The Voice and Impact of the Diaspora

Dr. May Rihani

Washington D.C.

International development expert, academician, and author.

November 1, 2025

When people around the world learn that the number of Lebanese living outside of their country far outnumbers those residing in Lebanon, they react with surprise. “How come, and is it helpful to Lebanon,” they ask.

Here is my answer.

There are seven facts that help explain this phenomenon concerning the diaspora — each of which can be a source of strength and pride to the members of the diaspora, Lebanon, and the countries of the world where a significant number of their citizens are of Lebanese descent.

1. The members of the Lebanese diaspora are well integrated with the populations of their “chosen countries”. They embrace the new cultures, engage in them as full members of society, and they do this without sacrificing their earlier values and cultures. Further, a large percentage of them remain extremely well-connected to Lebanon and often visit relatives who reside there.
2. Because of the serious integration of the Lebanese who live overseas within the populations of their new chosen countries, many of them choose to take part in the political, social, and artistic institutions of their adopted countries, where they often succeed at high levels. Lebanese Brazilians have consistently held influential roles in government. Here are a few examples: former President Michel Tamer, and former São Paulo governor Paulo Maluf. At one point, 10% of Brazil’s Congress was made up of people of Lebanese descent. In the US, every Congress over the past 40 years has had representatives of Lebanese ancestry who have served as Senators or Congresspersons, not to mention as part of the Administration. Take, as an example, Darin LaHood and Derrell Issa, who have served as co-chairs of the powerful US-Lebanon Friendship Caucus. In France, President Emmanuel Macron appointed Rima Abdel Malek as minister of culture in his cabinet (May 2022 to January 2024). It is a position once held by the remarkable visionary Andre Malraux. It is hard to fill Malraux’s chair; a Lebanese woman did.
3. As a result of this political involvement and these political leadership positions by many members of the Lebanese diaspora in many different countries in the world, the Lebanese gained insider routes to influence decision-making in the capitals of many powerful countries in the world.
4. To aid the Lebanese diaspora, leaders within the diaspora have organized themselves at various levels including the grassroots level, over the past several years. In the US, Canada, and France, for example, there are what the diaspora refers to as the “Lebanese Coordinating Committees,” which are formed at different levels, particularly at grassroots levels. They work in different states or regions of the countries, with think tanks, political activists, the media, businesspeople, professors, students, and other professionals. Their objectives include pressuring decision-makers in the country where these Lebanese reside, to influence the politicians to make the right decision regarding a set of principles that are fundamental to support Lebanon, such as protecting the Sovereignty of Lebanon.
5. A large number of the members of the Lebanese diaspora became very successful in many fields of endeavor. Such fields include artificial intelligence, technology, medicine, planetary sciences, engineering, academia, research, finance, banking, business, art, and large charitable institutions.
6. Pioneering is the golden star of Lebanon’s diaspora whose pioneering efforts have spanned nearly all fields: Some examples: First, in both North America and South America, members of the diaspora were the first to establish newspapers in Arabic, which encouraged Lebanese and other Arabic-speaking immigrant communities to read Arabic and to learn about events in their countries of origin, and to remain in touch with their culture through this valuable vehicle: the Arabic Language. Second, in the US and in the field of planetary science, under Charles El Achi’s direction at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 24 missions managed by the laboratory were launched, including Genesis, Galaxy Evolution Explore, Deep Impact, Mars Reconnaissance, Grail and Juno, and Jason 3. Third, is an example from China and the field of medicine. Dr. George Hatem, who was the doctor of Mao Tse Tung, established a remarkable healing approach, and as a result, he harnessed the will of the Chinese people to eliminate venereal diseases from their country.
7. Most of the Lebanese diaspora remain attached to Lebanon and involved in the political life in Lebanon, as well as serving as contributors to the unique role that Lebanon plays as a bridge between global cultures, and as the “connector” of Lebanon to world capitals where decisions are made.

In conclusion, the voice and the role of the Lebanese diaspora are powerful and influential. Their impact reaches the capitals where major decisions are made, and their support to Lebanon is beyond measure.

Dr. May Rihani