In a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace on Monday, President of the Republic General Michel Aoun presented artist Mrs. Georgette Gebara with the “Lebanese Silver Medal of Merit.”

A number of Gebara’s family members, friends, and leaders from the creative and representational sectors attended the ceremony.

Protocol and Public Relations Director General at the Presidency of the Republic, Dr. Nabil Chedid, read a speech on behalf of President Aoun, in which he referred to the artistic values of Mrs. Gebara, who called on the President of the Republic to honor her.

Speech:

“Every field has its pioneers, and we in Lebanon have a pioneer in the world of ballet, choreography, and theatre, named Georgette Gebara.

She is woman of elegant soul, passionate about art, and creative in the highest forms of bodily expression. She carries in her blood and genes, a mixture of different civilizations, which was reflected in the richness of her art, and in the dance schools she founded in Lebanon.

Her name has never left the hearts of the Lebanese people. She brought joy to their souls, with her gentle personality, and her fine art. She devoted herself, time, and efforts to raising the art of contemporary dance to the level it deserves.

She was the best Ambassador for Lebanon’s civilization, openness and sophistication wherever she settled in the world.

She’s a symbol of our beautiful time. She has been present with strength and respect in the artistic scene in Lebanon for 60 years. This is proof that she deserves every loving honor”.

Respected Mrs. Gebara,

In appreciation of your artistic and cultural gifts, His Excellency, President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, decided to award you the “Lebanese Silver Medal of Merit”.

The President wishes you continued health and a long life, thanking you for all the joy, art, and beauty you have provided to Lebanon, who are at the core of our nation’s civilization and its message to the world”.

Afterwards, President Aoun handed Mrs. Gebara the medal, congratulating her and, expressing his appreciation for her artistic history, and for her bright and elegant presence in the memory of the Lebanese and the history of her contemporary artistic homeland.

For her part, Mrs. Gebara thanked President Aoun for his honoring gesture, and expressed her appreciation for him and for his embrace of artistic and cultural issues in Lebanon.