• At the beginning of last month the Republican Palace in Damascus witnessed an event unique of its kind: at an official ceremony, His Excellency the Prime Minister Faydi al-Atassi pinned the silver Order of Merit — the gift of the Syrian government — on the Lebanese artist Miss Diana Said Takieddine, in recognition of her excellence and skill in playing the piano, an art she has perfected at the hands of her teacher, Madame "Rio." .. It was a pleasant surprise for those present, and it met with the finest echo. Worth mentioning on this occasion is that Miss Takieddine has so far received no decoration of note from her own government — although, to my mind, she has reached a height in piano playing and in musical composition that no other Lebanese has matched —
It is a welcome gesture that governments should recognize extraordinary artistic gifts and true worth — no matter whether the recognition comes from Lebanon or from Syria! To the true-born artist Diana, our warmest heartfelt congratulations ...
• In the last issue we noted the formation of a committee to perpetuate the memory of Salma Sayegh, and the call paid by this committee — composed of Mesdames Zahia Salman, Edvick Shayboub, Loreen Rihani, and Evelyn Kanaan — upon Mr. Fouad Ephrem al-Bustani, president of the Lebanese University, who showed great enthusiasm for supporting the idea.
At its founding meeting the four-member committee reviewed its aims at length, and saw fit to make two fundamental changes: the first, to bring the male element into the work; and the second, to change the committee's name to "the Board for Honoring
Women Writers," so that the honors should not be confined to Salma Sayegh alone but extend beyond her to Julia Dimashqiyah, Warda al-Yaziji, Mayy, and others among the living women writers as well. Thereupon there joined the board, by unanimous vote, Mr. Fouad Ephrem al-Bustani, Dr. Kamal al-Hajj, Mr. Musa Sulayman, Mr. Jamil Jabr, and Mr. Georges Baz. At its first meeting, held at the home of its president Mrs. Zahia Salman, the board addressed a request to the "Ahl al-Qalam" society, asking it to adopt its idea — especially as its aim in essence does not differ from the aim of "Ahl al-Qalam," even though it takes up one particular side of literary activity.
• Among Lebanon's guests last month was Mrs. Oswald Lord, America's delegate to the human rights commission at the United Nations. She and her family stayed as guests of the Lebanese government. His Excellency the President of the Republic gave a sumptuous dinner in her honor at the Republican Palace, to which the men of the diplomatic corps and official personalities were invited.
Mrs. Najla Saab seized the opportunity of Mrs. Lord's presence in Lebanon and invited her to meet a bouquet of the leaders of the women's renaissance. The distinguished guest listened to an account of the most important work these ladies are doing, and answered their various questions, political and cultural alike, with a diplomat's intelligence and a gracious woman's understanding.
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