LEBANON: The Ahla Fawda street festival, which translates as "beautiful chaos" in Arabic, aims to bring some hope and happiness to a tired population weary of Lebanese politics and war in neighbouring Syria

Record ID: 373984

  • Title: LEBANON: The Ahla Fawda street festival, which translates as "beautiful chaos" in Arabic, aims to bring some hope and happiness to a tired population weary of Lebanese politics and war in neighbouring Syria
  • Date: 2nd June 2014
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF STOP SMOKING STAND BANNER READING IN ENGLISH "ALLEN CARR'S EASYWAY TO STOP SMOKING LEBANON"
  • Embargoed: 17th June 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVAANAO4CHROXNQJ4EKTWFZ1TU8K
  • Story Text: A one-day street festival featuring art, food and music transformed Hamra street in Beirut on Sunday (June 1).
    The Ahla Fawda street festival, which translates as "beautiful chaos", was designed to give locals and visitors a lift after years of political uncertainty and three years of civil strife in neighbouring Syria
    "Hamra street today is very beautiful, I wish there is a Hamra street in every area in Lebanon because it brings all people together, people are happy, we don't feel the rough times, it made us forget these rough times, so we hope it won't be for a day but for days and all across Lebanon" said Dalal, a Lebanese woman.
    Tourists enjoyed the market ambience of the festival in the historic area of Beirut.

    "It's very beautiful, I just arrived and saw what was happening, I read a sign saying "Ahla Fawda". It is apparently a market it is very beautiful, the people are happy. Because of the situation in Syria and Lebanon the people are a little tired, so they want to get out out, especially in this area which has beautiful history, there were poets who lived here, the famous Eldorado cinema, so it stayed beautiful.'' said tourist Fadi Said from the UAE.
    Amongst the arts and crafts stalls was an anti-smoking campaign.

    "We decided to participate in this exhibition because we love to help people to quit smoking in a very easy way, without any suffering, weight gain and without the use of medication, Hamra festival is a very beautiful exhibition and it Is visited by many people from many places, and that is why we participated today so that they know about us, that we exist and they can stop smoking," said campaign director, Sadek Al-Asaad said.
    The festival was also a platform for young artists to showcase their work, amongst them students at Lebanese Universities.

    "Nobody encourages the arts in Lebanon and we in the American University of Science and Technology (AUST) Fine Arts division, the students wanted to show their work, and to participate, to encourage art, this is simply it, because unfortunately, in Lebanon nobody supports art " Artist Zeina Chaar said.
    Lebanon, which is hosting more than one million Syrian refugees, has been without a head of state since May 25 after months of party wrangling could not agree on a president.
    The festival was a one-day event only during which the normally busy traffic in the street was re-routed to allow pedestrians only.
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