Letters and News

Miss Ibtihaj Kaddoura, president of the Arab Women's Union, addressed the following letter to the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies:

To His Excellency the esteemed Speaker of the Lebanese Chamber of Deputies,

The Lebanese Arab Women's Union has previously presented to the honorable Lebanese Chamber of Deputies several petitions and memoranda whose lot was neglect and disregard — a matter which woman regrets, since she considers the parliamentary assembly a national council that listens to the wishes of the nation, fulfills its hopes, and safeguards its right.

And since woman is, in the nature of things, a Lebanese citizen, and constitutes half the nation, she is entitled to raise her voice, demanding her right to life and the attainment of a legitimate equality provided for by the Constitution and sanctioned by custom and equity.

Accordingly, the Lebanese woman presents this petition to the Chamber of Deputies in her capacity as one of the members of the nation which it represents, requesting the creation of special legislation, in amendment of the Lebanese Constitution, that provides for her right as a citizen and makes clear what rights are hers and what duties are upon her, after the example of the other nations with which Lebanon keeps pace in the field of progress, civilization, and politics — all of which aim at justice for mankind and the preservation of the rights of man.

The Women's Union therefore begs your honorable Chamber to recognize woman as a citizen like man and to grant her her civil rights, and it draws your attention to the fact that she shares with you nationality, civic life, and history.

Be pleased, Your Excellency the Speaker, together with the distinguished deputies, to accept our esteem and our highest respect.

The Woman's Voice expresses its absolute support for the request presented by the Women's Union, and may the present Chamber of Deputies not close its term before performing this fine deed, which will have the most far-reaching effect on the future of Lebanon.

The Woman's Voice is pleased to acknowledge on its pages the effective support and the valuable services rendered to it by two great Lebanese emigrants, the notables Mr. Nicolas Saab and Mr. Farid Nabhan, pillars of the Lebanese community in Canada and in Nigeria, in Africa.

We turn to them with thanks for their zeal toward the enterprise of this magazine. May God multiply their like, and keep them a living example of Lebanese energy and enterprise in the lands of exile.

● The students of the Girls' Tajhiz School in Latakia performed the play "The Princess of Chastity," the proceeds of which were set aside to pay the fees of the poor students in the secondary section.

● Last month took place the wedding of the ornament of Sidon's young ladies, Miss Samia al-Shamma, to the noble man of letters Mr. Abd al-Mawla al-Solh, judge in the court of South Lebanon.
To the bridal pair our heartfelt congratulations.

● God has blessed the man of letters Mr. Kamal Khouli and his good wife with a firstborn child, whom he named Boulos, in auspicious remembrance of his grandfather the great educator Boulos Khouli, dean of the teachers of the American University of Beirut.
Likewise God has blessed the notable Mr. Farid Nassar and his good wife with a baby boy, whom he named Ibrahim.
To all of these our sincere congratulations, and to the two newborns our prayers for a brilliant future.

● On March 27 last was opened the charity bazaar of the Islamic Orphanage — a bazaar in whose preparation and outfitting a choice company of our ladies and young ladies took part, thereby earning the thanks of the orphan and of the homeland. What added to the splendor of this function was the arrival of a delegation of the ladies and young ladies of Damascus to take part in it, headed by the good lady Adila, wife of Emir Mukhtar al-Jazairi, with as members Mrs. Inayat al-Quwatli, Miss Ferlane Mardam Bey, Ruqayya and Widad al-Quwatli, and Amal al-Jazairi.
The wife of His Excellency the Lebanese President excused herself from attending this function and sent a check for a thousand Lebanese lira as her contribution to this noble project. Miss Ferlane Mardam Bey opened the bazaar by cutting the silk ribbon; then the crowd of ladies streamed in and scattered through the rooms of the Orphanage, where the finest work of our ladies' hands was on display; and the gracious wives and young ladies undertook to sell these goods themselves — a sight to inspire delight and admiration.

● Messrs. Muhammad Baalbaki and Said Sarbieh have brought out a weekly political newspaper under the name Kull Shay' ("Everything"). The first and second issues have appeared, and it proves a new conquest in the world of the Lebanese press. We wish it — and "everything" — the success they deserve.

● Likewise there has appeared in Damascus a monthly magazine named al-Ma'rifa ("Knowledge"), whose editing is supervised by the teaching staffs of the Syrian schools. We have received its first issues and admired the valuable studies it carries on education and instruction. There is no doubt that this magazine fills a gap of which the cultural and educational press had long complained.

● The Lebanese Directorate of Publicity and Publication invited a distinguished company to view a showing of motion pictures depicting "the United Nations in the field of action." The showing, which took place in West Hall at the American University of Beirut, was conducted by Mr. Raja Hourani, the Syrian member of the publicity committee of that organization.