- Title: SYRIA: Lebanese singer Julia Boutros performs in neighbouring Syria
- Date: 24th October 2008
- Summary: MORE OF BOUTROS SINGING AUDIENCE APPLAUDING BOUTROS PERFORMANCE
- Embargoed: 8th November 2008 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA921F0GPE58LAUMVYUXJ70CFI5
- Story Text: Popular Lebanese singer Julia Boutros sings at a concert in Damascus as the two neighbours continue to improve relations.
Lebanese singer Julia Boutros held a concert in the old historic part of the Syrian capital Damascus on Wednesday (October 22) where she performed her old and new songs about love and war.
Boutros, who celebrated her 40th birthday this year, performed to a large crowd at the citadel in the city.
She performed at a time when Beirut and Damascus are improving ties that were seriously damaged in recent years following accusations by some of Lebanon's ruling parties that Syria orchestrated the assassination of the former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri. Syria strongly denied involvement.
Boutros herself is politically active, sometimes appearing in Arab news channels to voice her opinion, and is an outspoken supporter of pro-Syrian militant group Hezbollah, especially after its 2006 war with Israel. She says she raised around three million dollars through a campaign for the victims of the war.
Ziad Boutros, her composer and business manager, heaped praise on the singer.
"Julia is now bigger than the word 'artist'. She has become a person who speaks about people's issues, pain and the oppression against people. She defends them in her way, by her songs, words and music," he said.
Boutros is planning an "Ahibaii" tour in November that she hopes will raise funds for her project to help Lebanese families affected by the war in July 2006 between Hezbollah and Israel. She is scheduled to perform in Lebanon, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the coastal Syrian city of Latakia.
Syrian journalist, Dima Nassif said crowd turnout spoke volumes for her popularity in the country.
"I think the huge presence of youths is evidence that she has presented music that can attract such a large number of them to come to this concert," she said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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