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The
UAE cultural heritage is relatively unknown in Lebanon
but this is starting to change now with the help of the
Al Habtoor Group. While the Group has for some time been
one of the biggest and most generous UAE investors in
Lebanon, it has recently
established
itself
also as
a UAE
cultural
ambassador in the
Mediterranean country.
In its bid to
strengthen
not
only
the
commercial
dealings but also the cultural ties between the United Arab Emirates and
Lebanon, the Al Habtoor Group organized in Beirut a
first-of-its-kind event focusing on the UAE cultural
heritage and traditions.
Held between
20-25 May, the UAE Week in Lebanon aimed to introduce
the Lebanese public to traditional UAE music, dances and
dishes, as well as to arts, such as henna. The event
attracted thousands of visitors and gained a great deal
of media attention with both international and local
press rating the event unique. Coverage by Dubai TV and
Abu Dhabi TV also helped to generate interest in the
event and pull the crowds to the three venues where it
took place.
The Lebanese
capital, Beirut, was chosen as the host for the cultural
feast. The celebrations first took off in the popular
downtown district of Solidaire, situated in the heart of
Beirut, where traditional Emarati music and dances were
the order of the day. Featuring a traditional tent, this
venue was the most crowded and proved the most popular
with visitors. Some 40 singers, musicians and dancers
were brought over from various parts of the UAE to
entertain visitors. Many were fascinated by the craft
and skills of the henna ladies and everyone present
seemed to enjoy the wide selection of traditional
Emarati dishes being served.
After three days
at the downtown venue (20- 22 May), the cultural
festivities moved over to the popular theme park,
Habtoorland, where the festival continued for another
three days, from 23 – 25 May. The Metropolitan Palace
Hotel in Beirut, which is another landmark in the city,
was the third venue and the activities there took place
during the entire time of the event, from 20- 25 May.
Visitors were given the chance to indulge in sumptuous
lunch or dinner buffets featuring traditional Emarati
delicacies. All the dishes served during the event were
prepared by the best chefs at the hotel.
Attracting
thousands of visitors, many more than the organizers had
expected, the UAE Week in Lebanon was a huge success.
The event was the idea of Mr. Khalaf Al Habtoor,
Chairman of Al Habtoor Group, who has always been
committed to Lebanon and its people and dedicated to
enhancing the relationships between Lebanon and the UAE.
Mr. Al Habtoor made provisions so that all employees
within the Group were contributing towards organizing
the event.
The Al Habtoor
Group’s commitment to Lebanon goes far beyond organizing
the UAE Week in Lebanon. On 13 April this year, the
Group led a campaign in Lebanon to support that country,
followed by a press conference by Mr. Khalaf Al Habtoor
in Beirut and a tour to check on Habtoor Group’s
investments in the city.
Earlier this
year, between 27
April and 4 May, the Group held in Beirut the Lebanese
Talents Week, which was a tribute to the creativity of
local painters and sculptors, who were given the unique
chance to display their works at Habtoorland. The main
aim of this event was to reiterate Mr. Al Habtoor’s
commitment to Lebanon and its people and the need to
increase economic growth and encourage tourism. Guests
were given 50 per cent discounts on their entry tickets
and could enjoy a wide variety of fun activities besides
the unique exhibition. The first theme park in the
country, Habtoorland,
boasts more than 30
exciting rides and other attractions, seven restaurants
offering a wide variety of cuisines, retail shops and a
1500-seat amphitheatre where entertainment such as bird
and laser shows are performed.
Thousands of
people visited Habtoorland during the event and all
proceeds from
the Lebanese Talents Week were donated to people who
suffered financial losses during the recent tragic
bombings in the capital.
Earlier
preparations and campaign to support this week were
conducted and followed by a Press Conference by Mr.
Khalaf Al Habtoor in Beirut, Lebanon on April 13, 2005,
who also made a field tour of Al Habtoor Group
Investments.
The Lebanese
Talents Week was followed by a chain of festivals at The
Metropolitan Palace Hotel Beirut, such as the Mexican
Food Festival, the American Food Festival and the Thai
Sea Food Festival, aiming to boast the hotel’s
attractions with tourist and local customers alike.
Plans are
underway for similar events and promotional campaigns,
aiming to replicate the success of the Lebanese Talents
Week and the Emirates Week in Lebanon.
Besides its
commitment to boosting the cultural ties between the two
countries, the Al Habtoor Group is dedicated to helping
build a more sustainable and prosperous future for
Lebanon. At present, the value of Al Habtoor Group
investment projects in the country is around US$ 500
million with more exciting
news in the pipeline. At present, the group is focusing
all its efforts on the Habtoor Grand Hotel Convention
Centre & Spa, which will boast a state-of-the-art
convention center and a modern spa facility. Combined
with the Metropolitan Palace Hotel, this new project
will form the Habtoor City, which the group aims to
establish as a center of excellence and luxury in the
Lebanese capital. The relationship between the Al
Habtoor Group and Lebanon remains stronger than ever and
the two parties are set to continue to grow and develop
together. |
