HDM vs CCIAZ

THE COUNTESS ADÈLE DE TOULOUSE-LAUTREC ACHIEVED THE ACQUISITION OF THE CHÂTEAU MALROMÉ, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE REGION OF ENTRE-DEUX-MERS IN GIRONDE IN THE YEAR OF 1883. HIS SON, THE FAMOUS PAINTER AND LITHOGRAPHER, HENRI DE TOULOUSE-LAUTREC LOVED HIS FAMILY HOME WHERE HE CAME TO REST. HENRI WAS CONSIDERED AS THE “THE SOUL OF MONTMARTRE”, THE PARISIAN NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE HE LIVED. HIS PAINTINGS DEPICTED THE LIFE AT THE MOULIN ROUGE AND IN OTHER MONTMARTRE OR PARISIAN CABARETS AND THEATERS. AS A TRUE AMATEUR OF WINE, HENRI DERIDED WITH A BIG SENSE OF HUMOR AND SUMMARIZED HIS PENCHANT FOR WINE IN A FUNNY WAY: “WHEN THE COWS EAT GRAPES, I’LL DRINK MILK.” HENRI ENJOYED THE VINEYARDS OF MALROMÉ AND WAS INEXHAUSTIBLE ON THE BORDEAUX WINES.

The CCIAZ represents in general the interests of the commercial, industrial and agricultural sectors in Lebanon, provides information, proposals and projects aiming at the development of the Lebanese economy to government departments and affiliated members, facilitates contacts between members and local authorities and foreign embassies, resolves disputes among members by means of reconciliation or arbitration, delivers certificates of origin, validates bills and documents as well as the signatures of registered members, and provides information about the dates and venues of international exhibitions. The CCIAZ is without any doubt contributing, within its capabilities and competences, to the economic development of the Beqaa region and its promotion at the local, regional and international levels. This effort is reflected in the quality of the activities carried out by the Chairman and members of the Board, the focus on practical matters that allow the acceleration of the economic dynamics in the region, through communication with a large number of its affiliated members and with industrialists, farmers, merchants and businessmen as well as the media and civil society. On the national level, its efforts are reflected in its active participation in the Federation of Lebanese Chambers of Commerce as well as various economic organs; in its ad hoc committees on agriculture, industry, and on Lebanon’s joining the Euro-Mediterranean agreements and the WTO; and in its constant contacts with public and private institutions, embassies, diplomatic and commercial missions, and international organizations. On the Arab level, the CCIAZ has participated in the Arab Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture General Secretariat. Internationally, it has participated in meetings of the International Chamber of Commerce and participating Arab chambers, and in conferences and exhibitions; it has organized visits to the European markets in order to facilitate the access of the products from the Beqaa, and carried out a series of agricultural and other specialized training sessions. The CCIAZ conducted an industrial survey that covered active industrial firms in the Beqaa, to keep up with the industrial development in the region and prepare the creation of databases and statistics necessary to take strategic decisions in the interest of this sector. Furthermore, the Chamber passed the internal audit imposed by the Quality Management Programs ISO 9001-2000, which is in line with the objectives set by the CCIAZ and its attempts to develop its administrative system in order to ensure modern practices and conformity with international standards. The Chamber opened a training center for its affiliated members and people working in the productive and economic sectors in the Beqaa, to provide them with IT, computer programming, English, vocational, and quality management training. There are many projects and programs still to be launched, all aiming at the economic development and progress of the Beqaa.