Proudly a Mesrobian School Student once and an example of resilience and human right activism today! What an Honor!

In May 2022 I got my first post-COVID international in-person event. That was a shift for me professionally, as it made me remember how I love to be on stage, how I can feel people's energy, and the impact I make on them. I had a stage full of 500 people: judges, Supreme Court judges, lawyers, and organizations. In my 45-minute motivational speech sharing my story, I got 3 times standing ovations. I felt so happy and delighted! I knew this is what I want to do! To be on stage!

Events started again in person, and I started traveling again.

The trip that I was delaying arrived!

The moment to return from where it all started, return Home: Lebanon.

November 2022, I took the courage and bravery to return home. I wanted to see my father and best friend Roushig H. again. I wanted to show my partner every single detail of my lovely #lebanon! Where I was born, raised, and lived for 26 years of my 34 years of my life.

I had a very mixed feeling at first, #bittersweet. I didn’t want to be back in the country where I was denied my #belonging and my legal existence. But then, I wanted so badly to visit the country where I first learned how to speak, walk, and enjoy every inch of it is amazing beauty!

We went to Baalbek, Byblos, Batroun, Harissa, Jezzine, Qasser Moussa, Downtown, Beirut, Zaytouna Bay, Bourj Hammoud… We met old friends and family; we ate a lot! And most importantly, had a very quality time with my father, and best friend Roro! That’s where I felt I always #belonged to this country! Part of my heart and soul is #lebanese!

A rewarding moment in life.

I ended the trip in a very special and unique way! I was invited to my own school the Armenian Catholic Mesrobian High School & Technical College Bourj Hammoud Mesrobian Armenian Schools , the only school at that time that accepted me as a stateless person, since pre-kindergarten (2 years and a half) until I graduated my high school (17 years old). I was invited by my French teacher at that time Mme Hasna Antoun Abou Elias - today Academic Head of the Department and French literature coordinator - to meet the students. To be there! At first, I thought she will invite me to one class, share a little of my story, and to meet her. I wasn’t aware of the #impact that I made in my own school during all these years since I left. I wasn’t sure how the meeting would be, I was so excited to be back from where it all started, where I learned my basics! Where I had my foundation as a #human and #citizen! She told me the Principal of the school wanted to meet me, Mr. Gregoire Kaloust ! The same Principal that saw me graduating at high school and was an example to me. I got bit nervous and at the same time felt so proud!

When I got there, it was a very magical unexplainable moment for me! I saw myself as that small kid running, the teenager studying in the classes and reunited with my teachers. I've been told:

“We didn’t know you were passing through all this! You are an example to all the students here! We are SO PROUD OF YOU!”.

I did a tour of the school with the Principal, he took me to every corner of it! He took me to our science lab where we used to do all our chemical, physical, and technology experiments. I was so delighted to see that all these years passed, and my school is still improving: they have robotics now! I saw the kindergarten classes up to the last year of high school. I saw myself in every corner of the #school, my life passed in front of my eyes. I saw eyes full of #hope and #dreams! I met my teachers and met new teachers. I saw a very beautiful and amazingly taken care of school! Even though with the blast, economic and political crises that Lebanon is passing through, my school still has open doors for students!

This was rewarding to me! I was greeted and got a standing ovation from my own teachers and my Principal! From the high school students with the same uniform and dreams I used to have when I was in their place! Looking up to ME and having me as an example. For the first time in my life I was not able to have a full sentence to tell them how grateful I am for the education I got from Mesrobian! How I appreciated that they accepted me and let me feel I belong even though they knew I was stateless. I was always treated proudly as a student of Mesrobian School.

I got an #award recognition that was handled to me by the Principal for all the work I am doing as Human Right Activist! Little I knew the impact of all my work was in my own school!

The best part of it, was when Mr. Gregoire told me that they have today #stateless kids in the school getting #educated! It was sad to know that we are still having stateless students, but rewarding to know they are being educated in the best school - Mesrobian!

Thank you, Mesrobian! Thank you, Mr. Gregoire Kaloust , for making this #world a better place and letting people feel they #belong!

I am starting 2023 fresh and energized, we have a lot of work to do!

Starting 2023 Message

Believe in your power and impact! Always remember from where you came from and who helped you to get where you are!

There is more big news in the making and I’ll make sure to keep you in the loop!

Everyone has the right to belong,

Maha Mamo