On Saturday, September 9, 2017, the president of the Independence Movement Michel Moawad received in Ehden, around 200 journalists from the main television, radio, print and electronic media institutions in Lebanon.

All were invited to spend the whole day and a night in Ehden. An afternoon visit to the nature outskirts of the town was organized after the lunch, with various activities included. The guests enjoyed also a traditional dinner and evening at the Al Midan plaza, and stayed overnight at local hotels.

Mr Moawad later stated that the invitations for the guests were in their quality of journalists, and did not have to do with their political allegiances or status. He clarified that the invitations were in fact extended to the various media institutions in the country representing all the political currents, and that no one was excluded. He added that consequently, he did not feel the need to reply to any of the irrelevant comments and explanations that some of the paid media, which are well known to the Lebanese, had come out with.