The Launching ceremony of the agreement Saint-Charles Hospital and the USJ - HDF Hospital Network took place on Tuesday June 27 at Hôpital Saint-Charles - Fiyadieh under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Public Health, Dr Firass Abiad, at the invitation of the Rector of Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hôtel-Dieu de France, Pr Salim Daccache s.j., and the General Manager of Hôtel-Dieu de France Mr. Nassib Nasr, in the presence of General Joseph Aoun, Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Army, Dr Pierre Anhoury, Advisor to the Minister of Health, Nazih Matta and Alain Aoun, Members of Parliament, Professor Youssef Bakhash, President of the Doctors' Union, Suleiman Haroun, President of the Private Hospitals' Union, and the Archbishop of Ferzol, Zahlé and the Bekaa for Greek-Melkite Catholics Mgr Ibrahim Mikhaël Ibrahim, the Latin Bishop of Beirut Mgr César Essayan, as well as civilians, politicians, senior military officers and representatives from Saint-Joseph University, Hôtel-Dieu de France and Saint-Charles Hospital.

The ceremony began at six o'clock in the afternoon with the playing of the Lebanese national anthem. The General Manager of Hôtel-Dieu de France, Mr. Nassib Nasr, then took the floor. He began his address by saying: "This partnership marks a significant step forward in our shared commitment to the health and well-being of the Lebanese population", stressing that "we have a responsibility to meet the medical needs of all those who pass through our doors, whatever their origin, socio-economic status or resources". He concludes, "Together, we continue to hold high the values of compassion, medical expertise and dedication to patients. May we find inspiration and strength in this alliance to build a better future for all. A film celebrating the HDF's centenary was then shown, recounting the Hôtel-Dieu de France's key moments and most important achievements.

For his part, the Rector of Saint-Joseph University in Beirut and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hôtel-Dieu de France, Pr Salim Daccache s.j., stressed in his speech the importance of "working together to save the Lebanese hospital sector, but also and above all to save the education, science and learning of quality and excellence that have long distinguished Lebanon. A Lebanon where honesty and transparency in higher education were paramount. Today, we can see with our own eyes just how much Lebanese human capital - that is, skilled and educated people - is working to save Lebanon, which is conspicuous by the absence of politicians and their inability to elect a new president for this resilient and stubborn republic".

For his part, the Advisor to the Minister of Health, Dr Pierre Anhoury, congratulated the agreement, pointing out that "the development of the USJ- HDF network shows the extent to which the difficult situation we are going through is a source of initiatives that would never have seen the light of day just a few years ago". He concluded his speech by saying: "You have opened up a new path that optimizes the supply of care for the greater good of patients and the population. We renew our confidence in you and our commitment to supporting your development. The Councillor's speech was followed by the showing of a video tracing the history of Hôpital Saint-Charles from its conception to the present day. The ceremony concluded with a cocktail reception.