Under the high patronage and in presence of H.E., the Ambassador of France in Lebanon, Mr. Patrice Paoli, and as part of the
"Alfa-4-Life" CSR program, The "Feel with the Heart" (Sentir Avec le Coeur) exhibition by the Lebanese School for the Blind and the Deaf (LSBD) was held at the Pine Residence in Beirut on Wednesday 5 November 2014. This is the second exhibition for the LSBD Students in two years, and it has offered them the opportunity to display their sculptures and artistic creations, and it was attended by Alfa CEO and Chairman Mr. Marwan Hayek and his wife, along with cultural, artistic, political and media figures, in addition to
Alfa executives and staff.
The exhibition featured 56 sculptures that reflected the LSBD students' vision of their community and dreams, and of the meaning of life derived from their daily experiences: from motherhood and art in its minute details, to love and nature, as well as other elements of life that remain vibrant in their hearts, feelings, and fingertips.
The exhibition was the culmination of the specialized and ongoing workshops that were given to the students by sculptor Naim Doumit, and the President of the Graphic Designers Union in Lebanon, Ms. Rita Moukarzel. Several sculptures were sold during the exhibition, and all proceeds were donated to the LSBD.
During the event, speeches were delivered by Ambassador Paoli, Alfa CEO and Chairman Mr. Marwan Hayek, LSBD Vice-Chairwoman Ms. Janet Shamoun, Mr. Doumit, and Ms. Moukarzel.
In his speech, Mr. Hayek thanked "Ambassador Paoli for his ongoing support to this initiative and the students' talent". He added, "We are witnessing through this exceptional exhibition the birth of new creations by the LSBD students, who are able once again to dazzle us with their ability to give, challenging their circumstances and unleashing their potential". He also said, "Their creativity is a living proof that blindness is not a barrier to creativity. A hundred years ago, Lebanese renowned writer Gibran Khalil Gibran said that all work is emptiness unless mixed with love, and this love has come to crown the students' hard work, giving admirable results with outstanding professionalism and exceptional vision". He ended his speech by saying, "This initiative makes me and everyone else in the Alfa family feel proud of our Alfa-4-Life program and its message, which aims for the social integration of persons with special needs in society through enhancing their communication abilities".
