A message from Gebran Tueni, the chairman of "An-Nahar", the main coordinator of our Lebanese Invitation Committee, to Bernard Margueritte, President of the ICF:

I confirm our decision to postpone the conference planned for Beirut in March 2003. As you know, our region sits on a volcano that is at risk of erupting at any moment, presenting a clear risk to delegates that would prevent them coming, a risk both to their personal safety and life. Nevertheless, let us not lose hope. The conference will take place eventually, but at a time when people’s spirits will be more amenable to benefit from it fully, on the academic as well as the moral level.

Gebran Tueni