LEBANESE AMBASSADOR GHASSAN MOALLEM:
MY FAVORITE TURKISH WORD: ‘CANIM’
Lebanese Ambassador to Türkiye, Ghassan Moallem, who has served in Ankara for nearly eight years, is preparing to leave the capital as his term ends. “It’s very hard to leave Türkiye,” he said. “Even when you come for a vacation, it’s not easy to say goodbye.” Moallem shared that his favorite Turkish word is canım.
M. FERHAT YÜKSEL / ANKARA
A farewell dinner was organized for Ambassador Moallem by Iceland’s Honorary Consul, Selim Sarıibrahimoğlu. During the evening, Moallem expressed his deep affection for Türkiye and its people. “We’ve been here for about 7 years and 10 months. Türkiye became our home away from home. My wife, my children, and I—we all felt truly at home here. We never felt like strangers or guests,” he said.
A FIRST FOR MY FAMILY
Moallem stated that after completing his term, he will return to Beirut and work at the Foreign Ministry for about two years. “But we will never cut our ties with Türkiye. Our brothers, our friends… they’ve become our family,” he said. One of his most unforgettable moments in Türkiye, he recalled, was when he presented his letter of credence to the President with his family by his side. “That day meant a lot to us. My family was overjoyed, and the President was also pleased to see them. It was the first time we participated in such an event as a family. Few countries allow family members to attend the credential ceremony—maybe only Türkiye.”
The ambassador also emphasized the solidarity between Türkiye and Lebanon. “During the earthquake disaster, the Lebanese team was one of the first to arrive with aid. We also had one of the largest contingents. Likewise, whenever there’s a problem in Lebanon, Türkiye is always one of the first to respond.” He highlighted the trauma and burn hospital established in Sidon, South Lebanon, as a major contribution. “Projects like these bring us pride and joy. We truly value this relationship,” he said.
TÜRKİYE HAS BECOME OUR SECOND HOME
The ambassador’s wife, Louma Kabalan Moallem, also shared her feelings about leaving. “Türkiye has become our second home,” she said, adding that they built many meaningful friendships in Ankara. “We wish we could return to Türkiye again. But of course, we’ll come back as tourists,” she said. Louma Moallem learned Turkish at the Yunus Emre Institute in Beirut.
SAYING ‘NO’ IS HARD HERE
Speaking about his Turkish learning journey, Ambassador Moallem said his favorite Turkish word is canım. He also noted that the word hayır (no) is rarely heard in Türkiye. “There is always a solution here. That’s why saying ‘no’ or ‘yok’ is perhaps the hardest thing to do,” he concluded.
