Lebanese culture is typically associated with open restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. Ask anyone who has travelled to Lebanon, or to a Lebanese restaurant anywhere in the world, there is no other culture in the world that enjoys the vibrancy of social activities, or interacting with its visitors, like the Lebanese.
Renowned for their love of entertainment, food and people, the Lebanese culture has a signature identity; one that invites others into their hearts and homes without prejudice. The Lebanese culture is known to share what they have with others, whether that be at the dinner table, at places of worship, or their homes.
There is no concept of ‘stranger’ in Lebanon. It is not uncommon for families in Lebanon to extend a warm invitation to visitors. Lebanese people will make sure you feel right at home, no matter how far you are from it. Their ability to open their country without reservation extends beyond the act of hospitality and is a way of life. Lebanon simply becomes your home.
However, not many travellers, or the general public, associate this hospitality with the effort needed to support people who have been forcibly removed from their country, or who seek protection from conflict in neighbouring countries. The current refugee crisis, and the impact of the current conflict between Israel and Lebanon, is often overlooked in media coverage that covers the Middle East. The impact of the conflict in the Middle East has contributed to a rise in the number of forcibly displaced persons seeking protection. The United Nations High Commissioner Global Trends Report confirms that 6 million Palestinian people and 6.5 million Syrian people remain forcibly displaced and/or seeking protection from other countries, such as Lebanon.[1]
“In times of war the Lebanese culture remains unchanged”
Lebanon hosts the largest number of refugees per capita and per square kilometre in the world. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that approximately 1.5 million Syrian refugees and some 11,238 refugees of other nationalities, have resettled in Lebanon after escaping war in their home country. Most refugees enter the country without basic needs and shelter. The population of refugees in Lebanon is rapidly growing due to the conflict between Palestine and Israel. Over the past five years more than 1.5 million refugees have found a home in Lebanon. The Lebanese government has not turned away refugees, despite the obvious economic pressure it places on the country.
Jean-Paul Saliba, a Lebanese-born resident currently studying medicine in North Lebanon, says that despite the unrest in the country, there are continued efforts from the Lebanese community to open their doors to others. “Most Lebanese people are selfless people because they open their homes, shelters, schools, and universities, to refugees that come to Lebanon to seek help.”
Jean-Paul is currently studying remotely due to the civil unrest in his village. However, children and young people in neighbouring villages are also turning to remote learning to support the intake of refugees, and in more recent times, internally displaced people, with temporary homes. Due to this impact on the community, Jean-Paul says that he is dedicated to completing his studies to support universal healthcare access and the adoption of cultural insights in medicine. Remote learning has increased in areas of Lebanon due to the need to support resettlement of refugees. Jean-Paul expresses the true essence of the Lebanese culture as one that “is willing to go to extreme lengths to help (others) and each other during rough times.”
Now, the country continues this effort, but to resettle its own people. After a series of deadly attacks from Israel, the temporary shelters that were once provided to refugees are now also supporting Lebanese families. The universities that were once open, have now closed. Of those that remain open, most are there to support Lebanese families, who have been internally displaced, with temporary shelters. Families now flee to safer areas in the north as the entire country awaits a potential ceasefire.
These families depend on the goodwill and gesture of other families in these areas to provide a home, or a temporary shelter, as they flee their homes in Southern Lebanon, and more recently in the North, for safety and protection. In the span of a week, the Lebanese community is known to adapt to extreme circumstances, regardless of the economic pressures facing homes, hospitals and schools, to accommodate people, including its own people, seeking refuge. The ability of the Lebanese people to adapt, support, and rebuild their lives is a testament to their culture. The values embedded in this culture are even more obvious in times of crisis and conflict.
What remains true is the essence of the Lebanese culture: generous and relentlessly optimistic. In time, the hope is that this culture becomes a bigger focus instead of the current conflict in the Middle East.
[1] The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, UNHCR. (June 2024). Global Trends Report 2023. https://www.unhcr.org/au/media/global-trends-report-2023