- Title: LEBANON: Beirut-based marriage agency helps couples meet and marry
- Date: 6th April 2009
- Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (RECENT) (REUTERS) STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS STUDENTS STANDING CLOSE OF STUDENTS SITTING BEIRUT, LEBANON (MARCH 30, 2009) (REUTERS) BEIRUT'S SEASIDE CORNICHE AND PEOPLE WALKING COUPLE STANDING CLOSE OF COUPLE MORE OF PEOPLE ON CORNICHE (3 SHOTS) BEIRUT, LEBANON (RECENT) (REUTERS) FOUNDER OF MARRIAGE AGENCY POM D'AMOUR SOLANGE SRAIH SEATE CLOSE OF COMPANY BROCHURES AND EMBLEM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF POM D'AMOUR AGENCY SOLANGE SRAIH SAYING: ''The idea has long been there. People introducing each other. There was always someone in the village or the family who set people up. But it was kept under a tight lid. Pom D'Amour makes this a professional service. There is nothing shameful in it. If a person wants to meet others for the aim of marriage, we can help them. And we will not ask them why they did not like this person or that person, we will not intrude in personal matters. But we will ask them for information that will help. We made it professional.'' EMBLEM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF POM D'AMOUR AGENCY SOLANGE SRAIH SAYING: ''I am a good listener and I want to help people. And I found that this is something that is very lacking in Lebanon. When I came back from France, I met a lot of girls who have reached a certain age and have not thought about why they're not married etc. And if you asked them, you will find that there are not many chances around them to meet men easily, like it was in our days.'' BEIRUT, LEBANON (MARCH 30, 2009) (REUTERS) MORE OF PEOPLE WALKING ON CORNICHE (2 SHOTS) COUPLE SITTING AND HUGGING ON BEACH
- Embargoed: 21st April 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Lebanon
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA1TVP1H96W9R2XKHTPIKXWG2KW
- Story Text: Despite social conservatism and economic hardships, a marriage agency in Lebanon promises singles a chance to find lifelong partners.
Lebanese are turning towards more unconventional ways of meeting future husbands and wives, the latest trend being through marriage agencies that are quietly springing up in the tiny country of four million on the Mediterranean.
Pom D'Amour promises Lebanese of all age groups the chance to meet potential husbands and wives. The firm, which has been operating in Beirut since 2006, is the first of its kind in Lebanon its owner Solange Sraih said.
Clients submit their profiles which includes information on their social status, age, profession, their preferences and hobbies and of course their confession.
Sraih, who moved to Lebanon from Paris, said the idea of setting up people together, although never made professional, has always existed in Lebanese society. There was always that one person in the family or the village that knows how to set people up for marriage, she said.
''The idea has long been there. People introducing each other. There was always someone in the village or the family who set people up. But it was kept under a tight lid. Pom D'Amour makes this a professional service. There is nothing shameful in it. If a person wants to meet others for the aim of marriage, we can help them,'' said Sraih.
Sraih said the first two years of operating were difficult. Despite it being one of the more liberal societies in the Arab world, Lebanese did not jump at the chance of meeting the opposite sex through an agency like this.
There was a lot of caution and hesitancy when it came to people submitting their profiles.
Things are now better. Sraih says she now has almost 500 clients from different Lebanese sects. Several couples have already married.
But she said some couples are still shy about admitting they met through a marriage agencies. Sraih said she was not even invited to some of the weddings.
Because of the country's political instability and economic problems in recent years, many of the young men have relocated abroad to work and live, leaving the women behind. Some social statistics say the ratio of men to women is 1 to 5 making ever more difficult for women to meet men, Sraih said.
''I am a good listener and I want to help people. And I found that this is something that is very lacking in Lebanon. When I came back from France, I met a lot of girls who have reached a certain age and have not thought about why they're not married etc. And if you asked them, you will find that there are not many chances around them to meet men easily, like it was in our days,'' she added.
Sraih said the agency has been operating with almost no advertising or publicity because of fears the agency would be perceived as facilitating illegitimate relationships between the sexes.
Ordinary Lebanese were mixed in their opinion about the benefit of such an agency.
''It is possible for a man to meet his partner in life through this method, but it's better if they meet by chance. It's better to meet by coincidence than to go out and to meet under the cover of such a program,'' said Jean-Pierre, a university student.
''Where is the problem? They are living together in Europe so where is the problem if they meet like this here. But you need the people to understand. I am not against it as an idea. I think it's a great idea,'' said George.
Chantale, another university student, said she thinks the idea is better than internet dating which has been popular recently.
''I support the idea because they see each other in person. It's better than relationships over the internet that don't work because they don't see each other and when they do, it doesn't work because they thought it would be something that it isn't. So if they meet through an agency, I think it would be better,'' she said.
The yearly subscription fee is $600 for male applicants and $300 for women. In return, the agency will introduce couples whose profiles have things in common. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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