The Lebanese American University (LAU) hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for “Antoun Nabil Sehnaoui – SGBL Athletics Center” on its campus in Byblos attended by SGBL Chairman Mr. Antoun Sehnaoui and LAU president Dr. Joseph Jabbra amongst the presence of political, economic, military, security, educational, athletic and media dignitaries, LAU executive and administrative officers, faculty and staff, and SGBL’s Executive Management.
Also among those participating in the ceremony were MP Antoine Zahra representing Speaker Nabih Berri, MP Ziad al-Qadri representing Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, MP Nayla Moawad, Brigadier General Awad Najem representing Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, Marine Commander Mazen Saqer representing Director-General of the General Security Major General Abbas Ibrahim, Brigadier General Roland Daou representing Internal Security Forces Major General Imad Othman, Major Rabie Elias representing Director General of State Security General Tony Saliba, Jbeil Qaemaqam Najwa Suwaidan, the heads of municipalities of the region and former LAU President Riad Nassar.
In his welcome speech, LAU president Dr. Jabbra thanked Mr. Sehnaoui for his continuous support to sports in general, and praised his quick responsiveness to this university project aimed at building a large multipurpose sports facility that will house LAU sporting activities as well the Jbeil community sporting activities. “Mr. Sehnaoui is a great example of solid and smart Lebanese entrepreneurial personality owing to his dynamic innovative and creative character and his broad vision that succeeds continually… most importantly his strong belief in Lebanon and his national feeling are his strengths. He grew up during the civil war, where he gained experience and acquired the necessary skills to turn a negative situation into a positive one, and formed a visionary perspective in banking, tourism, real estate and press investment projects serving Lebanon as a country with all its diversities and components” said Dr. Jabbra. “Hailing from a family successful in business and politics, the distinguished young man fell in love with LAU and its teaching methods and curricula and believed in its capabilities; he has always believed that sport brings the Lebanese together and creates a sense of co-existence and solidarity. Mr. Sehnaoui also believes in the Latin phrase “Mens sana in corpore sano” which translates into “a healthy mind in a healthy body”, and for all these reasons he decided to support this sports complex which will not only be a sports facility but also a platform for discussion, dialogue and social interaction between young men and women, breaking all the barriers between the Lebanese and broadening their horizons”, he added.
Dr. Jabbra announced that the athletics center will enjoy an 8,500 square meters built-up area, will feature multiple sports facilities, and will be named “Antoun Nabil Sehnaoui- SGBL Athletics Center” as a grateful appreciation of Mr. Sehnaoui’s US$ 7 million contribution to complete this project.
Before the ceremony, Sehnaoui said that SGBL has always supported sport because it brings together all Lebanese. Sehnaoui added that he chose LAU because he believes in the capabilities of Dr. Joseph Jabbra and in LAU capabilities as a leading educational university. He also noted that he chose a university that adopts the American education system that allocates great space and great interest to sport, and because he is a University of California graduate.
After his speech, Dr. Jabra offered to Mr. Sehnaoui an LAU green sports jersey carrying the number 1 and five stars, as a symbol of the five university tournaments won by LAU – Byblos Campus.
Then, football player Khalil Khamis and basketball player Sasha Mattar spoke on behalf of the students expressing their gratitude to Mr. Sehnaoui who will support the construction of this huge athletics center that will be a landmark in the sports field in Lebanon and the Middle East.
Dr. Jabbra and Mr. Sehnaoui then visited the location where the center will be built and laid the foundation stone.