Royal Gala dinner held to welcome Constantinian Order delegation attended by leading spiritual and state officials from Lebanon. Beirut
March 2004.

The delegation arrived in Beirut and was received by the Minister of Displaced Persons who was officially representing His Excellency General Emile Lahoud, President of the Republic of Lebanon. A gala dinner was held for some 200 guests at Le Royal Hotel in Beirut hosted by Nadhmi Auchi, a senior British Muslim member of the Order of Francesco I and leading Lebanese businessman. The dinner was attended by many religious figures and Lebanese Cabinet Ministers including those of Defence, Home Affairs, Religious Affairs, Tourism and Social Welfare. During the evening, The Duke of Calabria bestowed on Mr Nadhmi Auchi the Gold Benemerenti Medal of the Constantinian Order.

Banquet Speech by Mr Nadhmi Auchi on the occasion of the visit of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Calabria to Beirut, Republic of Lebanon held at Le Royal Hotel. March 2004.

Speech by Mr Auchi to mark the occasion:

Your Royal Highnesses

Representative of His Excellency The President of the Republic of Lebanon, General Emile Lahoud, His Excellency the Minister Abdallah Farhat,

Representative of His Excellency the Speaker of the National Assembly President Nabih Berri, His Excellency the Deputy Mr Adnan Arakji,

Representative of His Excellency The Prime Minister of Lebanon Mr Rafic El Hariri, His Excellency the Minister Ali Abdallah,

Your Excellencies

Your Eminences

Distinguished Guests

It is truly an honour for me to welcome you all here this evening to the Le Royal Beirut.

In particular I am delighted to formally welcome my guests of Honour, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Calabria, for their first visit to Lebanon.

As some of you are aware, His Royal Highness is the Grand Prefect of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, one of the oldest internationally recognised Roman Catholic Orders of Knighthood.

In recent years, this great Catholic institution, through its Royal Order of Francis I, of which I have the honour to belong, has led the way in encouraging meaningful inter-church and inter-faith dialogue between the followers of all faiths across the world.

Such activities, together with its long established tradition of humanitarian and medical assistance to those less fortunate in society, is to be commended and welcomed.

Yesterday the President of Syria became the first Muslim Head of State to be invested into the Order of Francis I.

Tomorrow, the President of the Republic of Lebanon, His Excellency General Emile Lahoud will become the first Arab Head of State to be invested into the Constantinian Order. This high religious award recognises His Excellency's personal merit, and in a wider context, the great efforts which the people of our country and faith communities have undertaken to rid religious intolerance from our society.

This is especially important when we consider how much our country has suffered in the past, when such dialogue, respect and understanding have broken down.

I look forward, Your Royal Highness, to establishing activities here in Lebanon and on behalf of everyone here I wish you a most enjoyable stay in this wonderful country I call home.