Who the Lebanese really are?

This might be the most difficult question to answer… If you ask it to Lebanese people, you will obtain various different answers! “we are Arabs” vs. “we’re NOT Arabs” vs. “we’re Lebanese” vs. “we’re Phoenicians” and so on…
I will try to bring an answer, so let’s go back in the past to find out who they finally are …We could go back in time very very far, actually Lebanon has one of the oldest

history in the world, as Byblos is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world ( since 5,000 BC). I won’t go back so far, but I would like to specify that at this time the Phoenicians built the business reputation of Lebanon, and Lebanese can be proud of their ancestors. With their skills in trade and arts, the Phoenicians developed a strong trading tradition in the Mediterranean region and created the oldest known 24 letters alphabet. What an impressive background!!
Then, because of its geographical position as a cross-road linking the Mediterranean area with Asia and Europe, Lebanon knew various foreign dominations: Assyrians, Babylonians, Armenians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Ottomans… and French! Not to notify the Western (European and American) influence more recently.I truly believe that this constant foreign influence is key to understand the Lebanese culture, and it is probably the best answer to my primary question. When I visited Lebanon for the first time, I felt this cultural mix and realized that it is what makes the Lebanese people unique.

 

A new blog is born!

My name is Elodie

I am French, born in Normandy (the greenest place in France vs. Lebanon the greenest arabic country) and I have been “linked” to Lebanon for 4 years, thanks to a love story…..


While visiting Lebanon for the first time, I was delighted to discover how Different this country is. Facing various cultural gaps between France and Lebanon has been very interesting… and it still is!

That’s what I’m going to tell you!

Yalla bye!