I am Raja Habre, the Director of ELCIM. I hope that you are all enjoying yourselves in this family atmosphere. But I have to tell you that we nearly had a logistical difficulty. We have so many VIPs with us tonight that we almost had to switch venues, from the Habtoor Grand….to the Cité Sportife!!! I am delighted that they are with us tonight.
Allow me to welcome you again to the IRI-ELCIM Gala dinner whose symbol is the olive tree. As you know, the majestic olive tree is a symbol of endurance. Despite harsh conditions, it continues to grow, proud and strong, bearing a fruit that nourishes, heals and inspires.
Those of you who cultivate their orchids also know that the olive tree represents hard work and productivity, as well as tangible and intangible prosperity. Tangible because we live off its fruits, we process them, store them and trade them; and, intangible, because the olive tree is a symbol of a green, healthy environment.
IRI and ELCIM are keen to preserve Lebanon’s environmental and cultural heritage. Therefore, we have collaborated with the Association for Forests, Development and Conservation, an NGO, on planting 500 olive trees in the Upper Metn region, as part of a drive for re-forestation after devastating fires. Each tree will carry the name of each one of our guests tonight. Please remember to collect your individual certificates at the end of our evening.
For us at IRI and ELCIM, Lebanese manufacturers epitomize the characteristics that are inherent in the olive tree, because:
Many manufacturers have towered majestically over large business empires and have created lasting brand names in the process;
Manufacturers have endured harsh conditions and continued to grow proud and strong over the years;
By creating jobs and wealth, Lebanese manufacturers have produced the fruits that nourish and sustain a country, a society and an economy.
The Documentary
This brings us to our first attraction, the documentary, Living Industry, which ELCIM produced as a tribute to Lebanese manufacturers, their workers and their craft. With the help of the very talented Director, Ms. Carole Mansour, we tried to tell the “story” of industry in Lebanon a little differently, through the recollections of practitioners who spent a life-time being productive….and building, along the way, the foundations for our future and the future of our children.
Living Industry targets a wider audience of Lebanese to inform them of this fascinating story and the inspirational personalities it revolves around. I hope that you enjoy the documentary….
The IRI-ELCIM Appreciation Award
Our main event tonight, the IRI-ELCIMPioneers’Appreciation Award, has a logic that is similar to the documentary. The story of industry in Lebanon has revolved around outstanding individuals whose knowledge and experience continue to educate and enlighten us. These pioneers have stirred our imagination and occupied a special place in the chronicles of our national achievements.
But unfortunately, we could not honor in one evening and one event all the remarkable Lebanese manufacturers who deserve to be honored. Tonight, we have chosen a representative group of pioneers, who have toiled for years, and who will make all of us very proud to be associated with the Lebanese manufacturing sector. Next year, we will honor another well-deserving group. In this regard, we would highly appreciate your suggestions for future IRI-ELCIM Pioneers’ Appreciation Award recipients.
One of the selection criteria that we used is that the IRI-ELCIM Pioneers’ Appreciation Award recipient should have started his business before I was born. We also tried to cover all Lebanese regions and the sectors that ELCIM was mandated to work with.
Now I would like to call Minister Zaiter and Dr. Frenn to the stage.
We will call out the names of the IRI-ELCIM Pioneers’ Appreciation Award recipients by alphabetical order, based on the 3 categories in which we divided them. Please remember that no speeches can be accommodated by the Award recipients or their representatives. One member will speak briefly on behalf of the whole group.
I am pleased to invite to the stage:
Mr. Nabil Ladki
Mr. Toufic Mrad
A representative of the family of the late Marwan Nasr
Allow me now to call on the following remarkable manufacturing pioneers:
Excellencies Distinguished Pioneers Ladies and Gentlemen
I am truly pleased to welcome this very eminent group of friends to the Gala dinner that the Industrial Research Institute and ELCIM are hosting. I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to be with us tonight. I would also like to thank H.E. Minister Ghazi Zaiter for his patronage and support, and H.E. Ambassador Patrick Laurent for his commitment to Lebanon’s economic well-being.
We thought that this is an ideal time to thank our public & private sector partners for their continuous backing. First, Lebanon is going through a period of relative optimism. Second, IRI has plans for the future that we would like to share with you. Third, many remarkable individuals have played a major role in promoting growth, productivity and employment, and they deserve our recognition and appreciation.
IRI has developed many areas of expertise and core competencies over the last decade. Its expanding range of services has been delivered in Lebanon and other Arab countries. IRI is recognized as a solid partner and a competent institution which is able to design and deliver high quality services. Equally, numerous IRI labs are accredited by international bodies. I’ll take this opportunity to thank IRI’s staff for their hard work.
Similarly, ELCIM has provided highly specialized advice to a large number of dynamic manufacturing SME s. ELCIM is moving away from traditional services into higher added value activities; its services will be more focused and targeted in the coming phase. Let me assure you that ELCIM’s future is secure in the IRI family. I’ll use this occasion to thank the ELCIM team for their professionalism and dedication, as well as ELCIM Steering Committee members and their representative institutions for their valuable advice and guidance.
Now I would like to say a few words about IRI’s key partner, the European Union. The Commission and many European countries have provided IRI with the resources to enlarge our portfolio of services. The EU and individual European countries, have contributed significant resources towards launching several important programmes, including ELCIM, LCPC, Institut de Soudure, SPX, and in funding new lab equipments.
Our relations with the Commission have evolved in such a positive manner that we now share a common language; it is The Logframe Matrix, without which no proposal would see the light of day.
Additionally, Lebanon has received valuable EU assistance in setting up a National Committee for ACAAS. The Committee chaired by IRI prepared a Road Mapand presented it to national authorities. It addresses the issues of harmonization of standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment between Lebanon and the EU, all vital for the future of Lebanon. I’ll seize this moment to thank the Delegation of the European Commission in Beirut for their pro active role in helping Lebanon’s economy.
Distinguished friends,
Although quite a bit has been accomplished over the past few years, it may not be enough to fuel growth and job creation. The pace of technological change is transforming whole economies, countries and societies. Lebanon’s future cannot start tomorrow; it has to begin…..yesterday! Consequently, a Paradigm Shift is urgently needed. That is, a radical change in thinking, leading to the achievement of significant positive change.
For Lebanon’s economy to move forward, promoting innovation must take centre stage in our national economic agenda. IRI has succeeded in building a knowledge platform and is well-positioned to make a significant contribution towards promoting innovation by following pre-defined measures, among others:
Harnessing and integrating IRI’s internal resources, towards strengthening the private sector to compete in local and international markets;
Aligning innovation infrastructure components in a coherent national initiative;
Coordinating efforts with relevant national and international organizations.
As for implementation, IRI is establishing a Center for Innovation and Technology to provide guidance and expertise in the field of innovation. CIT will act as a catalyst and a coordination body, addressing two main themes:
Institutional development and policy advice;
Technical support to harness innovation in local manufacturing firms.
CIT is seeking expertise and resources from donor organizations, in addition to the resources that IRI is investing in this important initiative.
ELCIM will offer services that are complementary to CIT’s activities, such as introducing innovative business processes, as well as advisory and training services. As a sign of our commitment to transparency and the involvement of the private sector, an Advisory Board will be established to help guide ELCIM. A prominent member of the business community will be asked to chair it.
IRI is looking forward to working with its partners on accomplishing this ambitious agenda. We have a common goal which is to energize Lebanon’s economy and provide prosperity to its people. Therefore, we must work as one.
Finally, allow me thank you again, Excellencies, friends and partners, for attending this Gala dinner. I would also like to show my appreciation for the companies that sponsored this event, but did not wish to be thanked by name. I also extend my appreciation and thanks to the members of the press corps who joined us tonight.
We are together tonight to celebrate the achievements of Lebanese manufacturers who have refused to accept the notion that manufacturing activities are not suited for Lebanon…who defied the odds and succeeded. I would like to congratulate all of them for helping to foster a dynamic Lebanese economy built around growing, job-creating and export-oriented small and medium enterprises.
Similarly, in the fields of industrial research and technology, some individuals have made substantial efforts to turn the Industrial Research Institute into a leading Lebanese and Arab organization, which is helping our economy to grow on solid foundations, based on international norms and standards.
ELCIM, on the other hand, started as a European Union co-funded initiative, but now has been institutionalized within IRI. Over the last few years, ELCIM supported many manufacturing enterprises through the provision of technical and financial advice.
Finally, I would like to thank the Delegation of the European Commission to Lebanon and H.E. Ambassador Patrick Laurent for their continuing support.
The recipients of the IRI-ELCIM Pioneers’ Appreciation Award are:
Mr. Nabil Ladki
Mr. Toufic Mrad
A representative of the family of the late Marwan Nasr
