NNA - Caretaker Minister of Tourism Walid Nassar visited today the town of Al-Barouk in the Shouf region, where a reception was held in his honor with the participation of MPs Farid al-Bustani and Ghassan Atallah, as well as Progressive Socials Party Official Omar Ghanem, Mayor Elie Nakhle and Mayors of Barouk and Freidis, Sheikh Youssef Halawi, Antoine al-Haddad and Shaaya Kiwan, alongside the Shouf Cedar Reserve Committee Head, Charles Njeim, and other prominent figures from the region.

Following the welcome reception, Minister Nassar laid a wreath at the tomb of the poet who wrote the Lebanese national anthem, Rashid Nakhle, and then headed along with the attendees to the Shouf Cedar Reserve, were they were received by its director, Nizar Hani, who gave a detailed explanation of the projects of the reserve and the work underway to preserve the environment and eco-tourism that is growing progressively in the Shouf region and the future projects in this regard.

The Caretaker Tourism Minister then inaugurated the agricultural market, which is held annually in the town of Barouk to help farmers market their produce.

In his inaugural speech, Nassar expressed his happiness "to visit the Shouf region and Al-Barouk specifically,” declaring that "the Ministry of Tourism will have a permanent office in the Municipal Palace building in Barouk to help the people of the region finalize their transactions related to the Ministry, in order to save time and expenses of commuting to Beirut.”

He also paid tribute to the distinguished figures who hailed from the town of Al-Barouk, particularly the late poet Rashid Nakhle and the late Druze religious cleric, Sheikh Abu Hassan Aref Halawi.

Finally, Nassar and the attendees toured the various market sections to have a look at the displayed products and listen to the participants in the exhibition and the farmers provide information about their agricultural produce.

The Barouk Mayor then held a luncheon banquet in honor of Minister Nassar and the participants at his Barouk residence, where they were also joined by Caretaker Minister of Tele-Communications Johnny Corm, alongside visiting Iraqi Minister of Tele-Communications and MP Farid al-Khazen, and a number of senior officials from the region.

=========R.Sh.