and its values. To this effect, the University of Balamand counts on the continuous support of the Balamand Educational Foundation to sustain its growth and progress.  Your generous contribution to the BEF granted young men and women the chance to obtain quality education, and will continue to do so in the future.   

Last but not least, I would like to invite you all to visit our glorious campus, and to explore the opportunities and the potentials the University of Balamand has to offer.

Wishing you a pleasant evening, and God bless you.

Elias L. Warrak​