A- Cultural Foundations in FIH or next to it

Too many VIPs have graduated from this school whose building was donated by Yaacoub Haidar, one of the people that left FIH in the early days of the migration wave in the beginning of the 20th century. The teachers are still struggling against the weak (if not the absence of) the support of public schools in Lebanon.  Mr. Hanna Nkoula El-Khoury is the current director of the school.

Located in FIH, this school is a member of the Sabis School Network which is an international educational foundation www.sabis.net.

This private school is located in Betroumin, on the Eastern side of FIH, 1500 m far away from the center. 

It is important to mention that in the old days, our grandfathers were the most important people who participated in building the Balamand Monastery.

Now the Monastery has become a complete educational foundation consisting of a secondary school (Balamand Secondary School), & a university (University of Balamand or UoB). 

B- Cultural Clubs

This building is a 3-storey one: 1) 1^st floor is the Lebanese post, 2) 2^nd floor is the dispensary, 3) 3^rd floor is the center of the Youth Club of Fih, & 4) 4^th floor is the hall of Jam'iyat Al-Thabat.

Founded in 1961 by Engineer Rafaat Saba, Fayez Salim Abboud, Elias Toufic Karam, Louis Hanna Haidar, & some others... the club has cultural & sporting goals, & has a volleyball team who is competing in the Lebanese Championship.

The current president is Saadeh Moussa Nakat.

Founded in 1943 by: Joseph Haidar, Tannous Nakat, Iskandar Sleiman, Semaan Nakhloul, Semaan Hanna Abdallah, Ayoub Khoury, Abdallah Nakat, Girgi Ibrahim Abdallah, Girgi Hanna Abdallah, Nazih Haidar, the committee consists now of 30 members.

The aim of this philanthropic society is benevolence and creation of familiarity and love among the people of FIH.

The current president is Mr. Sabah Issa.

C- Folkloric Occasion

St. Simon, the patron Saint of FIH, is a Saint from the Fourth century A.D. He lived and died on the top of a pillar, North of Syria, around which was built a huge church.

FIH celebrates St. Simon day on the 1^st of September in the yards of St. Simon Church. It is one of the biggest feasts and popular celebrations in the Antiochian Church, and was a perfect picture of the people’s entertainment since it went along with their mentalities and traditions: competitions in raising the values, sounding the bell, composing poetry, horse racing, animals fighting (bears and hyenas), folk dances, singing, (according to the stories of Moussi of FIH, page 24). The celebrations lasted many days, including an evening party on August 30 for the local citizens and a public party on August 31 for the visitors, which ends in the morning of the feast day with the Mass, followed by a horse racing.

D- VIPs

Born in 1912 in FIH, he studied in the "Collège des Frères - Tripoli". After completing his High School, he began teaching in the American University of Beirut, and writing some articles in the "Annahar" newspaper signing them with the name of "Tammouz". He died in 1951. He gave birth to Wissam (living in FIH & London), Walid (in Beirut, KSA & London), & Dr. Rabih living in USA.

He left many Arabic Chef-d'œuvres: Darb-el-Kamar (The Moon Way), Aghany Tammouz (Tammouz Songs), Tammouziat...

His style is very special, his prose was more poetic rather than prosaic.

A big ceremony was held in the UNESCO Theater on the 20th of November 2000, to honor him.

http://www.almustaqbal.com/PDFarticle/21-11-00/p18.pdf

GIRGI Ibrahim Abdallah was born in Fih El-Koura in 1912, he started the first years of education in Al-Safa school, and then he continued his studies in Collège des Frères  in Tripoli where the administration & all his teachers were amazed by his intelligence. In the year 1929, he graduated from the "Collège des Frères" with the Lebanese Baccalaureate degree. Then, he agreed to be a teacher in Aaba School; and day after day his fame was growing because his motto was always, "the poor has the right to learn freely and the teachers should be paid."

Mr. Girgi Abdallah was a great person because of his virtue and faith, and as Jesus said, "faith can move mountains", everybody loved Mr. Girgi, respected him and put their trust in him, he sacrificed his whole life for the sake of teaching children and giving knowledge.

On the 20^th of November 1951, the disaster happened when Girgi Abdallah died in a bus accident , no one could believe loosing this great man, although he died, he is still living in our hearts. At the end we are leaving this world, but some people are always remembered through their good virtue like GIRGI IBRAHIM ABDALLAH.

His only son George was born few months after his death, he is now living in USA, & his wife Thuraya is living either with George in USA (during the academic year), or in FIH in the summer.

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