A three-member delegation from the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC) has paid a courtesy call on the Ambassador of Lebanon to Ghana, Maher Kheir, at the Lebanese Embassy in Accra.

The courtesy call was to show solidarity and to commiserate with him and the people of Lebanon as they go through a difficult period as a result of the raging war between Lebanon and Israel.

The Vice-Chancellor Prof. Eric Opoku Mensah, who led the delegation, was accompanied by the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Winston Abroampa and the Director of Public Affairs, Ms. Nana Efua Rockson.

Exchanging pleasantries, Prof. Opoku Mensah, noted the immense support the Lebanese Embassy and community has provided for UniMAC from his days as Rector of the then Ghana Institute of Journalism.

He recounted how, year after year, students are given sponsorships and scholarships as they go through various programmes of study, a tradition that has continued to today’s UniMAC. 

The Vice-Chancellor remarked that, “Our relationship with you and the Lebanese community is not based on creed or culture but purely borne out of a passion for excellence in higher education and care for the advancement of our institution. So, if today, Lebanon is facing serious humanitarian crises, it behoves us to come and show that we also care and hope to see an end to the suffering of the people of Lebanon”.

Ambassador Maher Kheir was full of gratitude for the gesture shown by UniMAC. He recounted the scale of suffering of his people and how close to 1.5 million out of the Lebanese population of 4 million people are displaced back home in Lebanon as a result of the war.

He further indicated how the humanitarian situation is so bad that people cannot find potable water and basic necessities.

In a reflective mood, he remarked, “I have lost close family members and it is sad how I cannot do much to help the situation back home”.

Prof. Opoku Mensah encouraged the diplomat to continue making an impact even with the supposed little in changing lives. He also congratulated Ambassador Kheir, on his receipt of two awards recently- a Humanitarian award for his “Outstanding Voice of Impact” as an Ambassador at the 5^th edition of the Humanitarian Awards Global in Accra, and a special recognition award for being named among the 100 “Ghana’s Most Influential People” organised by the Business Executive Group.

The meeting ended with pleasant exchanges as the delegation discussed upcoming events at UniMAC and plans for the yuletide break.

The Lebanese Embassy has for successive years expanded its educational scholarship programme to cover students in UniMAC in the disciplines of Public Relations, Languages, Performing Arts, Film, Television and Translation.

UniMAC is a merger of the erstwhile Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) and the Ghana Institute of Languages by an Act of Parliament 2020 (Act 1059).

The Act envisages a holding University with constituent Institutes with the power to award degrees of the holding University. UniMAC is uniquely positioned to deliver excellence in Media, Arts and Communications education at the tertiary level.