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Theculture of Lebanon and theLebanese people emerged from Phoenicia and through various civilizations over thousands of years. It was home to thePhoenicians and was subsequently conquered and occupied by theAssyrians, theGreeks, theRomans, thePersians, theArabs, theCrusaders, theOttomans and theFrench. This variety is reflected in Lebanon's diverse population, composed of different religious groups, and features in the country's festivals, literature, artifacts,cuisine andarchitecture.
TheMaronites and theDruzes founded modernLebanon in the early eighteenth century, through the ruling and social system known as the "Maronite-Druze dualism" inMount Lebanon Mutasarrifite.[1] Despite the religious and denominational diversity of the Lebanese, they "share an almost common culture".[2] Article 11 of theConstitution of Lebanon states: "Arabic is the official national language. A law determines the cases in which theFrench language is to be used". The spokenLebanese Arabic dialect used in public mixes Arabic with French. Cuisine and literature are deep-rooted "in wider Mediterranean and Levantine norms".[2]
The hilly Mediterraneangeography of Lebanon has played a role in shaping thehistory of Lebanon and its culture.Archaeology of Lebanon is conducted to explore the region's past.
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By the turn of the 20th century,Beirut was vying withCairo to be the major centre for Near Eastern and Middle Eastern thought, with many newspapers, magazines and literary societies. Additionally, Beirut became a thriving epicenter of Armenian culture with varied productions[3] that was exported to the Armenian diaspora.
Daoud Corm (1852-1930), Habib Serour (1860-1938) and Khalil Saleeby (1870-1928) are considered the first successful professional studio artists in Lebanon, with careers extending to Europe. All were trained outside Lebanon, with Corm and Serour attending Roman academies and Saleeby British and American ones. They were known for portraiture of Lebanese high society and men of religion, as well as Christian sacred art in the case of Corm and Serour.[4][5]
Mustafa Farroukh (1901-1957) was one of Lebanon's most important painters between the 1920s and the 1950s. Formally trained in Rome and Paris, he exhibited in venues from Paris to New York to Beirut over his career.[6]
Jean Khalife (1923-1978) was one of Lebanon's most important painters as of the early 60s. Formally trained in Lebanon in the "Academie Libanaise Des Beaux Arts" (ALBA) under the two masters "Cesar Gemayel" and "Ferdinando Manetti". Following his gifted skills and remarkable style he received two scholarships to Paris and Rome where he was influenced by the western art however without loosing his oriental roots. He exhibited in these two capitals and received clear admiration due to his oriental spirit shown is his choice of strong and warm colors.He rapidly became a teacher in his home university (ALBA) and between 1967 and 1971 he chaired the Lebanese Artists Association for Painters and Sculptors (LAAPS) and achieved the LAAPS affiliation to the UNESCO International Foundation for Fine Arts.[7]Jean Khalife played a key role in the Lebanese and Middle East cultural and artistic field noting that he participated in Group exhibitions and Biennales as well as Solo exhibitions mainly in Lebanon, France, England, Japan, Egypt, Syria, Italy, Brazil... and his masterpieces are spread worldwide.
Farid Mansour (1929-2010) was a Lebanese multi-talented painter and sculptor . Being trained in Italy and England, Mansour mastered severalpainting and sculpting techniques. His works were exhibited in London, Paris, New York as well as Lebanon and Syria.
Contemporary art started in Beirut in the early 60s with abstract pioneers like Jean Khalife, Shafik Abboud, Hellen El Khal, Paul Guiragossian and many others that were influenced by the western art.[7]
Many contemporary artists are currently active, such asWalid Raad, a contemporary media artist currently residing in New York.[8]
Two contemporary art exhibition centers, theBeirut Art Center and the Beirut Exhibition Center (does not exist anymore) in the BIEL area reflect the vibrant Lebanese contemporary art scene. These two centers are intended to host exhibitions and are a must in the world of international as well as local contemporary art. Many art galleries also add to the local art scene, exhibiting the works of artists such asAyman Baalbaki,[9]Akram Zaatari,[10] Marwan Sahmarani,[11]Nadim Asfar,[12]Lamia Joreige,[13] Jean Marc Nahas,[14][15]Ricardo Mbarkho,[16] Mansour El-Habre,[17]Anita Toutikian and many others. These galleries are run by gallerists such asSaleh Barakat,[18] Fadi Mogabgab,[19] Nadine Begdache (Galerie Janine Rubeiz),[20] Odile Mazloum (Galerie Alwane).[21]
Located in Foch Street in theSolidere area,FFA Private Bank is home to many temporary exhibitions of contemporary local artists as well as to a permanent display of paintings by Lebanese artists (Sahmarani, Baalbaki,Hanibal Srouji ... ) or foreign artists such as Fabienne Arietti's "Nasdaq".[22] A Jean Dubuffet's huge sculpture can also be seen when visiting the atrium ofBank Audi Plaza, located in a beautiful contemporary building designed by Kevin Dash. By Strolling through the streets of the city one can find some interesting works such as sculptures ofMichel Basbous in the Bank of Lebanon street.
Ashkal Alwan, the Lebanese association for plastic arts and a platform for the creation and exchange of artistic practices. It was founded byChristine Tohmé, Marwan Rechmaoui, Rania Tabbara, Mustapha Yamout and Leila Mroueh. Initially, Ashkal Alwan promoted and introduced the work of artists who have been engaged in critical art practices within the context of post-war Lebanon. The Home Works Forum is a multidisciplinary platform that takes place in Beirut, Lebanon about every other year. it has evolved into one of the most vibrant platforms for research and exchange on cultural practices in the region and beyond.
Umam Documentation & Research runs an exhibition space (The Hangar) located atHaret Hreik, in Beirut's Southern suburb with extensive events.
In the field of digital art, the artistRicardo Mbarkho investigates the transformation of cultural industries into creative industries.
In the field of photography, theArab Image Foundation has a collection of +4000 photographs from Lebanon and the Middle East. The photographs can be viewed in a research center and various events and publications have been produced in Lebanon and worldwide to promote the foundation.
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Architecture in Lebanon includes the legacies of various occupying powers including the Romans, Phoenicians, Ottomans and French, as well as post independence developments.
When the Ottomans exiledFakhreddine toTuscany,Italy in 1613, he entered an alliance with theMedicis. Upon his return to Lebanon in 1618, he began modernizing Lebanon. He developed a silk industry, upgraded olive-oil production, and brought with him numerous Italian engineers who began the construction of mansions and civil building throughout the country.[23] The cities ofBeirut andSidon were especially built in the Italianate style.[24]
TheItalianate, specifically, Tuscan, influence on architecture in Lebanon dates back to theRenaissance when Fakhreddine, the first Lebanese ruler who truly unifiedMount Lebanon with its Mediterranean coast executed an ambitious plan to develop his country.
The influence of these buildings, such as the ones inDeir el Qamar, influenced building in Lebanon for many centuries and continues to the present time. For example, streets likeRue Gouraud continues to have numerous, historic houses with Italianate influence.[25] Buildings like theNicolas Sursock mansion onRue Sursock, which is today a major museum, attest[citation needed] to the continuous influence of Italianate architecture inLebanon.
Khalil Gibran (1883–1931), who was born inBsharri, is particularly known for his bookThe Prophet (1923), which has been translated into more than twenty different languages.[26] Several contemporary Lebanese writers have also achieved international success; includingElias Khoury,Amin Maalouf,Hanan al-Shaykh, andGeorges Schehadé.
Several contemporary Lebanese writers[27] have also achieved international success; includingElias Khoury,Amin Maalouf,Hanan al-Shaykh, andGeorges Schehadé. Raméz A. Baassiri, a contemporary writer of Lebanese origin, authored a book on Entrepreneurship titled "Interrupted Entrepreneurship: Embracing Change in the Family Business" on family business cycles. The book published with ForbesBooks, was voted the 88th best book of all time by Book Authority.[28][29][30][31][32]
There are many well knownLebanese poets that marked the history of poetry. For example, there isGibran Khalil Gibran who wrote "Love" in 1920, "On Friendship" in 1923 and many more.[33]
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Music is famous in Lebanese society.[34] While traditional folk music remains popular in Lebanon, modern music reconciling traditional styles, pop, andfusion are rapidly advancing in popularity.[35] Radio stations feature a variety of genres and languages, including traditional, classical Arabic and Armenian[36][37] Prominent traditional musicians includeFairuz, an icon during thecivil war,Sabah Melhem Barakat,Wadih El Safi,Majida El Roumi, andNajwa Karam who built an international audience for the genre.[34]Marcel Khalife, a musician who blends classical Arab music with modern sounds, boasts immense[38] popularity for his politically charged lyrics.[34][35] Distinguished pop artists includeNancy Ajram,Haifa Wehbe,Fadl Shaker,Elissa, andMika.[34]
According to theWorld Intellectual Property Organization, Lebanon's music industry is growing and could attain leading status in the region.[39] Lebanese performers are celebrated throughout the Arab World,[40] and with the notable exception ofEgypt enjoy increasing regional popularity.[39] Rising demand for Arabic music outside Western Asia has provided Lebanese artists with a small but significant global audience. However, widespread piracy continues to inhibit the music industry's growth.[39]
Lebanon is not only a regional center of media production but also the most liberal and free in the Arab world.[41] According to Press freedom'sReporters Without Borders, "the media have more freedom in Lebanon than in any other Arab country".[42] Despite its small population and geographic size, Lebanon plays an influential role in the production of information in the Arab world and is "at the core of a regional media network with global implications".[43]
After independence, Beirut emerged as the epicenter of publishing in the Arab world, characterized by free and liberal media and literary scenes.[44] Lebanon's press became a huge industry despite the country's small size and has remained a haven for Arabic publishing.[45] The establishment of modern printing presses and sophisticated book distribution channels made Beirut a regional publishing leader, and gave the Lebanese publishers a dominant role in Arab publishing.[46] Lebanon hosts annually two important regional publishing events, the Beirut Book Fair and the Beirut Francophone Book Fair.[47]
Television in Lebanon was introduced in1959, with the launch of two privately owned stations, CLT and Télé Orient that merged in 1967 intoTélé Liban.[48] Lebanon has ten national television channels, with most being affiliated or supported by certain political parties oralliances.
Lebanon was one of the first countries in the Arabic-speaking world to introduce internet. Beirut's newspapers were the first in the region to provide readers with web versions of their newspapers. By 1986, three newspapers from Lebanon were online,Al Anwar,Annahar, andAssafir, and by 2000, more than 200 websites provided news out of Lebanon.[43]
Cinema of Lebanon, according to film critic and historian, Roy Armes, was the only other cinema in the Arabic-speaking region, beside Egypt's, that could amount to a national cinema.[49] Cinema in Lebanon has been in existence since the 1920s, and the country has produced over 500 films,[50] some of which are:
Lebanese theatre has its origin inpassion plays. The musical plays of Maroun Naccache from the mid-1800s are considered the birth of modern Arab theatre.[51] Some scholars like Abdulatif Shararah divided theatre in Lebanon into three phases: translations of European plays, Arab nationalism, and realism.[52]
The cultural and historical relations between Lebanon and Egypt are considered unique due to a significant overlap between Lebanese and Egyptian cultures, particularly in the fields of literature, theater, cinema, and journalism. These areas have historically fostered mutual influence and collaboration between the two countries. This cultural exchange was highlighted during the conference Egypt in the Eyes of the Lebanese, held as part of the cultural program Egypt in the Eyes of the World. The event took place at the headquarters of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and was attended by the Lebanese Ambassador to Egypt, Madeleine Tabar, along with Ahmed Ghanem, founder of the cultural program, and a number of prominent Lebanese artists.[53]
Many Christians and most Muslims who live in the cities wear modern stylish clothes. In the countryside, women sometimes wear traditional colorful skirts and men wear a traditional sherwal (baggy trousers). Dress was historically Ottoman, but remains only as part of thefolk culture. Today, almost all Lebanese wear modern clothing.
Famous names in the Lebanese fashion industry includeElie Saab,Zuhair Murad, Darin Hachem, Reem Acra, andRabih Kayrouz
Lebanon celebrates national holidays and bothChristian andMuslim holidays.
Christian holidays are celebrated following both the Gregorian Calendar and Julian Calendar.Greek Orthodox, Catholics (Maronite and Melkite), and Protestant Christians follow the Gregorian Calendar and thus celebrate Christmas on 25 December. Armenian Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on 6 January, as they follow the Julian Calendar.
Muslim holidays are followed based on the Islamic lunar calendar. Muslim holidays that are celebrated include Eid al-Fitr (the three-day feast at the end of the Ramadan month), Eid al-Adha (The Feast of the Sacrifice) which is celebrated during the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and also celebrates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to God, Mawlid (the Birthday of Muhammad), and Ashura. Lebanon's National Holidays include Workers Day, Independence day, and Martyrs Day.
Music festivals, often hosted at historical sites, are a customary element of Lebanese culture.[54] Among the most famous areBaalbeck International Festival,Byblos International Festival,Beiteddine International Festival, Broumana Festival, Batroun Festival, Dhour Chwer Festival and Tyr Festival.[54][55] These festivals are promoted by Lebanon'sMinistry of Tourism, Lebanon Hosts about 15 Concerts from International Performers Each Year Ranking Number one for Nightlife in the Middle east and 6th Worldwide.[56]
Lebanese cuisine is similar to those of many countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, such asTurkey,Greece, andCyprus.
The Lebanese national dishes are thekibbe, a meat pie made from finely mincedlamb andburghul (crackedwheat), and thetabbouleh, a salad made fromparsley,tomatoes, and burghul. The national beverage isarak, a stronganise-flavored liquor made from fermentedgrape juice. It is usually drunk with water and ice, which turns the clear liquid milky-white, and usually accompanies food. Arak is a strong spirit similar to the Greek ouzo and the Turkish raki.[citation needed]
M'Juhdara, a thick stew ofonions,rice, andlentils, is sometimes eaten aroundLent by people in the Lebanese diaspora.
Lebanese society is similar to certain cultures of the Mediterranean as the country is uniquely diverse religiously .[57] It is often considered as a gateway to Western Asia, Levant and the Arab World.[58]
Notwithstanding the persistence of traditional attitudes regarding the role of women,Lebanese women enjoy equalcivil rights and attend institutions of higher education in large numbers (for example, women constituted 41 percent of the student body at theAmerican University of Beirut in 1983). Although women in Lebanon have their own organizations, most exist as subordinate branches of the political parties.
In 2009, the country hosted theFrancophone Games, which took place in the capital,Beirut.
the Maronites and the Druze, who founded Lebanon in the early eighteenth century.
