Moslem Crescent and Christian Cross embrace at Maronite School in Sydney/ Raymond Arraj

Mr. Charbel Baini has yet to produce another play to match the record of the "Village of Ghosts" performed recently at our Lady of Lebanon Church Hall in Harris Park.

The play traces the history of Lebanon during the war and the circumstances surrounding it.

It tells the story of how, in a village in Lebanon, once the "Agha" realizes he is incapable of dividing and ruling his population; he dresses his men as ghosts in order to frighten the inhabitants of that village and force them to emigrate.

Everyone's life is shattered in that little town haunted by "ghosts". It reaches a stalemate with no salvation in sight. The village is doomed.

In the end, alluding to the current situation in Lebanon, the oppressed inhabitants see the light and recognize the fact that the only possible solution is to get together, both Moslems and Christians, and drive away the so-called ghosts.

The historic embrace of the cross and the crescent on stage, symbolizing Christians and Moslems getting together to save Lebanon, was the most compelling and touching scene, not to mention of course that of the prodigy child Rima Elias in which she sings:

Your children weep and cry

They need you so helplessly

I love you Lebanon

Please don't die..

In my view three people ought to be commended for this magnificent and exaltic achievement; Sisters Constance Bacha, Madeline Abou Rjeili, with my warm congratulations on their 25th year serving humanity, and well-known poet-educator Charbel Baini, now an applauded playwright.

And last but not least, a sincere thank to the three hundred great little actors and actresses at the Sisters' school for their wonderful acting and cute pronunciation and

articulation in Arabic, enjoyed and appreciated by a very large audience estimated at over a thousand, amongst whom were the educators, representatives from the various media, poets, heads of literary, social and charitable associations and the parents themselves.

After all, they are our children, our potential future.

In brief, the play "Village of Ghosts" undoubtedly proved to be an enormous success.

Encore une fois, Charbel!

Congratulations and best wishes.