This 1955 booklet is a very valuable genealogical and family history resource.

An item in the Society’s Library collection is a booklet produced in 1955 called Lebanon-Tourist Paradise. This booklet was an A4 sized pamphlet of 22 pages. It included articles aimed at encouraging tourists to visit Lebanon and was published in association with an appeal for funds for an ‘Australia Room’ at The Lebanon Institute for the Blind which was being built at Hadath overlooking Beirut. The appeal raised £2,511.

The appeal attracted support from many in the Lebanese community in Australia. It also attracted support from a number of non-Lebanese Australians including: Lady Violet Braddon, Sir Edward Hallstrom (famed for his refrigerators and support of Taronga Zoo), the writer Lou D’Alpuget, Premier of NSW Robert Heffron and the Governor-General Sir William McKell.

Accompanying the publication was a smaller leaflet titled Acknowledgements which included a list of those who supported the appeal by making cash contribution and who were willing to have their name published. It acknowledged those who helped with the appeal and was signed by Olga Ghorra, the wife of the then Lebanese consul in Sydney, Edward Ghorra.

The Acknowledgements leaflet is very interesting from a family history point of view because it lists the names and locations of people decades ago, and gives a snapshot of the Lebanese community in 1955. We have use it often for research and it is a very valuable genealogical resource.

Acknowledgements
Sydney, Australia, August 8, 1955

It is with deep gratitude that I wish to extend thanks on behalf of the Lebanese Institute for the Blind, for the splendid response given to the appeal launched for the raising of funds to defray the cost of building and furnishing of the Australia Room in the Institute, now under construction. While thanking every individual contributor for his generosity, I wish to particularly acknowledge the help given by the following:

• Lady Violet Braddon – for the special services rendered in the publication of the booklet, and for her co-operation in securing ads.
• Mr. Stanley Melick for his assistance in securing ads.
• Mr. and Mrs. Larry Gazal – for the social evening held at their home.
• Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Khoury – for the social evening held at their home.

And to the following for securing donations:
• Mr Maurice Khoury, President of The Kfarsegab Society, and Mr. Habeeb Hanna (Sydney)
• Mr. Sleiman George (Sydney)
• Mr. Anthony Dahdah (Taree)
• Mrs. C. A. Hambour. Mr. Albert Coory, and Mr. George Hamra (Adelaide)
• Mr. S. A. Andary (Berri, S.A.)
• Mr. Philip Jaboor, Mr. Joseph Mansour, and the Australian-Lebanese Association of Victoria
• Rt. Rev, Father G. Haydar and Mr. Wadih Batrouney (Melbourne)
• Mr. Michael Malouf and the Lebanese Association of Brisbane
• Mr. Shibi el-Daher and the Al-Katayeb Al-Loub nanyat (Sydney)

Also recognition is given to the following for sponsoring advertisements and messages of goodwill in the special booklet:

• Sir Edward Hallstrom
• Hallstrom Refrigerators
• Harvey, Trinder Pty. Ltd.
• Australian Lebanese Association of Victoria
• Mr. Nicholas Aboud, Nile Distributors
• Mr. Fred G. Badran, Paramount Shirts
• The Rural Bank
• The Lebanese Association of Queensland
• The Kfarsegab Society (Sydney)
• Al-Katayeb Ai-Loubnanyat (Sydney)
• Paterson, Laing & Bruce Ltd.
• Robert Reid & Co. Ltd.
• Scotts Provision Stores Pty. Ltd.
• Mutual Life & Citizens Assurance Ltd.

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Those who were publicly thanked for making donations were:

New South Wales & Suburbs
A. D. Aboud
Fred G. Badran
Al-Katayeb Al-Loubnanyat
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ghorra
Habeeb Hanna
Maurice Khoury
Wadih Malouf
Stephan Abdullah
Cedric and Carl Lahood
Jack Nasser
Tony & Joe Abood, Granville
John, Ely, and Roy Melick
Moses J. Hanna, Armidale
Mrs. Florence Melick
Alfred Aboud
Paul Kandal
C. Farrah, Albury
John Boulos
Joe Stephen
Mansour Hanna
Michel Badran, Wollongong
Michel Malouf, Wollongong
George Mousally
W.Saidy
N. Bookallil
Joe Aboud
Charles F. Scarf
Sarkis Debs, Bathurst
Joseph Abraham, Newcastle
Fred Habib
J. C. Yarad
G. S. Old
Bill Bashir, Narrandera
M. Nader, Moruya
Ruben Scarf
Noel McGrowdie
George Nacard
Peter Wakim
Joe Azar
H. Moussa
Joseph DahDah
Larry Gazal
George M. Scarf, Randwick
Nick Melick
Alex Mellick, Wingham
Lady Violet Braddon
Joseph Gazal
N. Betar
W. T. Malouf, Coonabarabran
J. D. Melick
Fred Messara
Dick Mousally
Charles Boutagy
Jack Saba
Louis Aboud
Stanley Melick
Emile Moufarrige, Mudgee
Davids Pty. Ltd.
J. Bookallil
Eddie Scarf
S. Simon
Nicholas and John Lahood
Mrs. A. Cook
John Melick
George. Scarf, Bellevue Hill
Nicholas Aboud
Dan Gaha, Dee Why
Jouad Khoury
T. Kwaik
Mrs. Bill Nader
Mick Ferris
Joe Tanna
Tony Coorey
Sleiman George
M. Jaja
John Saidi
F. Kairouz
Ferris Malouf
G. Shara
Mick Malouf
George Abi-Saab
George Dan
Alfred Najar
Nicholas Dan
E. Messara
Nasseeb Gaha
G. E. Mansour
Waller Bacon
Maurice Salhani
Najib Kurban
Chafic Kazzi
Fauzi Elmaouieh
George Ojeil
George Yousf Mansour
L. Moss, Corrimal
Nagib Sasen
Elias Koury
Youssef Kazzi
Karam Kazzi
Jean Wardan
P. Elias
P. Mansour
D. Daher
G. Assaf
G. George
S. Coorey
J. Shina
J. Hanna
N. Baraket
G. Fahd
F. Fahd
Joseph Hanna
J. Mansour
J. Moses
P. Trad
J. Elias
W. Trad
F. Assi
J. Yasbeck

Broken Hill
Stephen Khoury
Allen Humzi
Joseph S. Coorey
Alec Hamood
William Haddad
Leslie Ferry
Sam Coorey
Joseph Boulos

Taree
Anthony Dahdah
Don Solomon
W. A. Dan
Fred Assef
Nasim Saad

Melbourne & Suburbs
Joseph Mansour
F. Salamy
Fred Bacash
Asar Bacash
Philip Jaboor
Phillip Callil
Ramia Ramia
Louis Fleyfel
Anis Elias
Mick Bacash
Joseph Batrouney
Wadih Batrouney
Sam Mansour
Mrs. Saleem Malouf
Victor Raphael
Elias Riachi
Mrs. Kinnon Massoud
Mrs. Khoury Borg
Frank Boyd
G. Maroun
Miss N. & Mr. H. Malcolm
R. Risha
E. Gebara
Chafic Fakhry
Joseph Fakhry
R. Salamy
H. Abikair
Sam Malouf
Rev. Exarch George Haydar
L. Attlier
M. Battany
J. Homsy
E. Saad
Mrs. Saide Ashkar & Sons
Leo Batrouney
Farid Milkei
Nicola Saba Hagakly
Joseph Mansour, Northcote
Michal Lartoof
Joseph Deeb
Kamil Moukdisi
Abdou Naser
Radwan Sahly
Joseph Karam
George Kawaja
Fouad Bacash
N. Elias
L. Rahal
Nahim Seoud
Karim Seoud
Joseph Rouwady
Samir Moukdisi
Mounir Moukdisi
Abrahim Bsoumahi
Miss Mary Saadi
Abdelmasih Aoun
Abraham Aoun
George Kashab
Adel Yacoub
Joseph Sahly
Yacoub Sahly
Rafic Dimachki
Hade Domachki
Moussa Couri
George Yamouni
Hanna Azar
Joseph Accari
Mouhamad Ali Joseph
Ahmad Noumer
Mouhamad Ratel
Salem Abdewahaf
Emile Bittar
Jamil Ibrahim
Chehade Yacoub
George Mansour
Emilio Mansour
Chukralla Haddad
Rafic Hadg
Michal Hazim
Jamil Jammal
Asad Aboud

Queensland: Brisbane
M. Malouf
Mr. and Mrs. M. Chagoury
Mr. and Mrs. H. Joseph
S. Dyer
George Bros.
J. Maloof
J. Remanous
B. Izzidine
John Toomey
G. Nasser
W. Frangi

Queensland: Miscellaneous
Ford Mansour, Gayndah
M. George, Toowoomba
J. C. Aboud, Kingaroy
M. Mellick, Longreach
J. Mirob, Cairns
Joseph Doilibi, Toowoomba
Alfred Moses, Cairns
Mick Monsour, Childers
Mr. Hanna, Toowoomba
Mr. Betros, Toowoomba
Mr. Coorey, Toowoomba

South Australia: Adelaide
C. M Hamden
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Coory
George Hamra
Joe Stevens
Calill Josepn Family
All Basheer, Kalangaloo
David Calille David
Mrs. C. A. Hambour & Family
Joseph and Celine Sahd
George Norman
K. R. Ackarie & Son
N. G. Anthony
Anionius Nemer
Mr. and Mrs. Said Malouf
Milad Mabarrack
Charles Joseph
Reg Habib
N. George Nehmy
Mrs. Bashara & Jamil Bashara
Ellis Nemer
Braheem Rasheed
George Habib
Mrs. Peter Habib & Family
M. A. Iheup
Arif Rasheed
Z. Toubia
A. Jumblat
Alec Nejaim
Mrs. I. Kardachi
Mrs. K. Shadiac
Adnan Basheer
Dr. K. C. Basheer
Georges Samra
W. E. Minther
George Saikaly
Fred Chehade
Michael Raffoul
Assad Andary
Fred Andary
Peter Ellis
M. N. Habib
Mrs. Mary Moses
John Essey
Arif Halaby
D. Williams
Saleeba Family
J. G. Korban
Keith Raslan
Marour Auaar
Mrs. Jumblat
Fred Habib

Berri, S.A.
S. A. Andary
Braheem Hamood
M. Wehbe
David Andary
Fred Najar
Tofic Naiar
Majeed Najar
Cecil Najar
Sam Najar
D. Basheer
Basheer Najar
S. H. Assad
A. Hamden
Sami Najar
F. Hamzy
Naseeb Hassain Rasheed
Mrs. M. Wehbe
A. Najar
Joe Zahr
Emil Rasheed
Neil Minther
Amin Charareddine
Rafic Madi
Hassein Najar
Mrs. W. Hamden
Rozi Najar

Renmark, S.A.
Haleem Rasheed
Elia Matta
Chafic Andary
Fayez Charafeddine
Adib Younes