By Mariam Dandashli | Staff Writer

On November 16 2022, the Economics Student Society (ESS) hosted the Minister of Economics and Trade Amin Salam who is also a corporate lawyer and economist. AUB Secular Club announced on their Instagram page a few days before the event that they will boycott it and disapprove of the minister’s attendance in AUB. Labeling their boycott call as “Minister of shame is not welcome in AUB”, and described the minister as “a puppet of the regime that destroyed our country”.

Being approved by the Office of Student Affairs, the cabinet of ESS was able to host the event regardless of the boycott campaign that the Secular club was promoting. It was moderated by Professor Leila Dagher, who is an associate professor of economics and the advisor of ESS. 

Ismail Hamdan, the president of the Economics Student Society, was questioned about the cabinet’s selection, so I enquired as to why Mr. Salam was picked for this occasion in order to learn more. He said that Mr. Salam was not specifically picked. The IMF board, made up of representatives who negotiate the Lebanese International Monetary Fund (IMF) transactions, was to be hosted by the members of ESS’s cabinet and Professor Dagher. However, only Mr. Salam, who had committed to visit AUB, was willing to participate. 

The event focused on the Lebanese economic condition and the financial recovery strategy rather than a particular issue. According to Hamdan, it had nothing to do with politics. “We weren’t attempting to politicize anything, it was simply a straight economic conversation,” he continued. Students had the chance to directly ask the minister questions regarding various economic aspects during the event, and it’s crucial to note that all of the questions were addressed, highlighting the fact that the occasion was apolitical. Ismail summarized the debate by noting, “Students were allowed to raise questions and everything was addressed. It was a useful debate.”

Hamdan opted not to respond to Secular club’s allegations. In spite of this, he emphasized that “AUB is a place for open debate, and it is a place for people to communicate and to demonstrate agreement or disagreement to any issue that is being dealt with.” He voiced his sorrow that the students of AUB, a place of freedom of speech and argument, had turned it into a one sided community.