Diab receives “Key to the City” from O’Reilly

DEARBORN — A private reception was thrown Tuesday at Byblos Banquet Hall in Dearborn to honor Mr. Houssam Assad Diab, the newly appointed Acting Consul General of Lebanon in Detroit.

Organizer Chaker Aoun, Acting Consul General of Lebanon in Detroit Houssam Diab, Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly and Aoun’s wife Mona pose with Diab’s Key to the City. PHOTOS: Nafeh AbuNab/American Elite Studios

Diab left his position in Lebanon as the head of the Arab Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants to assume the temporary position. A permanent consul general will be appointed after Lebanon’s new government is formed. Mr. Diab began work early February.

“He is new here and we need to introduce him to the community,” Lebanese American Mona Aoun said. There were about 400 attendees including Arab American leaders and various community organization representatives, foreign diplomats, local law enforcement, local, state and federal officials, educators, attorneys, physicians and religious leaders among others. Opening remarks were given in Arabic by community activist Tarik Saad. 

Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly presented Diab with a key to the city. “Tonight we welcome someone very special. Diab is the new acting consul general of Lebanon. And we want to let him know, when you’re part of our community you are loved, welcomed and respected in the city of Dearborn,” O’Reilly said.

Josh Myers, a representative from Congressman John Dingell’s office presented Diab with a letter welcoming him to Michigan and congratulating him on his new position.

Houssam Diab

Diab says Detroit’s Lebanese community is vibrant and has great potential. He says one of his initiatives is carrying that potential and representing it in the best possible way that would benefit Detroit, the United States and Lebanon. “I feel very privileged to represent the community here and to be representing Lebanon and this great state of Michigan,” Diab said.

He encouraged Lebanese Americans to invest in Lebanon, and register to vote in the country’s upcoming 2013 parliamentary elections during his Arabic speech. He addressed the crowd in English as well. Those interested in voting may register with the local consul general office of Lebanon. Additionally, Diab called on Lebanese Americans to unite and set aside political and religious differences amongst each other in an effort to strengthen communities here and help their homeland country of  Lebanon.

One organizer of the event, Chaker Aoun of the Tri-County Business Committee said one of the key roles for Diab’s position is bringing the Lebanese community together.

Other organizers were Kayed Bazzi, Joe Bazzi, Kamal Turfah, George Saad and Ghassan Hourani.

Lebanon has one Embassy based in Washington, D.C., and three consulate general offices in the United States, New York, Los Angeles and Detroit; each consulate covers a specific region. The Detroit Consulate General covers Michigan, Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Missouri, and Kansas.

From June 2008 to Jan. 2010, Mr. Diab assumed the position of the Consul General of Lebanon in Los Angeles. Mr. Diab is the son of the late judge, Lebanese Cabinet member, head of Lebanese University and Lebanon Supreme Council member Dr. Assad Diab who passed away last year. Mr. Diab is from the city of Shmustar in the Baalbeck region.  Mr. Bashir Tawk had served as Acting Consulate General after moving into the vacant position from his original position as a consul. He will continue to work as a consul.

Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News, spoke at the event and asked participants to stand for a moment of silence in respect for martyrs who lost their lives standing up for democracy in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and other countries for the rest of the people to be free and proud.

“Today we are witnessing an Arab revolution that is unfolding before our own eyes on television here and around the world…For this we thank those who gave their lives in order to make us proud and to make the rest of the Arab world free…The Arab giant has awakened and he will never go back to sleep again,” Siblani said.

“I look forward to working with all of you, the Lebanese, Arab and American community of this great state of Michigan. Hopefully, we will forge great relationships, ” Diab said.