Kassar Receives the "Business for Peace Award” in Oslo:
Peace is a precondition for development
Former Minister H.E. Mr. Adnan Kassar- President of each of the board of directors of Fransabank and Lebanese Economic Organizations, received the"Business for Peace" Award, during a lavish ceremony held at the Norwegian Capital Oslo, in the presence of the Governing Mayor of the city of Oslo Stian Berger Røsland, Business for Peace Foundation Chairman Per Saxegaard, UN Global Compact Executive Director Georg Kell, and the Business for Peace Foundation’s independent Award Committee consisting of Nobel Prize winners in Peace and Economics, in addition to the participation of a large gathering of officials, business leaders and entrepreneurs.
Kassar was selected amongst 120 nominations from over 50 countries in tribute to his active role in Lebanon’s economic growth, as well as his leadership of the Lebanese private sector even in the worst of circumstances, as he conveyed the message of peace, and promoted ethical corporate social responsibility, in line with the United Nations Global Compact principles.
In his speech, Kassar said: "I dedicate this award - which I’m proud of- to my homeland Lebanon, since I regard all my accomplishments throughout my career as part of my duties to serve this country which is worth all sacrifices.”
Kassar added: “I’m pleased, honored and humbled to receive this award,” asserting that he has been always motivated by the echos of the Phoenicians who were the first merchants of peace and founders of trade, and who launched the alphabet and spread it everywhere in the world to be the language of new communication. “I have followed this path since the beginning of my career in the early fifties, when I was the first Lebanese to establish business with the People’s Republic of China, not only to promote the Chinese exports to Lebanon, but to the entire Arab world.”
"The best ways to promote trade exchange among countries is through peace,” Kassar pointed out. “This is exactly what made me stay in Lebanon during all the periods of war. And time has proved me right as when the conflicting parties met and agreed to the Taif Agreement, the fighting stopped. This proved that dialogue leads to peace, and henceforth Lebanon’s development was relaunched.
He added: "Today, and despite what we witness of instability in the region, we shall persist that dialogue is the only means to reach desired peace which leads to prosperity, investment, growth and economic recovery."
Prior to that, and in a press conference that was held before the ceremony, Kassar had emphasized the need to broaden awareness of corporate social responsibility, CSR, for the international private sector, "which I’ve already launched under the title of the Global Compact when I was President of International Chamber of Commerce, and conveyed on behalf of the global private sector to the United Nations Secretary General at the time Kofi Annan.”
Norway’s Foreign Minister, Borge Brenda set up a tribute dinner in honor of Kassar and the other honorees, in which he highlighted “the excellent relations linking Lebanon and Norway in particular, and the importance of the private sector as a key supporter of global economy and growth.”
For his part,, Business for Peace Foundation Founder and Executive Chairman, Mr. Per Saxegaard praised President Kassar as “a successful businessman who works at the head of the private sector and strives to provide Lebanon with economic opportunities and foreign investments, despite the political and security conditions witnessed by the country. Therefore, Kassar deserved the Business for Peace Award in recognition of his achievements in supporting peace and stability as well as promoting the development of shared values between business and society.”
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