
Marc Morcos. (Credit: Screenshot of his interview with France 24)
“We haven't given up hope. We'll be back to build Lebanon once we've finished our studies.” This cry from Charbel Sayyah, a first-year law student at the University of Orléans, is increasingly echoed by Lebanese students forced to leave the country to pursue their studies.
“Don't mistake our departure for abandonment,” declared the 21-year-old activist and socio-political advocate. “We left to study, to gain the tools we need to rebuild Lebanon. We will be back.”
Originally from the heavily bombed village of Alma al-Shaab in southern Lebanon's Sour district, Sayyah choked back tears as he described “his parents who stayed in the village to defend their home and farmland, and who are now under increasing pressure to leave.”
Charbel Sayyah
And that's the most terrible thing for all these people attached to their land, who are paying the price of a war they didn't want,” he said, his voice shaking with anger.
At first, he responded to the appeal launched by Notre-Dame du Liban in Paris to collect food and donations. He also protested in the streets of Paris, but he soon discovered that his efforts could have a greater impact elsewhere l. He found his purpose with the Comité de coordination libano-française (CCLF), a newly formed organization uniting young, politically independent Lebanese in France.
Along with other Lebanese students, he appeared on French and Arab TV channels, met with senators to discuss the situation in Lebanon and presented the French government with a vision for the country's future — while consistently denouncing the corrupt political class. “That's how we fight,” explained the young man, pointing to a surge of student activism demanding change in Lebanon.
Does he still have hope for the country? When asked if he still has hope for the country, “Certainly,” Sayyah replied without hesitation. “This is my country, my land and no one can take it away from us. Most young Lebanese who have left cling to the hope of returning and rebuilding their country, and they know they can do it.”
Like Sayyah, Marc Morcos, a doctoral student and lecturer at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, is a driving force in the CCLF. “We won't let Lebanon fall apart,” he declared
"We're all young people who believe in the need to work both in Lebanon and abroad,” explained Morcos. “We knew Lebanon was heading for disaster,” he said, “We tried to warn everyone, but the worst happened anyway. Now, more than ever, we have to fight for our country's future — its institutions, its prosperity, its very sovereignty.”
To lead the fight, they organize targeted actions designed to hit where it hurts. “Not with violence or disruption,” Morcos clarified, “but by exposing the truth — to French authorities, the Lebanese community and the world. We're making it impossible for anyone to ignore the real problems in Lebanon.”
“Living together is inevitable,” he stated. “It's a long and difficult process, not something that will magically happen overnight. But it's essential for the country's survival.”
Morcos's voice cracked as he spoke about the friends and family left behind. “It tears us apart to see Lebanon falling apart,” he said. “None of us wanted to leave. We were forced out. But, we haven't given up hope. We dream of returning, of rebuilding our country on a foundation of justice and opportunity.”
Anthony Trad. (Credit: Fouad Tabet)
Reacting to chaos
Anthony Trad, a 21-year-old political science student at the London School of Economics, spoke with a raw passion about “the country he loves above all else.”
“Seeing Lebanon in this state fills me with a rage that needs to be expressed. I'm disgusted and discouraged, but I refuse to be passive. I can't stand by while my country and my family sink into total chaos.”
As a member of his university's well-known Lebanese Society, Anthony chose a different path to activism. Instead of street protests, he wielded his pen, publishing articles that challenged prevailing narratives about Lebanon, offered a message of hope and reached a wide audience within the university and beyond.
He doesn't limit his activism to writing but also delivers powerful speeches at his university, reaching out to “those sad, disgusted young people who feel powerless and think they can do nothing more for Lebanon.” He aims to reignite their hope, urging them to action, and demonstrating how everyone, regardless of their skills or knowledge, can contribute to a better future for Lebanon.
Anthony recognized the despair that had gripped many young Lebanese. “They felt powerless, but I wanted them to understand that even small actions can have a ripple effect. Together, we can create change.”
He beamed with pride as he described how his speeches had ignited a renewed sense of purpose within the Lebanese student community.
Anthony took concrete steps to engage his peers and foster dialogue. He has organized a conference, scheduled for Nov. 28, where he will moderate a discussion with the Lebanese ambassador in London about the war and, most importantly, how young people can play an active role in shaping the future.
The constant barrage of images and stories on social media from war-torn countries is leaving a deep scar on an entire generation.
L.S.D.
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This article was originally published in French in L'Orient Le-Jour.