Yesterday, Wednesday, the symposium was held that brought together the international runner Aziza Sbeity, the international Paralympic runner Arz Zahreddine and the author of “Berlin 36” published in the year 2010, novelist, writer in French, critic, lawyer Alexandre Najjar. The seminar was moderated by Sylvie Lamy, the educational attaché for the French language at the French Center in Lebanon, in the presence of the media officer at the French Center, Marielle Salloum Maroun, the director of the “Sports Academy School” Dr. George Assaf, teachers, trainers, media professionals, and a crowd of students in the theater of the French-Lebanese Lycée. The champion Sbeity, a dark-skinned Lebanese runner, and the Olympic champion runner, Zahreddine, who runs with one leg, talked about their experience and their reaching the highest ranks in local and foreign forums, and they gladly answered the questions of the students who expressed their interest in the two champions and that they overcame all kinds of racism and bullying during their career. Sports and life. In turn, Attorney Najjar spoke about his book “Berlin 36” and answered questions from those present.
The symposium was preceded by a screening of “The Color of Victory”, a Canadian-German-French film in which the late American runner Jesse Owens is represented, which deals with racism, tolerance and respect. This step comes within the framework of cooperation between the French Embassy and the Organizing Committee for the Summer Olympic Games, which will be held in the summer of 2024 in Paris, and also in cooperation with the “Sports Academy School” under the title “Land of the Olympic Games 2024”.
