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Patriarch Al-Rahi Awards the Our Lady of Ilige Medal to Three Prominent Figures in Reconciliation and Peacebuilding

Under the patronage and in the presence of Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Rai, the Our Lady of Ilige Association awarded its honorary medal to Mr. Ziad Saab, President of Fighters for Peace, Mr. Badri Abou Diab, Secretary General of the association, and Dr. Fouad Abou Nader, President of the Noursat Foundation. The ceremony took place during a Mass commemorating the martyrs of the Lebanese Resistance at the Church of Our Lady of Ilige in Mayfouq-Qattara.

This recognition honors the recipients’ long-standing commitment to rejecting violence, promoting memory work and historical reflection, and advancing a culture of reconciliation and civil peace. Having once been participants in the Lebanese Civil War, they have since dedicated their efforts to building trust among Lebanese communities and fostering genuine and lasting coexistence.

The Our Lady of Ilige Medal is more than a distinction of honor; it is a national and spiritual message affirming that Lebanon’s future can only be built on reconciliation, dialogue, and mutual recognition. The Our Lady of Ilige Association expressed its pride in honoring individuals who have sincerely transformed their experiences of war into a commitment to peacebuilding, emphasizing that “these examples can serve as role models for future generations in turning the page on the past and opening a new chapter of hope.”

It is worth noting that Fighters for Peace, led by Ziad Saab and with Badri Abou Diab serving as Secretary General, has worked since its founding to bring together former combatants from different backgrounds under a common banner of peace through dialogue, documentation, and community-based initiatives across Lebanese towns and villages.

By presenting this medal, Patriarch Al-Rahi, together with the Our Lady of Ilige Association, reaffirmed that recognizing and supporting reconciliation efforts is essential to building a safe and stable Lebanon, and that honoring peacebuilders is, in essence, honoring Lebanon’s enduring message of coexistence.