Society News

• The noble lady Mrs. Iqbal Izz al-Din Zouk continues her humanitarian activity on behalf of our brothers, the Palestinian guests who came down into Lebanon against their will.

The zeal of Mr. Muhyi al-Din al-Nsouli, owner of the newspaper Beirut, for the cause of these guests stirred Mrs. Zouk, and she addressed to him the following letter:

To the distinguished and virtuous Mr. Muhyi al-Din Efendi al-Nsouli, respected owner of the esteemed newspaper Beirut:

God bless you, zealous patriot and generous friend, for your sincere defense and your worthy pen on behalf of our refugee brothers. I read in your esteemed newspaper the editorial of February 11, 1949, issue 3264, entitled "Our Refugee Brothers," and I felt reassurance in my soul at the word of truth you proclaimed in your newspaper Beirut, reminding the Arab states of the humanitarian duty which requires of every zealous Arab loyal to his nation to defend our displaced refugee brothers and return them to their dear homeland. Truly, their condition makes hearts bleed, despite all the concern for their affairs from every quarter of the world. We must therefore call upon the Arab states — government and people, men and women, old and young — to look into the question of the refugees and their return to their country, in fulfillment of a word of truth which our humanitarian duty impels us to speak.

And before I close this letter of mine, I ask the Creator, exalted and mighty, to inspire you to persevere in demanding and defending a vital humanitarian cause — the return of the wretched refugees to their beloved homeland — and God aids you so long as you are at your brother's aid.

Sincerely,
Iqbal Izz al-Din Zouk

• The government banned the festival of (International Women's Day) which the Committee for Women's Rights was to hold at the Grand Theater. The committee protested the ban and proceeded to hold a private gathering in a private place. After the gathering ended, the ladies celebrating this occasion went out into the street in the form of a demonstration comprising more than sixty ladies and misses, which marched in the direction of Gemmayzeh; on reaching the tram line it was surprised by a force of policemen who prevented the demonstration from continuing its march and reaching the Burj, and insisted on the necessity of dispersing the demonstrators.

The day before the meeting, leaflets were distributed in the streets of Beirut over the signature of "the Women of Lebanon Branch," protesting this meeting, which constitutes a new conspiracy against the country's very being, and the leaflet calls on the women of Lebanon to resist this meeting.

• Last month there arrived in Beirut the wife of Mr. George Maalouf, on a visit to her daughter, the wife of His Excellency the Minister of Economy, Mr. Philippe Takla. Women's circles, which respect the high standing that Mrs. Maalouf enjoys, welcomed the arrival of the noble lady, who carries on great activity in public service.

• Mrs. Sporborg, who was a member of the American delegation to the UNESCO conference, published an article in the women's magazine issued in the United States by the "General Federation of Women's Clubs" on the role played by the women of the Near and Middle East at the UNESCO conference. In it she praised a number of Eastern ladies, singling out Mrs. Laure Tabet, wife of Mr. Georges Tabet.

● The United Nations has established a special course in children's medicine in England, to last three months, and last month a mission of children's doctors left Beirut by plane, including two nurses: Miss Widad Haddad, nurse at the Lebanese Ministry of Health, and Miss Sumayya Mahmuda, attached to the Near East Foundation in Syria. Doctors and nurses from Transjordan and Egypt will take part in these courses.

● Among the news of Sidon, from the correspondent of "The Woman's Voice": the Ladies' Renaissance Association invited Dr. Saadallah al-Khalil to deliver a lecture entitled "Psychology and Woman."

A large number of the ladies of Sidon listened to the lecturer, headed by the president of the association and its members, along with an elite of the city's honorable people.

● The Red Cross branch in Sidon is showing notable activity on behalf of the refugees, and it is carrying out the work of distribution with a zeal for which it deserves thanks. Much of the credit goes to the president of this branch, Mrs. Edma Joumblatt, and to the members of the association, ladies and misses alike.