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About ALHS
The Australian Lebanese Historical Society Inc. aims to promote the study of the history of Lebanese settlement in Australia.
Goals of the Australian Lebanese Historical Society Inc.
The Australian Lebanese Historical Society Inc. aims to promote the study of the history of Lebanese in Australia.
It is a non-religious, non-political organisation that seeks to catalogue and preserve relevant records and to extract their meaning through providing an historical context.
Membership is open to people of Lebanese descent, their families and others interested in the history of Lebanese in Australia.
With members throughout Australia, the ALHS facilitates the recording and telling of the Australian Lebanese story by developing its collection, encouraging research, producing publications and exhibitions, and organising regular events that include the wider community as well as ALHS members.
The key objectives of the Society are:
- to encourage and assist in the development and maintenance of repositories of archives on the history of Lebanese migration to and settlement in Australia
- to encourage and assist in the maintenance of the records evidencing the history of Lebanese migration to and settlement in Australia
- to promote study and scholarship related to the history of Lebanese migration to Australia
- to promote study of and to publicise contributions made by the Lebanese community to Australia.
History
Our Phoenician ancestors were explorers, traders and settlers in the Mediterranean area, taking their culture to North Africa and Europe. Just over 140 years ago Lebanese emigrants chose to come to Australia to search for a better future and a new life. They encountered opposition from the British colonisers who had preceded them, but they persevered and have left a proud heritage for us as Australian Lebanese.
The Australian Lebanese Historical Society (ALHS) was formed in 2000 with the aim to encourage scholarship in the history of Lebanese settlement in Australia by research, publications, and regular events. It was recognised by Australians of Lebanese descent that their parents’ and grandparents’ stories were largely absent from the Australian story, and they realised that they needed to act to fill this gap.
Since 2000, the ALHS, which has members throughout Australia, has supported the recording and telling of the Australian Lebanese story through its publications and exhibitions, developing the collection and organising events that showcase Australian Lebanese history. Academics, family historians (professional and amateur), writers, and artists whose focus is the Australian Lebanese experience are encouraged by the ALHS to share their work. The ALHS has acknowledged contributions of people of Lebanese origin from all parts of Australia, ratified a constitution, established a scholarly reputation, published books, and contributed to the development of Australia’s cultural, political and professional life.
Since its inception, the Society has grown with members throughout Australia and now has branches in Sydney, Brisbane, and the Far North Coast of New South Wales. Meetings have been held outside the metropolitan areas and bring together people who are excited to learn how widespread the Australian Lebanese community has become, and how they have contributed to the growth and welfare of the areas where they settled. The younger generation has embraced this knowledge and been encouraged to investigate their own family history, to talk to their parents and grandparents and document their stories.
This website contains links to newsletters published by the Society, historical photos curated by families, family history books, and information about events past and future. There are also details of other Lebanese historical societies and organisations.
Constitution
The Annual General Meeting of the Society will be held via Zoom on Saturday 25 May at 2pm.
About The Logo
As we moved towards the 20th anniversary of the Australian Lebanese Historical Society in 2020, it was an appropriate time to initiate the design of a new logo for the Society.
We were proud to announce the approval by the ALHS Board of a new logo designed by Anne-Marie Wharrie and Danielle Wharrie.
With this rebranding, we encompass not only the preservation of our Lebanese culture but acknowledge the close connection the Lebanese have had to all Australians, especially Indigenous Australians, since arriving in Australia from the 1800s onwards.
Whilst the logo is a stylised representation, the colour red is common to all cultures and indicates vibrancy, generosity, inclusivity and adaptation. These attributes define the Lebanese culture and are worthy of celebration by all of us.
Board Members
The Board of Directors for 2023 is:
- Dr Youssef Taouk (President)
- Dr Anne Monsour (Vice-President)
- Antonia Simpson (Hon. Secretary)
- Claude Broomhead (Hon. Treasurer)
- Theresa Sukkar (Membership Registrar)
- Nissrine Khadra-Daher (Digital Media Officer)
- Petra Fakhry
- Jeannette Kalek
- Mounira Saad
- Gabrielle Saide
- Anne Thacker
Branch Information & Meetings
If you wish to contact a branch or a regional ambassador and require more information than is on this site, please email the ALHS at [email protected] and we’ll put you in touch.
| BRANCH | GENERAL INFORMATION | MEETINGS 2024 |
| NSW | Meetings are usually held bi-monthly via Zoom on the third Wednesday of the month at 8pm unless advised otherwise. | 12 February 8 April Other dates to be advised soon. |
| Far North Coast NSW (FNCNSW) | Following the 2022 publication and launch of the book Branches of the Cedar Tree: Lebanese Families on the NSW Far North Coast, this branch is yet to decide whether to continue to meet regularly or less frequently than in the past. To be advised. | Dates to be advised soon. |
| QLD | Meetings are usually held bi-monthly in the Grange Library, (79 Evelyn St, Grange), unless advised otherwise. Meetings are in person and via Zoom. They are informal and usually run from 10.30am to midday. | 10 February 13 April 8 June 10 August 12 October 7 December |
| REGIONAL AMBASSADORS | NAME | CONTACT DETAILS |
| Canberra | Dr. Nelia Hyndman-Rizk | Email the ALHS at [email protected] and we’ll put you in touch with a regional ambassador. |
| Manning Valley NSW | Mounira Saad | |
| Southern NSW | George Manning | |
| Western Australia | Anne-Marie Wharrie | |
| North Queensland | Max Tomlinson | |
| Toowoomba QLD | Gabrielle Saide |
Affiliations
The ALHS is affiliated with the following organisations:
- Royal Australian Historical Society
- Royal Historical Society of Queensland
- Royal Western Australian Historical Society
- History Council of NSW
- Oral History NSW
- Oral History Qld
Copyright & Usage Policy
Information on this site is protected by copyright and is for reference use only of those accessing the site. Other use of material on this site is not permitted without the permission of the Society.
The information on this site is provided as a guide only.
While every effort is made to ensure the information on this site is accurate and up-to-date, circumstances can change, and the Society is not responsible for any reliance on, or activities that may result from, the use of data on this site.
A number of links to other useful and/or related related Web sites are also provided. The provision of these links should not be construed as representing any endorsement or recommendation for these sites or to the accuracy or validity of the information presented on them. Nor do they represent any endorsement of the organsations that maintain these sites. The Links page is only designed to be a starting point for research and not a definitive list.
The Board of the Australian Lebanese Historical Inc. (ALHS) may from time to time grant permission for other community groups to use a limited amount of material from its website. The use of this material is governed by the following conditions:
- The ALHS and its website must be acknowledged as the source of the material.
- Permission to use material on the ALHS is limited to not-for-profit groups such as historical societies, or village societies.
- The board of the ALHS must grant specific permission.
- Permission for use of the material maybe withdrawn at any time by either the Board or the President of the ALHS.
- The ALHS need not give any reason for the refusal to allow the use of material or for the withdrawal of permission.
- Material is not to be used for any commercial purpose or sold to third parties.
- Ownership and copyright of the material always remains with the ALHS and the host organisation or site using material must not provide the material for use by third parties other than for private historical reference and research.
- Material must not to be used for any illegal or unlawful activity.
- Material must not to be used for any purpose that is inimical to the objectives of the ALHS.
- Not to be used in any manner that would harm, defame or ridicule the subject or subjects of the material so used, or used in any manner that could harm, defame or ridicule any other person or organisation.
- The ALHS accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or validity of information on other websites, even if the data may have originated from the ALHS site.
© 2023 Australian Lebanese Historical Society Inc. All rights reserved.