The Speech of Mayor Sylvester Turner at the Lebanon Times Gala
Good Evening Everyone,
I appreciate the fact that you have me here. Thank you very much. I am going to start by saying thank you for your support and for electing me to be the Mayor of this city. I appreciate the opportunity to be your Mayor and I am going to tell you, I have enjoyed being the Mayor of the City of Houston. This is a great city, a very diverse city, and on so many levels. We are the most diverse city in the country. Those who may live outside the City of Houston may not realize that this city is more diverse than Los Angeles or San Francisco or New York or District of Columbia or Atlanta. We are the most diverse. In large part, we are diverse because of the Lebanese community and I want to thank you for helping to make this city the great city it is. I want to thank you for everything you have done in so many different fronts whether in terms of business development, whether in terms of education, whether in terms of our tourism business, but if we are going to be diverse and stop there we would not have done enough. It is not enough just to be diverse because you can be diverse, separate, and segregated. What we seem to be in this city is that we are not only diverse, but very much inclusive. It is very important for people to see themselves at the table of decision-making, so I want us to be the most inclusive city, a very welcoming and embracing and a warm city. That is who we are and I think that is what the future of this country will look like. If you want to see where this country is going and what it will look like fifteen or twenty years from now, take a look at the City of Houston and where we are going. I want to thank this community in particular for the contributions that you have made to this city. You have got to be proud for doing that.
Let me also take this opportunity to highlight and give my congratulations to Lebanon Times Magazine. I know this is your fourth anniversary, fiftieth edition, more than ten thousand followers and friends on Facebook, and more than twenty-three thousand readers. In the same time, ever since I have been the Mayor of the City of Houston, I want to thank Lebanon Times Magazine for publishing article after article after article about what we are doing at City Hall and about who I am. So thank you Lebanon Times Magazine for just being a very special partner to the city and to me. Last let me just say, over the next several months, we will be celebrating some important events in the city. On February 5, 2017, not too far from now, the Super Bowl will be coming to the City of Houston. More than one million people will be visiting our city. It will be our opportunity to showcase who we are and to let people know that, yes we are cowboys in cowboy hats and cowboy boots and we are oil and gas but we are so much more.It is our opportunity to showcase our city and its diversity, and let people know across the globe that literally you can live in this city, and on any given day you can literally travel the globe. Today for example, I started off with the Hispanic Community, I left there and went to an event with the African American Community, I left there and went to an event with the Pakistani Community, I just finished speaking for the Asian Chamber of Commerce and tonight I am ending my night with the Lebanese Community right here in the City of Houston. So let me take this opportunity to present this Proclamation from the city. I am not going to read everything because I have already sent much of it. But what I am going to say is:
“WHEREAS, the Houston area is wonderfully enriched by its most vital resource – inspired individuals who are willing to serve the public in all sectors. Through tireless personal service and leadership, professionals and community volunteers alike work daily to improve the quality of life for all; and,…
WHEREAS, on September 30, 2016, the Lebanon Times Magazine will celebrate its fourth anniversary. The City of Houston commends the Lebanon Times Magazine and its founders and staff for their commitment to Lebanese Americans and extends best wishes for a successful fourth anniversary celebration.
THEREFORE, I, Sylvester Turner, Mayor of the City of Houston, hereby proclaim September 30, 2016, as Lebanon Times Magazine Day in Houston, Texas.”
Thank you very much for what you do. Now Julia, if I can have you and everybody who is affiliated with the magazine join us. If you don’t mind me saying this “Julia is my girlfriend”.
I want to thank Lebanon Times Magazine again and yes we have the Houston Chronicle newspaper every day, but I want you to know tonight, there has been no other publication that has embraced me more dearly than Lebanon Times Magazine, and life is about relationships. I want everyone affiliated with Lebanon Times Magazine to know how much I appreciate every single thing you have done for the city and for what you have done for me.
Every word, every article, every picture and not only doing it but the way you have done it. Please count me as an eternal friend and please do me something, if you need someone, simply call on me. I hope at the end of the day when I am finished as the Mayor of the City that you will see me as your Mayor who responded to your needs and worked with you to advance riches of the city. In this city we do not build walls, we build relationships and in this city we do not run people away because of their faith or because what they look like or how and what language they speak. In this city, we embrace people for who they are and we recognize it as an international city and we say thank you for helping to build this city and together let’s make this country the best country that one can ever find. I appreciate you for who you are.
After the kind speech given by Mayor Sylvester Turner, Lebanon Times Magazine awarded Mayor Turner with a plaque of gratitude in the form of a Lebanese cedar tree made of the wood of cedars which dates back three thousand years. We greatly appreciate his hard work because he is truly the “Father of Houston” although he is young in age.
