Two days before Lebanese President Emile Lahoud declared a state of emergency and ordered the army to take over security powers in the country, a 25 year-old Lebanese American organization celebrated its anniversary with pride and optimism. Despite the rising tensions in their homeland, a crowd of about 700 danced and waved miniature flags from their seats at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center Wednesday in celebration of both Lebanese Independence Day and the milestone for the Lebanese American Heritage Club.

The group’s president, Dr. Hassen Hammoud, said that Lebanon has already been through so much in its history that the current crisis is just another thing for a strong people to overcome. “I think this is just one of those hiccups,” he said. “We’re all concerned, but we’re optimistic.”As the struggle to agree on a new president continued in Beirut between supporters of the government and the opposition, Hammoud said that anxiety hovering over the local community didn’t take away from the celebration, and that the event served to lift spirits. “To have a celebration like this sends a message of optimism,” he said.

Service awards were given to Bachir Tawk, Consul General of Lebanon in Detroit, Leila Mokdad, a founder of the group’s women’s committee and Hussein Cheiab, original coach of the soccer team that the club was founded on. After short speeches and award presentations, two local musicians and a traditional debkeh troupe performed for the excited crowd of people, who waved Lebanese and American flags wildly in each hand and danced. The performances were partly a tribute to renowned Lebanese composer of patriotic songs Zaki Nassif. Suehaila Amen, lead organizer and emcee of the event, said she couldn’t see the vibrant crowd well because of the lighting, but knew it was a lively audience. “I was dancing backstage,” she said. “It’s a combination of being together and really just enjoying what our country is so loved for, the music, the history, the culture… It’s something that all Lebanese carry with them and it’s overwhelming at times… Coming together and having the music that means so much… It makes everybody so happy.”Amen, 28, said that the club’s leaders asked her and other younger members to put the event together.

She said it shows their commitment to highlighting the role of women in the organization and encouraging the involvement of the younger generation. Abbas Alawieh, a 16 year-old high school senior, said being a member of the club has exposed him to processes like event-organizing and scholarship applications reviews, that have taught him about community leadership. “They are constantly trying to connect to the youth,” he said. He said he plans on applying himself for the Arab American scholarship that the group provides a fund for. The fund has offered about $1.5 million to students over the years so far. Businessman Ali Jawad — who founded the Lebanese American Heritage Club in 1982 as a sports club, later expanding it to take on cultural, educational, communications and community organizing roles — said that he hopes the new generation will invite him to the group’s 50th anniversary.