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PRESS RELEASE
Haigazian University
Mira Yardemian, Public Relation Director
Kantari - Beirut
Email: [email protected]
Symposium on `Social and Economic Justice' Organized by the Faculty of
Business Administration & Economics at Haigazian University, a half
day symposium titled `Social & Economic Justice' took place on the
morning of January 17th, 2014.
In his welcoming address, Dean of the Faculty Business Administration
& Economics, Dr. Fadi Asrawi, introduced the topic of social and
economic justice, a topic that is more relevant today in Lebanon and
the region than any other time. Dr. Asrawi, pointed out that social
justice includes in itself economic justice. It imposes on each of us
a responsibility to work with others to plan and continually perfect
our institutions as tools for both personal and social development. He
also added, a society that seeks peace must first work for justice.
University President Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian placed particular
significance on justice being a core to life and relationships rather
than a minor or side issue. He pointed out that most of the uprisings
or wars that are taking place today in the Middle East are a result of
social and economic injustice that probably took place at some
previous time; however our generation continued this injustice in
modern ways. Dr. Haidostian also mentioned that as an educational
institution, Haigazian focuses on distributive justice; owing and
sharing with the others in a fair way, especially the weaker ones.
The representative of his Excellency the minister of Social Affairs,
Mr. Wael ABou Faour, Dr. Bashir Osmat, drew attention to topic of
social justice being of great concern to philosophers, rulers, and the
underdeveloped nations, since in the beginning of time. Social justice
is an economic matter;
he went on, with a major objective of clearing out the fundamental
inequalities that exists between different social classes. Dr. Osmat
suggested different means for the sake of achieving justice, such as,
drawing out plans for different intervals in time, with a program of
social and economic development and the cooperating between
governmental organizations, NGO's and the private sector.
Afterwards, Dr. Jonathan Andreas, from Bluffton University, USA,
further discussed social and economic justice. He began by
spotlighting a saying by one of the major economists, Keynes, `no idea
more powerful than the idea of justice.' He mentioned that every
textbook in Economics defies Economics as a positive science; not
ethical. In contrast, he believes that it is impossible to avoid
ethics since there is an opportunity cost to every decision made and
that's an ethical decision. Dr. Andreas pointed out that previously
people were measured based on what they value (utilitarianism),
however now, they are being measured by the money/income they make
(mutilitarianism), and this is a form of injustice.
After a coffee break, Dr. Khattar Abi Habib from Kafalat, a capital
institution, financially controlled by the Central Bank, shed light on
the different efforts Kafalat adopts to contribute to social and
economic justice. By concentrating on short term lending to support
activities such as trade, commerce, and immediate services, they aim
to motivate small and medium enterprises to grasp the opportunity of
expanding, improving, or branching out. Also, they provide equal
opportunities to rural and underdeveloped regions as to the center of
the country for financing, favoring small economies to filter into the
middle class.
>From World Vision International, Mrs. Anita Delhaas, pointed out that
civil rights and economic justice is the basis of a just society. She
believes that it takes wisdom for people to get out of their comfort
zones to build the right relationships in order to achieve a just
society. Mrs. Delhaas highlighted that poor people are not in need of
money and charity; they are in need of justice. Based on that, World
Vision works closely with Ministries of health, education, public
affairs, religious leaders and media to increase awareness and to
achieve the wellbeing of 150 million of the world's most vulnerable
children, by working together to empower people in their economic
life.
Followed by Mrs. Delhaas, Mr. Khalil Obeid, an acting CEO in the first
Micro Finance Institution of Syria, conferred the attempts the
institution is performing to upgrade the capacity of poor people to do
more; by offering them micro credit and a safe place to put their
savings. To contribute to a just society the Micro Finance Institution
offers loans at minimal interest rates and charges a negligible amount
to open a bank account, providing equal opportunities to poor people
to have access to accounts. In addition to that, the Institution is
offering group loans, to motivate Syrian women to act more responsible
and accountable for their own lives and children, during the current
dreadful circumstances.
The final guest speaker Mrs. Carmen Geha, from Beyond Reform and
Development, tackled the topic of social and economic development by
analyzing an alternative strategy, Social Entrepreneurship; a global
phenomenon combining business with social impact and community
development. To advance this strategy, Mrs. Geha thinks people should
first adopt the mindset. It is a movement to counter the client list
system, overcome corruption and a movement above all to free citizens
from the chains of sectarian networks. There is enough evidence this
would work Geha believes, and the rest is up to us. An interactive
session of Q&A followed every guest speaker, allowing the audience to
share their thoughts and questions regarding the topic.
The symposium then concluded with a luncheon in Conte Hall.
Haigazian University
Mira Yardemian, Public Relation Director
Kantari - Beirut
Email: [email protected]
Symposium on `Social and Economic Justice' Organized by the Faculty of
Business Administration & Economics at Haigazian University, a half
day symposium titled `Social & Economic Justice' took place on the
morning of January 17th, 2014.
In his welcoming address, Dean of the Faculty Business Administration
& Economics, Dr. Fadi Asrawi, introduced the topic of social and
economic justice, a topic that is more relevant today in Lebanon and
the region than any other time. Dr. Asrawi, pointed out that social
justice includes in itself economic justice. It imposes on each of us
a responsibility to work with others to plan and continually perfect
our institutions as tools for both personal and social development. He
also added, a society that seeks peace must first work for justice.
University President Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian placed particular
significance on justice being a core to life and relationships rather
than a minor or side issue. He pointed out that most of the uprisings
or wars that are taking place today in the Middle East are a result of
social and economic injustice that probably took place at some
previous time; however our generation continued this injustice in
modern ways. Dr. Haidostian also mentioned that as an educational
institution, Haigazian focuses on distributive justice; owing and
sharing with the others in a fair way, especially the weaker ones.
The representative of his Excellency the minister of Social Affairs,
Mr. Wael ABou Faour, Dr. Bashir Osmat, drew attention to topic of
social justice being of great concern to philosophers, rulers, and the
underdeveloped nations, since in the beginning of time. Social justice
is an economic matter;
he went on, with a major objective of clearing out the fundamental
inequalities that exists between different social classes. Dr. Osmat
suggested different means for the sake of achieving justice, such as,
drawing out plans for different intervals in time, with a program of
social and economic development and the cooperating between
governmental organizations, NGO's and the private sector.
Afterwards, Dr. Jonathan Andreas, from Bluffton University, USA,
further discussed social and economic justice. He began by
spotlighting a saying by one of the major economists, Keynes, `no idea
more powerful than the idea of justice.' He mentioned that every
textbook in Economics defies Economics as a positive science; not
ethical. In contrast, he believes that it is impossible to avoid
ethics since there is an opportunity cost to every decision made and
that's an ethical decision. Dr. Andreas pointed out that previously
people were measured based on what they value (utilitarianism),
however now, they are being measured by the money/income they make
(mutilitarianism), and this is a form of injustice.
After a coffee break, Dr. Khattar Abi Habib from Kafalat, a capital
institution, financially controlled by the Central Bank, shed light on
the different efforts Kafalat adopts to contribute to social and
economic justice. By concentrating on short term lending to support
activities such as trade, commerce, and immediate services, they aim
to motivate small and medium enterprises to grasp the opportunity of
expanding, improving, or branching out. Also, they provide equal
opportunities to rural and underdeveloped regions as to the center of
the country for financing, favoring small economies to filter into the
middle class.
>From World Vision International, Mrs. Anita Delhaas, pointed out that
civil rights and economic justice is the basis of a just society. She
believes that it takes wisdom for people to get out of their comfort
zones to build the right relationships in order to achieve a just
society. Mrs. Delhaas highlighted that poor people are not in need of
money and charity; they are in need of justice. Based on that, World
Vision works closely with Ministries of health, education, public
affairs, religious leaders and media to increase awareness and to
achieve the wellbeing of 150 million of the world's most vulnerable
children, by working together to empower people in their economic
life.
Followed by Mrs. Delhaas, Mr. Khalil Obeid, an acting CEO in the first
Micro Finance Institution of Syria, conferred the attempts the
institution is performing to upgrade the capacity of poor people to do
more; by offering them micro credit and a safe place to put their
savings. To contribute to a just society the Micro Finance Institution
offers loans at minimal interest rates and charges a negligible amount
to open a bank account, providing equal opportunities to poor people
to have access to accounts. In addition to that, the Institution is
offering group loans, to motivate Syrian women to act more responsible
and accountable for their own lives and children, during the current
dreadful circumstances.
The final guest speaker Mrs. Carmen Geha, from Beyond Reform and
Development, tackled the topic of social and economic development by
analyzing an alternative strategy, Social Entrepreneurship; a global
phenomenon combining business with social impact and community
development. To advance this strategy, Mrs. Geha thinks people should
first adopt the mindset. It is a movement to counter the client list
system, overcome corruption and a movement above all to free citizens
from the chains of sectarian networks. There is enough evidence this
would work Geha believes, and the rest is up to us. An interactive
session of Q&A followed every guest speaker, allowing the audience to
share their thoughts and questions regarding the topic.
The symposium then concluded with a luncheon in Conte Hall.