“In the 18th century, the town of Sur (Tyre in Lebanon) did not have a single Christian living in it. Jirjis Mishaqa (a Greek Catholic businessman) was persuaded by its two ruling Mutawali sheikhs to move to the area with his family. When the Christians there had grown in numbers, work was begun on the church of St. Thomas the Apostle. Noting that there was no mosque for the local Shi'ite Muslim community, Jirjis Mishaqa thought it would be a good thing to build a mosque for the Muslims with his own funds. It was begun simultaneously with the building of the church. When he was called in by the Vizier of Sayda he said: "I see Muslims coming to Sur, merchants, transients and wandering dervishes, for whom there is no place of shelter or gathering for prayer. Indeed the lack of a mosque in the city is a matter that attracts criticism of its inhabitants abroad. The Creator does not permit such negligence"”

“Many societies have fell prey to conformism, shortsightedness and dogmatism. The gap between the political class and society in general continues to grow. Trust continues to be eroded between the different classes, segments and minorities with different societies. A doctrinaire and exclusionary approach is advocated with little possibility for discussion and debate. Those who are disenfranchised and discriminated against, including religious minorities, typically react in a number of ways that lead to further losses. They might reduce their contribution to society or they might migrate to other places in which they have better opportunities.”