On Friday 16th of December, Logos Hope was officially opened to the public of Lebanon by the guest of honour, His Excellency Mr. Mohammad Mortada, Minister of Culture.
During his address, Mr. Mortada said, “History is regaining its bright pages through this ship that travels the waters. It carries thousands of books to be a floating library available for all nations. How amazing that it is called Logos Hope. With this word hope, this ship is building a bridge of friendships across nations.”
Captain James Berry was enthusiastic about being in Beirut and to have local people visit Logos Hope. He said, “We’re very happy to be here in Lebanon. Lebanese food is world famous. We’re really looking forward to trying Lebanese food here at the source, in Lebanon. You may have noticed that this ship is unlike any other because it has a very special crew. This crew currently comes from 65 different countries. So, it’s a great pleasure to welcome you to our home today and we want to thank you for the welcome to your home country, Lebanon. I’m really excited to get to know you and to receive you on board.”
Managing Director, Edward David added, “We are very thankful to God that we can bring Logos Hope to Beirut to share knowledge, help and hope with the people here. We’re very eager to learn from one another as we spend time here in this country. Logos Hope has the vision to make a difference, to advance the wellbeing of people in every port that we visit.”
Director General of Education, Imad Asmkar, was thrilled to welcome Logos Hope to Beirut. During an interview in the bookfair, he said, “I am here today to tell people that in a time where books are increasingly undervalued, there is something magical about being in a bookfair on water. When I first entered Logos Hope, it felt like indulging in a different and more adventurous world, surrounded by good companions that abundantly share knowledge, help and hope.”
Logos Hope crewmembers and locals alike look forward to the connections that will be forged during the ship’s visit to Beirut, Lebanon.