Mrs. Tania Rizk gives presentation about Lebanon to Class of 2021

This week, Mrs. Tania Rizk took time to speak to St. Patrick sophomores about her native country of Lebanon. She provided information about the culture including the lifestyle, the political atmosphere, popular cuisine and more. She took time to answer questions from the students after her presentation to ensure each walked away with a better understanding of the beautiful country located on the Mediterranean Sea.

“I was asked by Mrs. Sutherlin if I would make a presentation about Lebanon to the students, as they are learning about different countries in their world history class. I am glad I did. It’s a part of the world that people don’t know much about besides what they hear or read on TV or in the written press. Unfortunately, the media doesn’t show an accurate description of the country. They only focus on the negative aspect and areas. People who haven’t been there have huge misconceptions about Lebanon, its way of life and culture,” said Mrs. Rizk.

“The students were fascinated with Mrs. Rizk’s presentation. As our world is becoming smaller due to the internet and trade, it is increasingly important that we try to understand other cultures and their perspectives. Each year we have a speaker from each continent to address each of the grades, so that by the time students graduate, they have been exposed to people from each of the inhabited continents. (We haven’t had any luck finding a penguin to speak on Antarctica!)” – Mrs. Lucy Sutherlin

She also prepared a traditional Lebanese breakfast, Mankoushe, for those in attendance. The dish is made with pizza dough, wild dried thyme and olive oil. The students loved the dish and appreciated the thoughtful information she provided about Lebanese culture.