In 2020, as Lebanon was still picking up the pieces after the catastrophic explosion at the port of Beirut —which claimed over 200 lives and injured thousands more — Emmanuel Macron opted to visit the iconic Lebanese chanteuse with the velvety voice, Fairuz, aka "The Bird of the East". The French President bestowed upon her the Legion of Honor, France's highest honor, for her enduring legacy as one of the few enduring symbols of Lebanese national unity.
While Fairuz shines in the musical realm, Lebanon's cultural radiance extends further. The writings of Gibran Khalil Gibran have been translated into numerous languages, establishing him as a philosopher who crafts profound spiritual tools for life.
In cinema, the talented Lebanese director and actress Nadine Labaki has carved a niche by offering the West a glimpse into sensitive social issues that mirror the chaos in the Land of the Cedars.
In fashion, the renowned designer Elie Saab dazzles international runways with collections that seamlessly blend Mediterranean motifs with Western classics. The list of Lebanese cultural icons is indeed long and impressive.
Lebanon is not merely a land scarred by conflict but also a rich and daring cultural incubator. Around the world, Arabic speakers recognize it as a bastion of literature, cinema, television and even cuisine.
In the 1970s, just before the civil war erupted, Lebanon seemed a different place. Not only did culture flourish, but thinkers expressed themselves freely, women demanded equal rights, and journalism thrived in a country that encouraged diversity and openness to the West, while other Arab nations turned inward.
British-Lebanese historian Albert Hourani noted that "Arab Christians connected with Europe through foreign mission schools and trade, especially in Lebanon and Aleppo. A group of intellectuals from Christian communities were aware of global developments through new Europe and even saw themselves, in some sense, as part of it."
Often dubbed the "Switzerland of the Middle East," Lebanon held immense potential as a unique nation in a region plagued by perpetual conflict. However, wars came swiftly, tearing apart its social fabric, and Hezbollah, born on its soil, reshaped the region's landscape. As tensions on the northern front loom large, Macron appeared once more in a video translated into Arabic, addressing the Lebanese people directly. "Lebanese, my dear friends, France stands with you amid this confusion and sorrow," he declared.
The bond between France and Lebanon runs deep. Both countries are official members of the International Organization of La Francophonie, promoting French culture and language. The Lebanese often blend the two languages in daily life, regardless of their religion, with some even adopting the French lifestyle as a status symbol.
Lebanon embraced French culture as part of the influence of the French mandate era. Yet, a malignancy known as Hezbollah found fertile ground in Lebanon for its terror and strategic coercion, imposing on this beleaguered state challenges that even the president of France may no longer be able to resolve.