Many world leaders have done great things, and yet only few of them are remembered for doing so. The person that comes to my mind whenever the words “great” and “leader” are joined is President Rafiq Al Hariri. After his assassination on February 14th of 2005, everyone around me began to speak so highly of him. And for that, I decided to look up all his accomplishments.
President Hariri began his contributions to the Middle East during the Lebanese civil war, as he funded many restorations made to the cities of Lebanon. So much was destroyed, and yet, all was not lost, for he had given the people hope and belief that they would one day be able to regain their status among other countries. And as every year passed by, the diaspora began returning, the people returned to their lives, and the country returned to its glory. In my opinion, had it not been for the President’s encouragement, the country, as we knew it three months ago, would not be.
But Lebanon was not the only place in which this great man made a difference. My home country, Saudi Arabia, was affected in a great way by the generosity and good-heartedness of a great leader, no matter how minor it may seem. For the past twenty-few years, one of the country’s finest schools, Najd, has been standing tall, urging the schools around it to reach its standards. The reason this school is important is not only because it was built by President Hariri; during the first years, he handed scholarships to so many Lebanese students who could not afford to pay for a private school, and offered jobs to many people within the city of Riyadh. And, as the years passed, the school had continued to keep its high standards and good name.
The fact that this man was able to affect the lives of so many people is touching and inspiring, and that was proven by the love and respect the people of the Middle East, as well as others, had for this great man, and still have to this very day.
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