In order for Lebanon to create such a bridge, its sovereignty must be restored, as well as its territorial integrity and unique domestic system, he said.

In response to the question of whether democracies can flourish in an Islamic context, Gemayel said: “The answer is an emphatic ‘Yes.’”

He cited as proof against such skepticism the separation of mosque and state in Turkey, and trends towards democracy in Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco and especially Iran, where democratic reforms and a new generation of citizens reevaluating the role of religion in their lives are taking root.

In his concluding remarks, Gemayel reiterated the significance of the U.S influence in the region.

“The destiny of the U.S. and the destiny of the Middle East are inextricably linked,” he said.

During the question-and-answer session following the speech, Gemayel was asked what he believed to be America’s role in Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, in response to which he pointed to “a new trend toward democracy” in his country, and a new momentum based on free market principles.

Gemayel was also asked whether his speech was one he would feel comfortable delivering to an Arab audience. He said he stood firmly by all the points delineated in his speech, and intended to publish it in the Arab press the following day.

Members of the audience, in which the Lebanese community was well represented, said they were impressed with Gemayel and his speech, though they acknowledged the limitations imposed on the former president, by the venue and Gemayel’s high profile in Middle Eastern politics.

Salim Majhoulf, a student at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs who asked Gemayel about his stance towards Hezbollah, said he received an understandably “political response” that eschewed direct labeling of the group as a terrorist organization.

Majhoulf said he still found Gemayel’s staunch stance towards Syria more provocative than he expected.

Elias Sayegh, a student of law and political science, however, said the speech was “less provocative than [he] expected, probably because of the audience and the venue.”

“Everybody knows we need to build partnerships,” he said. “The question is how.”

—Staff writer Michelle Chun can be reached at chun2@fas.harvard.edu.