Emigrants Festival

To see Emigrant Festivals (Eid Al Mughtaribeen) 2004, or 2003, or 2002, or 2001

Eid Al Mughtaribeen 2004

Under the High Patronage Of His Excellency
The President Of The Lebanese Republic
GENERAL EMILE LAHOUD

Dr. Nabil Ghosn, Mayor
Emigrant Festival Committee,
Dhour Shweir-Lebanon in Collaboration with the
Ministry of Tourism, Proudly present Emigrants Festival, 2004

July 31 through August 8, 2004

Saturday 31/7/2004 – the public square- 8:00 p.m.

The opening of the festival

A live band program accompanied by the singer Mouhamad Iskandar

Sunday 1/8/2004- the public square

With cooperation of the society “al bayrak al inmaiya”:

- Theatrical scene “irbit tinhal” at 8:30 p.m.

- a musical party with the singer Nawal al Zoughbi at 10:00 p.m.

Thursday 3/8/2004- public square- 6:00 p.m.

With cooperation of Carnaval restaurant

A theatrical scene for kids- Mini Studio

Wednesday- 4/8/2004- the evangelic center- Ain el Assis- 7:30 p.m.

With the cooperation of parents council in the official school of Dhour Shweir

A poetry evening with the students of the official school of Dhour Shweir with the poet George Chakour

Thursday-5/8/2004

The handcraft day in Shweir

Saturday- 7/8/2004- Hotel New Central- 9:00 p.m.

Elections of miss emigrants

Sunday- 8/8/2004- public square- 9:00 p.m.

A musical party

The emigrant festival will continue by these programs on the dates below:

Wednesday 11/8/2004 Odisseh with the “Rahabneh” group- Hotel New Central

Friday 13/8/2004 a party music of Shweir group

Sunday 15/8/2004 car show in the public square beginning from 7:00 p.m.

Carting day

Sport program

Below is the program in Arabic.

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Many thanks to Samar Kiame for sending the program above and helped on many of the reports below.

Dr. Ghosun met Miss Emigrants in "Dhour El Shweir Hotel" and congratulated her for being elected Miss Emigrants 2004. He was interviewed by Future TV for few minutes before mounting the stage.

Dr. Nabil Ghosun, who has been sick and not seen in the Saha for more than three weeks, left his room and pajamas for half an hour, upon the request of the Community Center, to stand on the stage and handles cups and medals to the winners of the Walkathon, during the Cars Night.

Even though he still looks weak, Dr Ghosun stood, as usual, on the stage where he was welcomed by all Shweirieh and friends in the Saha. Mr Naim Sawaya assisted Dr. Ghosun in decorating the winners, the young and the shabab. After that Dr. Ghosun went directly home because he needs rest and more time to get well .

Riad

----- Original Message -----

From: Silva Awad Bou-Zeid

Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 7:39 AM

Subject: Caritas

some pictures from the Caritas ceremony on Saturday 7, August at 5:00PM which was held at"Malaab El Baladih" at Dhour.

Thank you Silva.

August 8 - Folklore Dances

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August 13 - Shweir Music Band in Mtull

At Ain El Assis, ( The Evangelical Center), we had an evening of poetry by the students of the Shweir Official School and the great Poet Mr. George Shakour, former Arabic teacher at Shweir Secondary School, who came back to the same place he left before forty five years, to stand between his old students and friends and sign Shweir by his lovely words that came directly from his heart. Riad K.

A cultural evening at the “old market” place at Shweir
Thursday August 5, 2004

Sample Art

At 6:00 o’clock, the road to Shweir Square was blocked for auto traffic
so that cars won’t disturb the crowds who came to participate or attend the handcraft and singing exposition.

There, at the square, were stands on which a variety skilled craft works. There were the handcrafts on glass and wood. There were the hand knit works of “canvas” and “croshé”. The home made preserved food stored and kept for winter use were looking delicious, hearty, tasty and inviting with all sorts of jam, prickles, labneh with olive oil, olives and “awarma” stuffed on a few stands. “BEITOUNA” sweets were nun nun.

The stands on which drawing and painting material stood, were the joy and favorite game of the children competing for skill and talent. So were the stands on which putty was provided. These stands were not there in vain but were rewarding for competing children where at the end prizes and awards were given to all the participants, though few but talented.

At 8:30 a white convertible old wedding car passed through the midst of the crowded people, inside which were four little princesses dressed in white and in crowns pretending that they heard about our beautiful village and came to visit it, and they were offered for that, a flower, a musical instrument, a book and a painting. Then a small prince took them by hand to stage where they praised and admired the gifts given to them and called the people to keep their village well.

The audience sat in chairs in the church courtyard and people sitting behind their computers around the world were invited to join the party for a cultural night.

Samar kiame who stood for the opening welcomed all and introduced the participants:

Good evening…

I am coming to you and carrying a salute from the stone-mill, where the wild thorny blackberries climbed up its walls and still keeping inside the heart, the grinding stone for the wheat grain and that it missed and is eager to meet them coming from the good earth of our fields.

I am coming to you and carrying another salute from the grape press where once, grapes were crushed but they “emigrate” however we are still drinking arak under our grape vines.

I am coming to you and carrying a salute from the river creeping under that bridge which is ever standing there.

Welcome all to the old market place at your village where wherever you go it stays in your hearts (- to 3ammo George-) and which in its spacious heart embracing all your joys and sorrows. It is going to be your sweet home forever, with its old oak tree at this sacred court we welcome you one by one and call you to spend with us this cultural evening and to recite now a poem to the teacher of coming up generations of Shweir whose voice carved in our hearts the words of love and patriotism: he is Mr. Emile Abi Haidar.

After that the voice of Micheline who came from Jbeil filled the place with songs to Fairuz after wishing that the old market place was lit at least at this glorious evening.

But Samar saw a candle lit there saying to Micheline: “you are worthy of being Shweirian because this evining you lit the first candle in the darkness of the old Market place” (Long clapping).

This is not to forget that both the engineer Fouad Sawma accompanied Micheline on the org and Sharbel Eid on the “Oud”.

Then the gentle warm voice of Samar said promisingly: “in the darkness of Shweir there is always hidden talents, perhaps waiting for the wind to drive the clouds covering it or perhaps these talents did not have the chance yet to bloom and express itself.

Bashar Sawaya’s playing on the flute made his talents spring up in the heart of this darkness”.

Talal Ashkar ended the evening with what seemed to be a never-ending sequence or songs with his voice penetrating the hearts of the audience left.

And the last word was a thank you to all who helped in this evening:

Nisrine Moujaiis, Walid Tibeshraneh, Sarah Moujaiis, Oula Awn, Elie Moujaiis, Wissam Sawaya, all the members of the committee of the festival especially for Miss. Mary Sawaya.

Written by: Samir Kiame, Gabi Ataya, Samar Kiame and Omar Zgheib

August 3, 2004: yesterday, 3d/august/2004, the square was full of shouting; children everywhere with paint on their faces and balloons in their hands, sitting on fathers shoulders or mother's knee. they danced and clapped all the time without getting tired, with the lion and the panda and the other personnalities and didn't forget to take pictures with them. from the beginning they tried to crawl to the stage and participate in the quizzes and receive gifts if they succeed. at least they all get to dance on the stage. it was their night.
by Gabi and Samar