Under the Patronage of His Excellency the President of Lebanon, General Emile Lahoud, and in the presence of the Lord Mayor, Alderman Gavyn Arthur, the English Speaking Union (ESU), Lebanon was launched in Beirut, on January 13, 2003. An international ESU delegation from Russia, Romania, Poland and the United Kingdom headed by the ESU Chairman, Lord Watson of Richmond and ESU Director General, Mrs Valerie Mitchell, attended the four- day programme of cultural and official visits.

At a time when the prevailing atmosphere in the Middle East was one of uncertainty in the face of the pending Iraq war, their presence accentuated the importance of the ESU's mission statement: promoting better understanding.

ESU Lebanon is a Lebanese registered nongovernmental association and we are proud of the fact that Lebanon is the first Middle Eastern country to launch an ESU chapter.

Hopefully the diversity of our programmes will encourage other countries in the region to follow suit.

International delegates at ESU Lebanon's Launch - January 2003