Lebanon celebrates Friday 22 November, its national holiday in full popular protest. In Beirut, as everywhere else in the country, this 76th anniversary has many of the features of a "new independence", which must be translated into a new program.
Since October 17, the country has been living up to an unprecedented protest movement against the entire ruling class. He has inspired hundreds of thousands of Lebanese on all sides with the hope of reforming the system of governance, unchanged for decades and considered sectarian and failing.
This year, challenge requires, the program of festivities has been turned upside down. The traditional military parade held annually on the waterfront, not far from Martyrs Square, will be replaced by a smaller celebration at the Ministry of Defense.
A determination still intact
The official ceremony at the presidential palace, after the review of the troops, was also canceled. For Wajed, an early protester, this is in itself a "victory" for a movement that has already led to the resignation of the government.
The other side of the coin is the persistent economic and financial crisis - a trigger for the movement - as well as the lack of a political solution to date. Two people also died on the sidelines of the demonstrations. But the resolve is not weakening, and calls have been made to social networks to organize "civil parades" in several cities to reiterate the requirement for a departure of all political leaders.
A tribute to the protesters
Candlesticks, cellphone flashlights or lighters-: protesters are also called, through WhatsApp messaging, to bring out the "light of independence" after dark, throughout the territory. In Saida, in the south of the country, a rally is planned under the banner of independence from "darkness, theft, corruption and poverty". A revised version of the national anthem is circulating to pay homage to women on the front line of the protest.
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Not far from the imposing Al-Amine Mosque, Youssef el Gherez erected with others tents where are held, pell-mell, coordination meetings, debates and even yoga sessions. "People are starting to change their habits (...) They want to change things in depth, to the roots," he says.
Galvanized, many expats have also decided to participate in this extraordinary November 22nd. A campaign has emerged on social networks, says Tracy Saad, a 23-year-old student in Amsterdam who is one of the coordinators.
Expats join the celebrations
"We organized into groups to negotiate preferential rates," she says, proudly adding that the price of a Dubai-Beirut had dropped from $ 400 to $ 215.
Some 600 people were expected to travel from the Gulf, Europe, North America or Australia. On Friday, they will travel in procession from the airport to Martyrs' Square to take part in the popular festivities.
With AFP