Christian Gathering Changes Venue, to Tackle Arab Spring

The Lady of the Mountain Gathering announced from the Press Syndicate on Friday that it will hold its meeting at the Regency Palace Hotel in Adma on October 23.

The meeting will be aimed at tackling the Christians’ message in the Middle East and stress their role in the Arab Spring.

Addressing the Lebanese, the Gathering said in a statement: “The Christians in Lebanon and the Arab countries have long tried to assert their concepts of freedom, democracy, and human rights, presenting sacrifices in defense of their identity.”

“Today, they are monitoring with high expectations the developments of the Arab Spring in a hope that they would succeed in granting them political freedom and religious diversity in Lebanon and the region,” it added.

The October 23 meeting will be attended by academics, politicians, and intellectuals under the title of “Christians in the Arab Spring.”

It noted that the meeting will be taking place during a critical time in Lebanon, similar to the Maronite Bishops appeal in 2000 and the independence intifada that followed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination in 2005.

It also takes place at the time of Arab revolutions that are being fueled by “the sacrifices, blood, and courage of its sons.”

The meeting was originally expected to be held at the Lady of Lebanon monastery, but fears that it would be employed for political purposes prompted the change in venue to the Regency Palace Hotel.