Beiruting News

Mrs. Randa Nabih Berri, wife of Lebanese Speaker of the House and Mrs. Lama Salam, wife of Lebanese Prime Minister opened on Thursday evening the "Ramadaniyat Beirutiya" festival, organized by Makhzoumi Foundation for the second consecutive year at Biel, with the participation of Mr. Fouad Makhzoumi and his wife, president of the Foundation Mrs. May Makhzoumi, and a number of prominent political, diplomatic, social and media figures, as well as representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations and civil society bodies. 


The ceremony started with a welcome speech from the head of the organizing committee of the festival, Mrs. Hoda Qasqas, who noted that " Ramadaniyat Beirutiya " features this year a larger area and a greater number of exhibitors, painters, artists, with a wider participation from foreign and Arab embassies, and social and educational institutions that complement the Foundation's work and whose existence in Lebanon is of infinite importance. She commended the President of the Foundation, Mrs. May Makhzoumi who devoted her life to humanitarian and socio-developmental work, and was behind all the successes of the Foundation over the past 17 years. 


Mrs. Makhzoumi stressed in her speech that this initiative aims at helping us forget disconcerting events and encourages positive trends of dialogue and interaction among the Lebanese coming from different religious and social backgrounds, uniting them in one place to rejoice in the spirit of Ramadan. She confirmed the Foundation's continued engagement in its social and humanitarian mission, which reflects the vision of its founder Fouad Makhzoumi. 

Mrs. Lama Salam welcomed the attendance gathered during this holy month, a month of compassion, love and forgiveness, highlighting the Ramadan evenings organized within the festival by the Foundation, thanks to the efforts of Mr. Fouad Makhzoumi and Mrs. May. She described the exhibition as a great initiative, a token of love of life allowing all the Lebanese to gather and share beautiful moments in the holy month of Ramadan.


In her note, Mrs. Lama thanked the Makhzoumi Foundation for all the efforts aimed at uniting the Lebanese in general and Muslims in particular in an atmosphere of joy and love, and whose action spreads all over Lebanon, trying, through this Festival, to encourage coexistence, especially in this difficult time filled with hatred.