A total of 60 scholarships were given out this year by the center, which has given over $500,000 total to deserving winners over the years. PHOTOS: Nafeh AbuNab/TAAN

DEARBORN — The Bint Jebail Cultural Center held its 18th Annual Scholarship Ceremony on Friday April 27 where 60 high school students were given scholarship awards of $500 each. 

President of the Cutural Center, Nazeh Bazzy took the stage at the beginning of the event to congratulate the students who would be receiving the scholarships. Applicants included over 100 students, but the list was narrowed down to the 60 most qualified.

“It is a privilege to be a part of this wonderful evening…the students here tonight are honored for their achievements with deep love and appreciation for their hard work, perseverance and tremendous efforts that they made in order to receive this scholarship,” Bazzy told the crowd at the dinner. “These gifted students will be in a better position to get their education and will greatly contribute to society in general. We are proud of your accomplishments and each and every one of you is unique and is loved by your community.”

Also in attendance at the event was Lebanese Consul General to Detroit Houssam Diab, who is spending his last few weeks in the states before relocating to the Sultanate of Oman, where he has been promoted as the Lebanese Ambassador. Diab took the stage to talk about the impression the community has left on him after receiving the ‘Community Service Award.’

Hajj Abdul Nabi Faraj (left) receives a community service award from Naim Bazzi.

“I’m so thankful for this award that has been given to me. It is such a satisfaction when you get recognition by your community after you have served with all your heart. This is a very commendable event that Bint Jebail has thrown every year. It gives the sense that this community is working for one goal…to better educate it’s people and it’s children and to bring a better future for everybody,” Mr. Diab stated. “I learned that Dearborn has such a loving community. I’ve served in the United States for over 12 years, in Washington, New York, California and now Detroit. I have never felt so close to a community that I have felt here in Dearborn,” Diab added before the crowd gave him a round of applause.

Another ‘Community Service Award’ was also given to Hajj Abdul Nabi Faraj, who has been a long dedicated member to the center for years.

“He is one of the original founders of the Bint Jebail Cultural Center and served as the Vice President for 14 years,” Naim Bazzi, the correspondence secretary of the center, who presented the award to Faraj told us. “He has been a very active member in and outside of the community. His efforts have included collecting clothes and money for the needy in Bint Jbeil,” he added.

Faraj upstarted a chairty cause for residents in Bint Jbeil, Lebanon known as the “$5.00 project,” where people donate $5.00 a month to the cause to help the people in the village, which is located near the Israeli border and has seen great damage since the Lebanon-Israel war of 2006. 

Also in attendance were Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly, Dearborn Heights District Judge David Turfe, city of Dearborn Council Pro Tem Suzanne Sareini, the Consul General of Liberia Mike Baydoun, Dearborn 19th District Court Judge candidate Sam Salamey, Police Chief of Dearborn Ron Haddad, Superintendent of Dearborn Public Schools Brian Whiston and Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano among others. 

A special thanks was also given to Habib Bazzi, who has been the chef at the center since 1994, the same year the center began honoring students with scholarship awards. To date they have awarded over $500,000 in scholarships to students.