President Joseph Aoun on Sunday marked the 44th anniversary of the assassination of President-elect Bashir Gemayel, describing him as a symbol of Lebanon’s sovereignty, freedom and national unity and reaffirming his commitment to building a strong State with full authority over its territory.

“Every year on September 14, Lebanon remembers one of the defining moments in its national history,” Aoun said in a statement marking the anniversary. “We recall President-elect Bashir Gemayel, who was killed in an act of treachery before he could assume his constitutional duties and became a martyr for his country.”

Aoun said Gemayel’s name has remained “etched in the hearts and minds of the Lebanese” as a symbol of faith in Lebanon as a nation of purpose, sovereignty and freedom.

He said Gemayel had embodied through his political positions and struggle a deep belief in Lebanon as a single, unified entity, encompassing both its land and its people.

Gemayel expressed that vision through his enduring slogan, “Lebanon, 10,452 square kilometers,” Aoun said, describing it as an expression of an inclusive national vision affirming that all of Lebanon’s territory constitutes the final homeland of all its people.

“Lebanon cannot be divided, diminished or carved up, and there is no place in it for segregation, partition or exclusion,” Aoun said.

As Lebanon commemorates Gemayel’s assassination, Aoun said, his message remains relevant to the country’s national path.

He said preserving the unity of Lebanon’s territory, people and institutions was the best way to honor the martyrs who had sacrificed their lives for the country.

“We renew our commitment to completing the building of a strong and just State; one that alone is capable of guaranteeing the independence of its decisions, full sovereignty over all its territory and the dignity of its citizens,” Aoun said.

He added that such a State would be worthy of the sacrifices made by Gemayel and his comrades.

Aoun concluded by paying tribute to Lebanon’s martyrs and wishing the country “pride and dignity” at all times.