press releases 2007

U.S. Embassy opens second “American Corner” in Lebanon At the Baakleen National Library, Shouf

July 25, 2007

Deputy Chief of Mission Bill Grant cut the ribbon to open the second American Corner in Lebanon at the Baakleen National Library in the Shouf on Tuesday, July 24, 2007. The American Corner is a resource center for residents of the Shouf to learn more about the United States and American culture.

The American Corner is a partnership between the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section and the Baakleen National Library, which provided space to house $50,000 worth of materials and equipment donated by the U.S. Embassy. The American collection includes more than 600 English-language books, CD-ROMs, videos, and DVDs in addition to two computers, two LCD monitors, two HP laserjet printers, two Sony DVD writers, a television, and a DVD player. The American Corner is open —without charge— to all residents of the area, including high school and university students, teachers, professors, professionals and community members. The American Corner in Baakleen is a component of ongoing U. S. Embassy support for Lebanon’s community-based libraries. Initiated in April 2004, American Corners aim to increase the availability of books in English and Arabic about the United States—free of charge—to Lebanese citizens throughout the country. Through the American Corner in Baakleen, the Embassy aims to strengthen mutual understanding between the peoples of The United States of America and Lebanon.

Following are Deputy Chief of Mission, Bill Grant’s remarks at the opening of the American Corner, Baakleen:

I am delighted to be with you in Baakleen today to open the second American Corner in Lebanon. By cutting the ribbon to open your American Corner, I am inviting you to discover more about America’s culture, history, geography, literature and arts. But more important than the gift of books and audiovisual material that this room contains, is the promise of sincere, heartfelt and lasting friendship between our two peoples, American and Lebanese.

Choosing the Shouf as our newest site for an American Corner was not difficult given the already excellent cooperation between the Embassy and the Municipal Council. For example, people of the Shouf have welcomed cooperation with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to improve the area’s agricultural, educational and tourist sectors. Funding for USAID projects in the Shouf has totaled more than $2.7 million since 2006.

But what is an American Corner [Multaqa thaqafi Ameriki ]? First of all, it is a partnership between our Embassy’s Public Affairs Section and the Municipal Council of Baakleen and a commitment to exchange and dialogue. You, the members of the Municipal Council, have offered us a room in your community library. In return, we have offered you $50,000 in materials and equipment, including more than 850 English-language books, computers and CD-ROMs, videos and DVDs, and the equipment on which to view them.

The Arabic word "Multaqa" implies a meeting place and that’s what we hope your American Corner will become—a meeting place for your community as well as a meeting place between Americans and Lebanese. It is our hope that the American Corner will contribute to the Municipality’s efforts to enhance the life of its citizens. The American Corner includes English-language books, periodicals and videos, on topics as diverse as English teaching, study in the United States, career options, business, economics, literature and the arts. And with our donation of these computers, we hope more citizens of the Shouf will develop the skills to use the Internet to learn more about the services of the U.S. Embassy, policies of the U.S. Government and facts about American life.

I noted that your American Corner is only the second in Lebanon—but it is by no means unique in the region or the world. American Corners exist throughout the Middle East, from Morocco to Oman, and including the West Bank, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Your American Corner is one of more than 350 around the world.

Some of you may remember years ago the five John F. Kennedy Libraries in Lebanon. These libraries introduced America to hundreds of thousands of Lebanese who checked out books, read American newspapers and magazines, studied English and participated in cultural activities. Today we hope that American Corners will reestablish American cultural programming to Lebanese living outside greater Beirut.

I thank you for inviting us into your community and look forward to enhanced cooperation and interaction between the American people and the people of Baakleen and the Shouf.

It gives me great pleasure now, to cut the ribbon on your American Corner and invite you in to celebrate American-Lebanese friendship.

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