Patriarch Rai has been an advocate of dialogue ever since he was voted Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, and has opened channels of dialogue with all Lebanese, including the Shiite armed group Hezbollah. Nevertheless, Rai insists that his meetings with Hezbollah officials does not replace the need for an official dialogue among all political factions in the country. He also insisted on many occasions the obligations the state has to guarantee people's safety.