Beirut district refuses to succumb to Lebanon's divisions

Lebanese singer Fairuz and the Egyptian actor Adel Emam performed on Hamra's stages, while the Egyptian singer and actor Abdel Halim Hafez, Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani and Syrian-Egyptian singer Farid al-Atrash frequented the Horseshoe, the iconic cafe where intellectuals discussed politics and literature. In the evenings, hordes of cars parked in front of the bars and restaurants, students flocked to the cafes, Syrian families opened up bars and a new generation of Beirut residents brought fresh energy. But, when the house lights dim in September and the curtain rises again, the old Hamra will return for a moment: a Hamra that, like Lebanon, resists divisions and does not stop believing in its future.

Author: Diana Hodali

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