Ambassador Khaled Baha hosted Yemen’s 19th National Day Anniversary at the Hilton Lac-Lemay, in Gatineau on Monday, May 25th 2009.

The reception was a grand celebration of the Anniversary of May 22nd, 1990 when North and South Yemen unified to form a democracy known as the Republic of Yemen. Ambassador Khaled Bahah commented on the importance of this historic event, stating that “The implementation of this historic re-unification changed the course of our social and political history forever”.

The reception was considered to be one of the most memorable of the year, with many illustrious guests in attendance including, President Mahmood Abbas of Palestine, Speaker of the Parliament, Peter Milliken, and Sheeba the camel who traveled all the way from Montreal’s Granby Zoo! In addition, the room was packed with an international crowd with more then 70 Ambassadors from America to Zimbabwe and other notables like Senator James Cowan, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, legendary Statesman Senator Marcel Prudhomme, and Members of Parliament, Jack Harris, Bernard Patry and Bill Casey. There was no shortage of NGOs, business leaders and academic luminaries including the Vice President of Nexen Inc’s Eric Miller, Alain Martin of Harvard Business School and Professor May Telmassany of University of Ottawa, We were also honoured to have CBC journalist David Halton who covered Trudeau’s visit to Yemen and his official photographer, Jean-Marc Carisse.

Colourful highlights of the event included Yemeni national costumes worn by students and Embassy staff, displays of Yemeni heritage in silver and amber, Yemeni coffee, paintings, and two large movie screens showing spectacular Yemen vistas.

The Ambassador honoured Dr. Martin Robinson of the Canadian Medical Delegation with a silver plague. Dr. Robinson has made considerable contributions to Yemen, substantially benefiting medical wisdom among Yemeni doctors. CMD was started by this legendary physician 20 years ago, when he was the first Canadian physician ever invited to Yemen. Together with his prominent colleagues, they donated their time and provided essential training to the Yemeni medical community.

A silver plaque was also presented to Mr. Eric Miller, VP of Nexen Inc of Calgary for his company’s outstanding generosity, corporate responsibility and in particular, the extraordinary Nexen Scholarship Program. This program has provided a substantial benefit to the future of Yemen by funding a Canadian education to more than 100 Yemeni students over the last eleven years and many more in the future. Nexen Inc. is considered to be Yemen’s greatest corporate citizens and with philanthropic endeavours extending beyond education to also include a multitude of others, including water, health and medical projects within our country.

Ambassador Bahah, in his speech, referenced the many great supporters and partners that Yemen has been fortunate enough to work with over the years and quoted the great industrialist Henry Ford, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress but working together is success”