Every couple of days, an article about Beirut is published in some prominent newspaper. After the New York Times and the LA Times, CNN, ParisMatch.com, BBC News and Mail&Guardian.com are also putting the city in the spotlights.
The articles online videos focus on the food, nightlife or the mere fact that Beirut is marking its comeback with steadfast determination. Symbolized by the Phoenix bird, the city this year gives a whole new meaning to the word “resilience.” Half as many people as the country’s entire population have flown to Beirut this summer. With two million tourists, the streets are vibrant with energy, life and car honks. Yet, in my humble opinion and far from any cynical thinking, Beirut, the city of contradictions par excellence, has many obstacles to tear down before it claims its place among top world cities: Respect of human rights and foreign workers, gay rights, civil marriage, to name but a few. Don’t get me wrong, a dose of criticism by a citizen towards its country, has no intention but to shed the light on serious issues that us Lebanese have to solve when the music is turned down and the tourists go back home. After all, if this city was not my destination of choice, I would not even have bothered writing this post. Cheers from Beirut.
absolutely going there!!
I feel the same way! However, let us not forget that in order for the Lebanese and the Beirutis in particular to tackle their myriad problems they need to be given one thing: stability.