LEBANON: Country adds to its record of achievement with the largest gathering of traditional Debka line dancers

Record ID: 1539186

  • Title: LEBANON: Country adds to its record of achievement with the largest gathering of traditional Debka line dancers
  • Date: 9th August 2011
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DHOUR SHOUEIR RESIDENT RAJA SAWWAN, SAYING: "Today is a historic day for Shoueir and Lebanon. We raised Lebanon's head high, whether for the meat skewer competition or the debka, it's an historic day."
  • Embargoed: 24th August 2011 13:21
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon, Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVAA3A3WQSXIIFDJ7IL41IXV5S78
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: First it was the largest serving of hummus, then the longest skewer of grilled meat.
    But now Lebanon is setting records again -- this time for debka, the traditional form of Arab line dancing.
    Some 5,050 people signed up for the record breaking competition in the mountains of Dhour Shoueir on Sunday (August 7), and at the end of the day Lebanon was announced a winner of a new record.
    "The previous record took place in Canada in 2009 and 4475 people took part in it. Today, Lebanon broke the record with 5050 people taking part in the debka dance. Congratulations to Lebanon for the new record to be added to its other achievements," said Guinness Book of Records official Talal Omar.
    Earlier in the day, Lebanon also grabbed another place in the record books for the longest skewer of grilled meat -- at 97.5 metres.
    Last year students at Beirut's Al-Kafaat university whipped up more than 10 tonnes of hummus to set the record for the largest serving of the chickpea dip.
    "Today is a historic day for Shoueir and Lebanon. We raised Lebanon's head high, whether for the meat skewer competition or the debka, it's an historic day," said Raja, a proud Dhour Shoueir resident.
    "The festival was great, there is a lot of love and happiness and unity which is very good for Lebanon and gives a nice image to the outside world," another beaming participant told Reuters.
    And even after the record was announced, many participants kept on dancing long into the night -- to celebrate Lebanon's new national achievement.
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