UN General Assembly
1976

92. The Lebanese have cut stones from the mountains to build their homes, places of worship and schools. With these stones they built walls against the slopes of the mountains, backed them with earth, terraced them, planted trees on them and transformed Lebanon into the verdant fruit basket of the Middle East. Without any significant help from outside, our people developed a thriving economy, despite the lack of natural resources. They have made Lebanon one of the best centers for education, health, trade, tourism and communications in the Middle East. Those who have built in the past can rebuild in the future. With the grace of God, with the aid of all Lebanese at home and abroad, with the assistance of our sister Arab States, friendly nations and the United Nations family, Lebanon will rise and thrive again.