Music, fashion take centre stage at Lebanese National Day

Music, culture, fashion and dance took the centre stage during the 75th Lebanese Independence Day celebrations at the Lebanese Embassy in Accra last week.

The three-hour long celebrations showcased musical performances by the Lebanese school students, a presentation of traditional costumes as well as a fashion parade, depicting the Phoenician era.

But the real side attraction of the evening was a musical concert by top Lebanese star, Rabie Al Asmar.

And he did not disappoint as he got everybody in the dancing mood with a rendition of so many of his popular songs.

The event, which was held at the residence of the Ambassador, was attended by Mohammed Adam of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, many senior Ghanaian officials, scores of members of the diplomatic corps as well as members of the Lebanon Society in Ghana.

Historical relations

In his speech to mark the occasion, the Lebanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr  Maher Kheir, underlined the deeply entrenched historical relations between Lebanon and Ghana, dating more than a century, and also hailed the Ghanaian contingent operating within UNIFIL in South Lebanon since 1978.

He described Lebanon as the country of, “pluralism, openness and tolerance”, citing the hosting on its territory of about 1.5 million Syrian refugees in addition to Palestinian refugees since 1948.

He, therefore, called for increased support from the international community for the huge number of refugees, adding that their presence impacted not only on his country’s economy but on its security as well.

Mr Adam, who is the Director of the Middle East Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, praised “the prominent pioneering role played by  Lebanese expatriates in the development of Ghana in various fields, especially at the economic and social levels, to become an integral part of the Ghanaian society”.

The climax of the event was the cutting of the anniversary cake, which was jointly performed by the Ambassador and Mr Adam.