On the occasion of May 6, Martyrs’ Day, President General Joseph Aoun said:
“On May 6, all of Lebanon, from its farthest north to the depths of its south, stands in reverence and loyalty before souls that gave what was most precious so that we may still have a homeland. The memory of the martyrs is not merely a date on the calendar, but a renewal of our pledge that the sacrifices made will not be in vain.
We mark this occasion today while our homeland faces storms and grave challenges. The ongoing war has left deep wounds in our collective conscience and claimed dear martyrs whose names will remain a beacon in our contemporary history.
On Martyrs’ Day, we pay special tribute to the martyrs of the press and media. We look with pride and admiration at the courage shown by our Lebanese media in covering current events. Journalists rose as martyrs, refusing anything but to convey through sound and image the truth of what is happening, paying with their lives for a sacred mission. The blood of media workers shed in the field stands as living testimony that the word in Lebanon cannot be defeated, and that freedom of expression—which we want to be responsible and just—is a pillar of our existence that we will protect with all our strength.
The blood of the martyrs—military personnel, civilians, and media workers—places us before a historic responsibility. As President of the Republic, I affirm that our priority is to safeguard the unity of this nation, protect its sovereignty, and work to end the suffering under which our people are laboring. Loyalty to the martyrs is shown by building a strong, just state capable of protecting its citizens.
In the name of Lebanon, I salute the steadfast families of the martyrs, and we pledge that Lebanon will remain a homeland of freedom and dignity.”
