03 June 2014 – The Philippine Embassy in Beirut reported that the Secretary of Education, Brother Armin Luistro FSC, visited Lebanon from May 14 to 17, 2014 to deliver a keynote address at the 2e Journée Lasallienne (La Salle Day) celebration organized by the Frères Des Écoles Chrétiennes du Secteur Liban.

The event, which was under the patronage of His Beatitude and Eminence Patriarch Cardinal Béchara Boutros El Raï, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, took place at the Mont La Salle – Ain Saade in Mount Lebanon on May 15.

The two-day event attracted the participation of teachers, students and alumni of all the La Salle schools and colleges in Lebanon, and their families. In his keynote speech entitled “Educational Challenges for the Global Village”, Secretary Luistro highlighted the current global state of education as measured against the goals set by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and also shared the Philippine experience in meeting its own educational needs and challenges.

The Secretary’s speech, which also touched on the presence of almost 30,000 Filipino workers in Lebanon, was warmly applauded several times and after its conclusion by 800 guests and 200 Lasallians who listened intently to his presentation. Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz thanked Brother Habib Zraibi, the Lasallian Coordinator in Lebanon, for inviting the Secretary, noting that his historic visit provides a singular boost towards building cultural ties and people-to-people links between the Philippines and Lebanon. END