The Association of Zgharta (Youssef Bey Karam Batal Lebnan) had an election on the 17th of July 2011 at the Zgharta House in Guildford. A new committee has been elected to work on achieving the goals of the association and to deal directly with the Zgharta Community in Sydney.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2011-2012

President: Sarkis Karam                                          0407 788 469
Vice President: Hawash Makari                              0417 445 569
Secretary: Anthony Geaitani                                   0416 148 993
Assistant Secretary: Youssef Maksisi                     0411 221 838
Treasurer: Raymond Mokdassi                               0416 341 444
Assistant Treasurer: Sayed Halabi                         0438 637 176
Chairman: Antoine Halabi                                        0412 672 165
Ladies Coordinator: Alia Halabi 0414 978 769
Executive committee members:
Claude Douaihy                                                         0411 407 002
Youssef Naoum                                                         0410 519 639
Raymond Karam                                                       0411 321 714
Marcel Chalouhi                                                        0416 083 771
Badoui Basha                                                             0416 069 606
Tannous Finianos                                                     0406 869 418

جمعية بطل لبنان يوسف بك كرم الزغرتاوية اوستراليا التي تم تأسيسها بصورة رسمية عام 1962 هي جمعية اجتماعية ثقافية خيرية تمثّل الجالية الزغرتاوية في اوستراليا. من اهداف الجمعية تنمية النشاط الاجتماعي والادبي والرياضي الرامي الى تعزيز شأن الجالية الزغرتاوية والحفاظ على دورها الرائد، والى التواصل مع كافة ابناء هذه الجالية من دون استثناء، وتشجيع ومساعدة الذين هم من اصل لبناني على الاندماج في المجتمع الاسترالي، ودعم علاقات الزمالة بين ابناء زغرتا وسائر مكونات المجتمع اللبناني والاسترالي. تحمل الجمعية اسم بطل لبنان يوسف بك كرم الاهدني كرمز تاريخي يجسّد ويجمع الصفات الزغرتاوية الحميدة من ايمان وفكر وفروسية وشجاعة وعطاء وتضامن.

The Association of Zgharta (Youssef Bey Karan Batal Lebnan) Australia, which was formally founded in 1962, is a social, cultural and charitable association that represents the entire Zgharta community in Australia. The association's objective is to develop community, cultural and sporting activities aimed at advancing and preserving the role of the Zgharta community in Australia, interacting with all members of this community with no exception and encouraging people of Lebanese background to assimilate with the Australian society and with other members of the Zgharta community and the rest of the Lebanese community. The association carries the name of Lebanon's National Hero, Youssef Bey Karam, as a historic symbol which reflects and embodies the fitting characteristics of being a son and a daughter of Zgharta: faith, intellect, knighthood, bravery, generosity and unity. 
 

A Short History: The establishment of the Association of Zgharta

Sowing the Seeds of ‘Community'

Mr Semaan Mowad

In 1951, members of the Zgharta-Ehden community in Sydney held a meeting at the premises of Mr Semaan Mikhail Bou Semaan Mowad. Mr Mowad was widely regarded as the ‘Father of the Zgharta community in Australia', and was commonly known as Mr Symond). It was as a result of this meeting that the first unofficial Zgharta Association was formed. The Association was unofficially called The Association of Zgharta (Youssef Bey Karam Batal Lebnan).

The aims of this new association were to keep ensure that the growing Zgharta community had a mechanism whereby its members were able to interact, assist one another, and assimilate into the wider Australian society.

The Zgharta Association held various social functions such as barbecues and picnics. These functions were the main social activities for the, then, small Zgharta-Ehden community.
At the time, the Association arranged for the delivery, from Lebanon, of an original oil painting of Youssef Bey Karam, painted by the Zgharta artist Mr Boulos Yammine (Al-Fanan). This was to become the official symbol of the Zgharta Association in Australia. This oil painting remains in existence today and is carried forward to the new committee every year. This historic and important painting was traditionally held in trust at the home of the Association President. Currently, the historic oil painting can be viewed at the Zgharta House, Guildford.

In 1957 members of the Zgharta community in Sydney formed another association named "The Zgharta Union Club in Australia". This club existed for approximately 5 years concurrently with the Association of Zgharta (Youssef Bey Karam Batal Lebnan).
Sowing the Seeds of ‘Community'

In order to unite the, then, small but growing Zgharta-Ehden community under a single united association, members of both organisations and members of the community held a series of meetings aimed at achieving the goal or a single association.

It was decided that a formal general meeting of the Zgharta community would be held, and that through this meeting, the community as a whole would determine the direction and composition of the association representing the Zgharta-Ehden community in Australia.

A provisional Founding Committee of 9 members was formed to achieve this goal, and on 6 May 1962 the formal general meeting was held at the Cedar's Reception Lounge, 115 Addison Rd Marrickville. There were a total of 59 members of the Zgharta-Ehden community in attendance, which was a significant number of members at that time.

Mr Assad AkleThe Chairman of the formal general meeting was Mr Assad Georges Akle, who was also the Secretary of the Founding Committee. In his opening address to the committee, he expressed his desires to form a new association to assure the future of the Zgharta-Ehden community in Australia. He spoke of the history of Zgharta-Ehden, it's role in the history of Lebanon, as well as it's role in the struggle for independence. He reiterated the importance of having a single and unique Zgharta association in Australia.

The second speaker was Mr Sleiman El-Sit, only the second person from Zgharta-Ehden to arrive in Australia from Zgharta in about 1897 and the first immigrant from Zgharta to permanently settle in Australia. Mr El-Sit thanked the Founding committee and it's Secretary saying: "This day is the most beautiful day of my life in Australia because we have achieved what I have always dreamt about. I found my people of Zgharta-Ehden united and being of one hand, one heart and one direction."

The third speaker was Mr Mehrez El-Masri. In his speech he implored the new association to treat all members of the Zgharta-Ehden community equally without differentiating between rich and poor, and old and new arrivals.

At the conclusion of the speeches, the Chairman, Mr Akle, asked the attendees to vote on whether or not they wished to endorse the formation of a new association for the Zgharta-Ehden community in Australia. The vote was unanimous and each of the attendees were admitted as inaugural members of the Association.

The President of the former Association of Zgharta (Youssef Bey Karam Batal Lebnan), Mr Symond gave a speech in which he reaffirmed his support for the establishment of a single and united association, and expressed his desire that the name "Youssef Bey Karam" is retained in any new association.

The attendees were then asked to vote on three proposed names for the new association:
- The Association Of Zgharta (Youssef Bey Karam Batal Lebnan)
- The Association of Zgharta-Ehden in Australia
- Zgharta Union Club in Australia

The results were as follows:
29 members voted for "The Association Of Zgharta (Youssef Bey Karam Batal Lebnan)"
19 members voted for "The Association of Zgharta-Ehden in Australia"
10 members voted for "The Zgharta Union Club in Australia"
1 member abstained from voting.

Mr Mohssen DoueihiNominations for the position of President of the new Association Of Zgharta (Youssef Bey Karam Batal Lebnan) were taken. Four (4) nominations were received from the following people:-
- Mohssen Boulos Doueihi
- Youssef Jabour Cheika Doueihi
- Sleiman Jabour Saade
- Sayed Assad Barakat.
Youssef Jabour Cheika Doueihi and Sleiman Jabour Saade subsequently withdrew their nominations.
The Chairman then asked each of the two remaining nominees to address the members. Mohssen Boulos Doueihi spoke of the history of Zgharta-Ehden and promised to ensure the goodwill of the Zgharta-Ehden community, as well as the wider Lebanese community. Mr Doueihi proposed the establishment of an Arabic library, the purchasing of cemetery burial plots, and the purchase of a house for the Zgharta-Ehden community as initiatives.

Mr Sayed Barakat then addressed the attendees by affirming his support for the establishment of an Arabic library as well as a school to teach both Arabic and English. Mr Barakat affirmed his support for any beneficial proposals from the members of the Zgharta-Ehden community.

In a sign of mutual respect, Mohssen Doueihi cast his vote for Sayed Barakat, while Sayed Baraket reciprocated by voting for Mohssen Doueihi. The voting was then opened to the remaining attendees. The results of the voting was as follows:

Mohssen Boulos Doueihi - 38 votes
Sayed Assad Barakat - 13 votes
Invalid - 2
Abstention - 6

President: Mohssen Boulos Doueihi

The committee of the new Association was then elected as follows:

Mr Sleiman SaadeVice President: Sleiman Jabour SaadeMagistrate Antoine Raheb
Secretary: Raymond Boutros Azizi
Treasurer: Antoine Sarkis Raheb
Chairman: Assad Georges Akle
Committee Members: Wajih Wadih El-Masri; Sayed Assad Barakat; Hamid Boutros Kandlafat; Youssef Boutros Yammine

At the conclusion of formalities, the new Association Secretary, Mr Raymond Azizi, thanked the members of the Zgharta-Ehden community for their trust and assured them that the committee would work in their best interests. He concluded his address by saluting Youssef Bey Karam Batal Lebnan, who was endorsed as the official symbol of the Association, as well as saluting the martyrs who died under the command of Youssef Bey Karam in battle to preserve the freedom of Lebanon.

Mr Semaan Mikhail Mowad concluded the meeting by proclaiming: "This is the day I have been waiting for from a long time ago. It has been a successful day because of your presence here and your support. I am with you always in everything that ensures the success of the Zgharta-Ehden community as well as the overall Lebanese community."