Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. As of 2014, Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coast. Beirut has been inhabited for more than 5,000 years, and was one of Phoenicia's most prominent city states, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. The first historical mention of Beirut is found in the Amarna letters from the New Kingdom of Egypt, which date to the 14th century BC.
Nouhad Wadie' Haddad, known as Fairuz, is a Lebanese singer. She is considered by many as one of the leading vocalists and most famous singers in the history of the Arab world. Fairuz is considered the musical icon of Lebanon and is popularly known as "the soul of Lebanon".
The culture of Lebanon and the Lebanese people emerged from various civilizations over thousands of years. It was home to the Phoenicians and was subsequently conquered and occupied by the Assyrians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Persians, the Arabs, the Crusaders, the Ottoman Turks and the French. This variety is reflected in Lebanon's diverse population, composed of different religious groups, and features in the country's festivals, literature, artifacts, cuisine and architecture of Lebanon. Tourism in Lebanon is popular with periods of interruption during conflict.
The Lebanese American University (LAU) is a secular and private American university located in Lebanon. It is chartered by the board of regents of the University of the State of New York and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). It has two campuses and offers 58 degrees.
Sabah was a Lebanese singer and actress. She participated in many Egyptian movies and songs. She was among the first Arabic singers to perform at the Olympia, Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Piccadilly Theatre, and the Sydney Opera House.
Ziad Rahbani is a Lebanese composer, pianist, playwright, and political commentator. He is the son of Fairouz, one of Lebanon and the Arab world's most famous singers, and Assi Rahbani, one of the founders of modern Arab music.
Assi Rahbani was a Lebanese composer, musician, and producer. He was part of the Rahbani Brothers, with his brother Mansour Rahbani. He married Lebanese singer Nouhad Haddad, more famous by her stage name, Fairuz. Their son Ziad Rahbani is also a very successful artist in music, theatre, and an influential political activist.
Majida El Roumi Baradhy is a Lebanese soprano singer and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.
The Beirut Central District (BCD) or Centre Ville is the historical and geographical core of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Also called downtown Beirut, it has been described the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hub of the country.” It is thousands of years old, traditionally a focus of business, finance, culture and leisure.
The Rahbani brothers, Assi Rahbani and Mansour Rahbani were Lebanese sibling musicians, composers, songwriters, authors, and playwrights/dramatists, best known for their work with the singer Fairuz, Assi's wife. Their younger brother Elias Rahbani was also a famous lyricist and composer.
The Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center is a large multi-purpose facility, hosting exhibitions, conferences, concerts and private events. It opened on 28 November 2001. It moved from what is now called the Arena Waterfront to its current location on Emile Lahoud highway in 2018.
The Beiteddine Festival is an annual summer festival that takes place in Beiteddine Palace in Beiteddine, Lebanon. It was launched amidst war and destruction in the middle of the 80's. It came as an act of faith in Lebanon's cultural specificity and its power of creativity and artistic freedom. It was a call for normality in the middle of the chaos and madness of the civil war. It was established in 1984 with local artistic performances and it gradually started having regional and international performances. Over the years, it has included concerts or performances related to classical music, dance, theatre, opera, jazz, and modern world music.
The Caracalla Dance Theatre is a dance company based in Beirut, Lebanon.
The 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie, was an international multi-sport event held from 27 September to 6 October in Beirut, Lebanon.
The tourism industry in Lebanon has been important to the local economy historically and to this day comprises a major source of revenue for the country. Before the Lebanese Civil War, Beirut was widely regarded as "The Paris of the Middle East" or also "The Pearl of the Middle East" often cited as a financial and business hub where visitors could experience Levantine Mediterranean culture, cuisine, history, archaeology, and architecture of Lebanon.
The Elements of Life World Tour was a Tiësto tour in support of his album Elements of Life.
The Byblos International Festival is a Lebanese festival held in Byblos, believed to be the first Phoenician city, founded around 5000 BC. The festival is the biggest in Lebanon, and attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world.
Mashrou' Leila was a Lebanese four-member indie rock band. The band formed in Beirut, Lebanon in 2008 as a music workshop at the American University of Beirut. The band has released four studio albums: Mashrou' Leila (2009), Raasük (2013), Ibn El Leil (2015) and The Beirut School (2019); and an EP, El Hal Romancy (2011), while causing many controversies due to their satirical lyrics and themes.
Hiba Michel Tawaji is a Lebanese singer, actress, and director. Since 2008, she established herself in the Lebanese and Arab music scene as a major artist recognized for her vocal skills. She has a 4-octave vocal range.
Nadim Asfar is a French-Lebanese photographer and filmmaker. He currently lives and works between Paris and Beirut. He studied cinematography at the Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts ALBA Beirut and then photography at the École Nationale Supérieure Louis Lumière (Paris) before engaging in the theory of arts and languages at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales.
