Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri marked the 82nd anniversary of Lebanon’s independence with a message urging citizens to view independence not as a distant historical milestone, but as a daily test for the people, the army, and state institutions. He stressed that independence remains a constant call to advance national liberation, shield the country from subordination, safeguard sovereignty, strengthen national will, and secure the liberation of land and people from occupation.

Support for the Army

Berri underscored the need to fully support the Lebanese Army, describing them as the institution that guarantees and protects Lebanon and its people. He insisted that the army’s leadership, officers, and soldiers deserve recognition for their sacrifices, not campaigns of doubt or incitement at home or abroad, nor attempts to undermine their sacred national role—one that embodies honor, sacrifice, and loyalty. This role, he noted, is especially critical in confronting the ongoing aggressions of the Israeli entity, which continue to obstruct full independence by land, sea, and air.

The South as a Crucial Test

Berri said this year’s observance comes amid a defining national test reflected on the southern front, where Lebanon’s identity and message are manifest in the unity of its people through pain, hope, sacrifice, and resilience. There, he said, true patriotism and belonging are measured, and the seriousness of the authorities is tested—particularly in fulfilling commitments to reconstruction and to halting Israeli aggression.

“The South of Lebanon remains a pillar of national steadfastness alongside the army in the pursuit of a genuine independence that its people will not relinquish despite the cost. Will we all rise to this test, achieve the independence we seek, and truly earn it?” Speaker Berri asked.

Tribute to Martyrs and Communities

Speaker Berri concluded by saluting the martyrs of independence, as well as the families, workers, and farmers who tend their figs, olives, and tobacco from Al-Naqoura to the heights of Arqoub and Hasbaya.

He extended his greetings to municipal and local leaders, educators, and students in the steadfast southern villages who, he said, continue to write the story of their independence and sovereignty in their blood—as witnessed most recently in Al-Tiri and earlier in Nabatieh and other border communities—embodying dignity, national unity, and the ongoing making of Lebanon’s independence.

Source: Al-Manar Website