This article is about a district in Beirut. For the depopulated Palestinian village see Al-Ashrafiyya

Sassine Square, the heart of Achrafieh

ABC Mall in Achrafieh

Saint Maroun cathedral in Achrafieh

The "Old" and "New" of Achrafieh

The heavy urbanization of Achrafieh

Achrafieh, (Arabic: الأشرفية‎; also spelled Ashrafieh), is one of the oldest Christian^[1] (mostly Greek Orthodox) districts of East Beirut, Lebanon.^[2]

Overview[link]

It is located on a hill in the eastern part of Beirut alongside the shore. Achrafieh is both a residential and commercial district characterized by narrow winding streets and prestigious large apartment and office buildings. It is a prime location for investment and tourism.

Until the 1930s, Achrafieh was largely composed of farmland owned and farmed by several Greek Orthodox Christian families that had ruled the country and the region for centuries. The Lebanese government, which at the time was under French Mandate, partitioned the land in Achrafieh to build roads and highways, forcing these families to eventually sell large parts of their land.

Achrafieh formerly was ruled by seven socially and economically prominent Greek Orthodox Christian families that formed Beirut's High Society for centuries: Trad, Ferneini, Araman, Bustros, Sursock, Fayyad, Tueini.

The area is divided into numerous smaller neighborhoods. Its most prominent ones include: Sassine Square, one of the most prominent political, social and commercial focal points of the Lebanese capital; St Nicolas (where important buildings include the Sursock House, Sursock Museum, the Sofil building and the Ivory building); and Tabaris / Abdel Wahab (among its important buildings: 812 Tabaris, Achrafieh Tower, Yared buildings, Metropolis, and L'Hermitage building, 54).

During Lebanon’s civil war, bombs and rockets wiped out a substantial portion of the Achrafieh’s architectural heritage. The war ended and the shooting has stopped, but the destruction of historic buildings has not. Every day, demolition teams tear down old houses and bulldoze hundred-year-old gardens. Tall concrete towers replace the houses, overshadowing the few historical neighborhoods Achrafieh has left. Historic buildings not only hold sentimental value, they are also economically viable.

Archeological remains were found below new buildings, but developers ignored them. Heritage activists are trying their best to preserve the few old remaining ‘Lebanese houses’ still standing in Achraifeh. But their efforts are largely in vain, as there is no law to protect old homes and preservation is low on the list of priorities for the country’s politicians.

During the Lebanese Civil War, which started in 1975, Achrafieh became a major strategic base for Christian forces. Large numbers of Christian Forces militiamen were stationed there, led by Bachir Gemayel, and as such formed part of Christian East Beirut.

It was announced on August 13, 2009 that Achrafieh's neighborhood of Sodeco would be home to Lebanon's tallest tower, Sama Beirut. When the project is completed in 2014 it will be Lebanon's tallest project, standing at 200 metres (660 ft).

Neighborhoods/Streets of Achrafieh[link]

• Sassine Square
• Tabaris
• Gemmayzeh
• Gouraud
• Monot
• Sodeco
• Sioufi
• Sursock
• Escalier de Saint Nicolas
• Rue du Liban
• Rue Huvellin
• Saint Dimitri (Mar Mitr)

See also[link]

• Article on the history of Ashrafieh and how it evolved through time - Interview with Former Ashrafieh MP Michel Sassine (December 2011): http://www.scribd.com/doc/77669439/Interview-on-the-History-of-Achrafieh-with-HE-Michel-Sassine-Dec-2011

• Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais, a French language secondary school, Les Diablotins, Universite Saint Joseph located in the neighbourhood

mar meter strhit (saint Dimitri)

References[link]

Coordinates: 33°53′15.21″N 35°31′14.72″E / 33.8875583°N 35.5207556°E / 33.8875583; 35.5207556

External links[link]

• SOUWAR.com
• Ikamalebanon.com
• Lebanonatlas.com

Bachir Pierre Gemayel
President-elect of Lebanon
In office August 23, 1982
Preceded by	Elias Sarkis
Succeeded by	Amine Gemayel
Personal details
Born	(1947-11-10)November 10, 1947 Achrafieh, Beirut
Died	September 14, 1982(1982-09-14) (aged 34) Achrafieh, Beirut
Political party	Lebanese Forces
Spouse(s)	Solange Totonji
Religion	Maronite Catholic

Lebanon

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Lebanon

Constitution Constitution of 1926 Presidency President Michel Suleiman Government Prime Minister Najib Mikati Cabinet Legislature Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri Current members Political parties Lebanese Forces Movement of the Future Kataeb Party Hezbollah Free Patriotic Movement Syrian Social Nationalist Party Elections Presidential 2008 Parliamentary 2009 Local 2010 Other issues Governorates Districts Municipalities Armed Forces Human rights Foreign relations

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Bachir Gemayel (10 November 1947 – 14 September 1982) (first name also spelled Bashir and surname also spelled al-Jumayyil, El Gemaiel, Joomayyeel) (بشير الجميّل) was a Lebanese politician, militia commander, and president-elect. He was a senior member of the Phalange party and the commander of the Lebanese Forces militia amid the first several years of the Lebanese Civil War (1975–90). He was elected president on August 23, 1982 while the country was torn by civil war and occupied by both Israel and Syria. He was assassinated on September 14, 1982, along with 26 others, when a bomb exploded in the Beirut headquarters of the Phalange. The bomb was planted by Habib Tanious Shartouni.^[1] The FBI blamed the Syrian Social Nationalist Party.^[2]

Early life[link]

Bachir As A Child

Bachir was born on November 10, 1947 in the Achrafieh neighborhood of Beirut, the youngest of six children. The Gemayel family is originally from the Bikfaya village in the Matn District of Lebanon and is one of the most influential Christian families in Lebanon. His father was Pierre Gemayel, who founded the Phalange party in 1936 as a youth movement. The Phalange, a conservative party that though is officially secular, is supported mostly by Maronite Christians. Gemayel attended College de Notre Dame de Jamhour and the Institution Moderne du Liban (I.M.L) - Fanar. He completed his formal university education at St. Joseph University (Université Saint-Joseph - U.S.J.) in Beirut. After teaching for three years at the Lebanese Modern Institute, he graduated in 1971 with a degree in Law and another in Political Sciences in 1973. In 1971, Gemayel also took another law qualification from the American and International Law Academy in Dallas, Texas. Qualifying in 1972, he joined the bar association and opened an office in Hamra, West Beirut.^[3]

Early Activities in the Kataeb Party[link]

Before 1976, Bachir was known as the son of Pierre Gemayel. He became a member of the Kataeb Party when he was 12 years old.^[4]

Bachir realized the dangers that surrounded Lebanon in 1958, so he spent a lot of time with the organized forces of the Kataeb Party.^[5] He attended the meetings organized by the Kataeb Student Section, and he was the president of the Kataeb Circle in St. Joseph University between 1965 and 1971.^[6]

In the late 1960s, he underwent military training in Bikfaya, and he was appointed the military leader of a Kataeb group. Then, in the early 1970s, he formed the “Bikfaya Squad” where he became acquainted with the basics of military resistance.^[7] In 1968, he participated in a student colloquium organized by the newspaper Orient, following events which occurred across Lebanese universities between the Islamic and leftist students supporting Palestinians in Lebanon on one side, and Lebanese and nationalist students (who Bachir represented) on the other.

Bachir With His Father Pierre

Bachir With Kataeb Forces

After the continuous battles between the Lebanese Army and the PLO, Bachir gathered a group of students, and they started training in far mountains. This was the basis of what will later form the Lebanese Forces. At this time, he was under the command of William Hawi.^[8]

In 1970, Bachir was briefly kidnapped by Palestinian militants in Lebanon and taken to the Tel al-Zaatar refugee camp. He was released 8 hours later.

Bachir became a member of the “BG Squad” formed by William Hawi. He was a revolutionary in the party. He became close with Jean Nader, leader of Achrafieh at that time, and he became the Vice President of Achrafieh. This situation continued from 1971 till 1975.^[9]

Bachir became the head of the “BG Squad” after its members found him as a leader more close to their views. This group was formed of 12 specially trained members such as Fouad Abou Nader, Fadi Frem, Elie Hobeika and others. They were fierce fighters, and they were known for their violent battles. This group was out of the direct control of the party.^[10] He had his own views and principles, and he wanted to run for the Vice Presidency of the party, but his men said to him that they want him as the leader of the “Lebanese Forces” and not the VP of a party. In addition, many members of the party did not want him as the VP because he was the son of Pierre Gemayel, the founder and president of the party. The elections were cancelled and they weren’t done until after his assassination.^[11]

He submitted his resignation from the party in 1976, but it was rejected. This was because the Kataeb Party had approved the entrance of the Syrian Army to Lebanon to stop the war, but Bachir refused this and he was strongly against the Syrian intervention because he believed that Syria wanted to annex Lebanon. He came to this conclusion because the Syrian officials repeatedly stated that Lebanon is part of Syria and that the Syrian Army doesn’t need anyone’s permission to enter Lebanon. Plus, at that time, the Syrian educational system used to teach that Lebanon is a Syrian district.^[12]

Military Command[link]

In 1975, Gemayel was accused by the LNM of being responsible for the Black Saturday massacre of Palestinians and Lebanese Muslims. According to Phalange member Karim Pakradouni, Bachir admitted to him that while being in an emotional state for the killing of four Phalangists earlier that day, he ordered his militiamen into the streets. Bachir added that when the situation developed into something he did not agree with and civilians were being killed, he tried to stop the killings but failed to.^[13] However, according to Michel Samaha, another Phalange member, Bachir was outside Beirut and that Bachir arrived after the killing of civilians had started. Michel Samaha added that Bachir was one of the many senior members of the Phalange Party who tried to stop this massacre.^[13]

Bachir in the Street

Christian East Beirut was ringed by heavily fortified Palestinian camps from which kidnappings and sniping against Lebanese civilians became a daily routine. Christian East Beirut became besieged by the PLO camps, with severe shortages of food and fuel. This unbearable situation led the Kataeb Forces and their allied Christian militias to besiege the Palestinian camps embedded in Christian East Beirut one at a time and bring them down. On January 18, 1976, Bachir led the invasion of the heavily fortified Karantina camp that was located near the strategic Beirut Harbor : About 1,000 PLO fighters and civilians were killed.^[14] The Palestinian PLO and al-Saiqa forces retaliated by attacking the isolated defenseless Christian town of Damour about 20 miles south of Beirut on the coast, during the Damour massacre in which 1,000 Christian civilians were killed and 5,000 were sent fleeing north by boat, since all roads were blocked off.^[15] The Maronites retaliated with the invasion of the Tel al-Zaatar camp that same year (The camp was placed under siege for 52 days by the Tigers militia led by Dany Chamoun). Bachir played an important role in the last stages of the battle : he sent a group of his forces that moved through the sewers and they blew up the ammunition storage in the camp. This incident was considered to be the lethal blow that led the fall of the camp.^[16] The Christian militias also fought against the PLO and LNM militias at the Battle of the Hotels in central Beirut. Bachir led the battle for the Holiday Inn that had an important strategic location. The battle was a success for Bachir's troops, and they were able to move the PLO out of the hotel. After insuring the safety of the rear lines and their effectiveness (necessary for the safety of Christian East Beirut), Bachir and his troops decided to abandon the hotel.^[17]

Bachir Attending Mass At A Training Camp

In 1976, with the death of William Hawi, who died due to a sniper shot in the battle of Tall Al-Zaatar, Bachir became head of the Kataeb militia. Later that year, he became a leading member of the Lebanese Front, a coalition of several Christian parties, and commander of their military wing, the Lebanese Forces. A military coalition of several Christian militias which not only opposed the PLO but also the Syrian troops, who had entered Lebanon at first to assist in defeating Palestinian militants, before turning into occupiers.^[18]

Bachir Giving A Speech At "Don Bosco" Training Camp

Bachir led his troops in the infamous “Hundred Days War” in Lebanon in 1978, in which the Lebanese Forces successfully resisted the Syrian shelling and attacking of Eastern Beirut for about three months before an Arab-brokered agreement forced the Syrians to end the siege. Syrians took high buildings such as Burj Rizk Achrafieh and Burj El Murr using snipers and heavy weapons against civilians. The soldiers stayed for 90 days. Another major clash took place near the Sodeco area in Achrafieh where the Lebanese Forces fought ferociously and led the Syrian army out of the Rizk Building.^[19] This War led to the withdrawal of the Syrian troops from East Beirut and the free Christian Areas. At this time, Israel was the primary backer of the Lebanese Front’s militia.

In 1981 at Zahlé in the Beqaa, the largest Christian town in the East, confronted one of the biggest battles – both military and political – between the Lebanese Forces and the Syrian occupying forces. The Lebanese Forces were able to confront them and reverse the result of the battle of 1981 with the help of 92 Lebanese Forces soldiers (L.F Special Forces: The Maghaweer) sent from Beirut as well as the towns inhabitants. Regardless of the very bad weather and heavy bombing, convoys were sent in the snow to Zahle. Two Lebanese Forces soldiers died on a hill due to bad weather, they were found later holding each other… till they died. The battle of Zahle gave the Lebanese Cause a new perspective in the International Communities, and by some was regarded as military and diplomatic victory . It strengthened Bashir Gemayel's position because of his leadership and important role in this battle. The battle started in April the 2nd 1981, and finished with a cease fire and Lebanese Police were sent to Zahle. The 92 Lebanese Forces returned to Beirut on 1 July 1981.^[20] (See: Battle of Zahleh for more details)

Tensions within the Lebanese Front[link]

Bachir With Camille Chamoun

Despite their increasing success in their battle against the PLO, and the Syrian troops, there are two factors that led to the Lebanese Front’s demise.

Following the killing of many Phalangist members, in addition to a senior Phalangist by members of the Marada militia, which was led by fellow member of the Lebanese Front, Tony Frangieh, Bachir called for a meeting to decide on what to do about this situation. At first, the decision was to capture Tony Frangieh, and force him to surrender the members of the Marada miltia who killed the Phalangists. However, there was concerns about the consequences of this move. So, the decision was changed after many talks between the Phalangists present at the meeting. It was decided that the goal of the operation would be to capture the members of the Marada militia who killed the Phalangists and it would be done on Tuesday to be sure that Tony Frangieh would have finished his weekend vacation and left Ehden. On June 23, 1978, Bachir sent a squadron of his men led by Samir Geagea and Elie Hobeika to Ehden, but what Bachir did not know is that Tony Frangieh never left Ehden since his car didn't work. As soon as the squadron arrived, bullets were flying all over their heads, so they retaliated and this led to the killing of Tony Frangieh and his family, in addition to tens of members of the Marada militia. Bachir was very angry about what happened, but he stood by his men. ^[21]

In 1980, in order to stop the clashes happening inside the Christian areas, between the Kataeb Militia and the Tigers Militia, and in order to eliminate the possibility of an Intra-Christian war, Bachir sent his troops to the town of Safra, where Dany Chamoun and members of his Tigers Militia were vacationing. With full support from Dany’s father, former president Camille Chamoun, the Tigers under the control of Elias el Hannache were exterminated in what was later named Safra massacre. Dany’s life was spared and he sought refuge in West Beirut, but Camille Chamoun’s support of the attack was interpreted as him believing that his son’s militia was getting too out of control.^[22]

Israeli invasion of Lebanon and Bachir's election[link]

Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982. Defense Minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon, met with Bachir months earlier, telling him that the Israeli Defense Force were planning an invasion to uproot the PLO threat to Israel and to move them out of Lebanon.^[23] While Bachir did not control Israel’s actions in Lebanon, the support Israel gave the Lebanese Forces, militarily and politically, angered many Lebanese Muslims and leftists.

Bachir met with Hani Al-Hassan (representative of the PLO) and told him that Israel will enter and wipe them out. Bachir told him to leave Lebanon peacefully before it was too late. Hani left and no reply was given to Bachir.^[24]

Celebrations In Sassine Square After Bachir's Election

Bachir With Philip Habib, who played an important role in Bachir's election

Israel invaded and the PLO were expelled from Lebanon in August 1982. During the invasion, the Israelis wanted the Lebanese Forces to assist the Israeli Army militarily by fighting the Palestinians and Muslims in West Beirut; however, Bachir refused that because he said that his forces will not assist an invading army. By now, Bachir had announced his candidacy for president. He was backed by the United States, who sent peacekeeping troops to oversee the withdrawal of the PLO from Lebanon. Bachir had requested that they stay longer to keep Lebanon stable until he could reunite it, but his request was denied. On August 23, 1982, being the only one to declare his bid, Bachir was elected president.

On 1 September 1982, two weeks before his assassination and only one week after his election, Bachir met the Israeli Prime minister Menachem Begin in Nahariya. During the meeting, Begin demanded that Bachir sign a peace treaty with Israel as soon as he took office in return of Israel's earlier support of Lebanese Forces and he also told Bachir that the IDF will stay in South Lebanon if the Peace Treaty wasn't signed. Bachir was furious at Begin and told him that the Lebanese Forces didn't fight for seven years and that they didn't sacrifice thousands of soldiers to free Lebanon from the Syrian Army and the PLO so that Israel can take their place. Bachir also added that he will not sign the Peace Treaty without national consensus on the matter. The meeting ended in rage and both sides weren't happy with each other.^[25]

Begin was reportedly angry at Bachir for his public denial of Israel's support. Bachir refused signing a peace treaty arguing that time is needed to reach consensus with Lebanese Muslims and the Arab nations. This angered the Israelis because they knew that it is almost impossible for the Lebanese Muslims to agree on a Peace Treaty. They realized that Bachir was starting to distance himself from them.^[26]

On September 12, in an attempt to fix the relations between Begin and Bachir, Ariel Sharon had a secret meeting with Bachir in Bikfaya. During the meeting, Bachir told Sharon that the Lebanese Army would soon enter into the Palestinian Camps to disarm any remaining fighters. They also agreed that the Lebanese Army would attack the Syrian Army in Mount Sannine and take control of the mountain, and, if needed, the Israelis would assist the Lebanese Army by air raids. In addition, Sharon tried to convince Bachir about signing a Peace Treaty, but Bachir did not change his position on this matter.^[27]

Time as President elect[link]

August 25 : Deployment of International Separation Forces (mainly American, French, and Italian).

August 30 : Yasser Arafat leaves Beirut to Athene.

September 1 : Meeting between Presidents Bachir and Elias Sarkis with American Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger.

September 2 : Opening the path of Sodeco that used to be considered as a separation line between East and West Beirut.

September 4 : The Lebanese Army enters West Beirut for the first time since 1973.

September 9 : The Lebanese Army enters the Palestinian Camp Bourj el-Barajneh and that was restricted since 1969 by the Cairo Agreement.

September 10 : The International Separation Forces leaves Lebanon after completing its task.

September 11 : Beirut's economic market resumes its activities. Bachir meets with former Lebanese Prime Minister Saeb Salam.

September 13 : Beirut's seaport resumes its activities.

During these 21 days, fighters from the Lebanese Forces were prohibited from wearing their army clothes and also from carrying their weapons in the streets. The Lebanese Army was the only armed force in the streets.

Institutions[link]

Al-Ashbal : its first camp was organized under the patronage of Bashir in Jbeil scout camping grounds (1975).

Popular Committees : launched by Bashir in 1976, their aim is the people’s participation in the organization of daily life.

Hamat Airport : created by Bashir in 1976 for special tourist trips and for the export of agricultural products....

Radio Free Lebanon : founded by Bashir in 1978 to explain to the world the reality of the Lebanese cause.

Radio 102 : out of Bashir’s desire for a commercial station in order to alleviate the burden of the war (1979).

Delta Computer : founded in 1979 as a specialized information body related to all components of social organization.

Help Lebanon : founded to take care of children and alleviate the consequences of the war.

Lebanese Forces Television (LBC) : launched in 1980 as a national, educational, cultural and non-commercial television.

Gamma Group : an institution including specialists to plan the building of a modern state in all of its sectors (1982).

The Lebanese Cultural Association : created in 1982 to deal with intellectual, literature and artistic affairs as well as Lebanese civilization.

Achrafieh Merchants Committee : created in 1982 to revive the economy and trade and organize the market.

Achrafieh Festival Committee : created in 1982 to organize fairs and exhibitions and to encourage artistic activities.^[28]

Assassination[link]

Bachir During A Kataeb gathering

On September 14, 1982, Bachir was addressing fellow Phalangists at their headquarters in Achrafieh for the last time as their leader and for the last time as commander of the Lebanese Forces. At 4:10 PM, a bomb was detonated at the headquarters, killing Bachir and 26 other Phalange politicians. Whereas rumors spread that Bachir had gotten out alive, it was confirmed the next morning by the Lebanese Prime Minister Shafik Wazzan that Bachir was indeed assassinated.^[29]

Habib Shartouni, a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party and also a Maronite Christian, was later arrested for the assassination. His sister was living in the apartment above the room Bachir was in. He had visited her the previous day and planted the bomb in her apartment. The next day, he called her and told her to get out of the building. Once she was out, he detonated the bomb from a few miles away from the building. When he came back to check on his sister, he was immediately arrested. He later confessed to it, saying he had done this because “Bachir had sold the country to Israel.” A reporter was heard telling him "You didn't kill a man, you killed a country." He was imprisoned for 8 years, until Syrian troops took over Lebanon at the end of the war and freed him on October 13, 1990. Amin Gemayel didn't condemn Habib Shartouni because of immense Syrian pressure.^[30]

Condemnations poured in from around the world, including from the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 520 as well as from American President Ronald Reagan. Reagan had been one of Bachir's most staunch supporters, saying "this promising young leader had brought the light of hope to Lebanon."^[31]

Various theories exist as to other parties that had a hand in the assassination. Many point fingers at the Syrian government and then-Syrian President Hafez al-Assad for having knowledge of the assassination attempt and for backing Shartouni.^[32] Another theory claims that Israel secretly ordered the assassination after they began to feel Bachir was going to delay the process of peace between Lebanon and Israel and rather wait for Arab backing and Lebanese consensus on the issue. Even after they kept pressuring him, Bachir refused to immediately give Israel peace.^[33]

Bachir Gemayel's older brother Amine Gemayel was then elected as president, serving from 1982 to 1988. Rather different in temperament, Amine Gemayel was widely regarded as more moderate than his brother. Many of Bachir's followers were dissatisfied with Amine. Eventually, the Lebanese Forces became independent from the Phalange and its own political party.

Family[link]

Gemayel's widow, Solange Gemayel, works to keep his legacy alive through the Bachir Gemayel Foundation, a political and informational organization.

Gemayel's first daughter Maya was murdered in 1980 at 18 months of age by a car bomb intended for Gemayel himself.^[34] He has two surviving children: His second daughter, Youmna, was born later in the year and received her degree in political science in Paris. She is now working towards her Masters in Management at ESA (École supérieure des affaires) in Beirut. Gemayel's son, Nadim, who was born months before Bachir was killed, was a law student and political activist, and was elected as a member of the Lebanese Parliament in 2009.

Books about Bachir[link]

• ضمير وتاريخ
• تاريخ في رجل
• رجل النهضة
• Words From Bachir - Understanding the Mind of the Founder of the Lebanese Forces

See also[link]

• Kataeb Party
• Kataeb Regulatory Forces
• Lebanese Forces
• Pierre Gemayel
• Solange Gemayel
• Nadim Gemayel
• Samir Geagea
• Waltz with Bashir

Notes[link]

References[link]

• بشير الجميل، تاريخ في رجل - جورج حايك
• قصة الموارنة في الحرب - جوزيف أبو خليل
• السلام المفقود - كريم بقرادوني
• Les Secrets De La Guerre En Liban - Alain Menargues
• President Bachir Gemayel Community Site
• Jean-Marc Aractingi, La Politique à mes trousses ( Politics at my heels), Editions l'Harmattan, Paris, 2006, Lebanon Chapter (ISBN 978-2-296-00469-6).
• The War Of Lebanon (Documentary Series By Al-Jazeera)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bachir Pierre Gemayel

External links[link]

• All About Bachir
• Bachir Gemayel Community Site (Bachir Gemayel Foundation site)
• Liberty Front presents President Bachir Gemayel
• Lebanese Forces Resistance Official Website
• The Lebanese Phalanges - Kataeb

v t e Presidents of Lebanon French Mandate (1918-1943) office established 1926 · Charles Debbas · Antoine Privat-Aubouard* · Habib Pacha Es-Saad · Émile Eddé · Pierre-Georges Arlabosse* · Alfred Naqqache · Ayoub Tabet* · Petro Trad Lebanese Republic (since 1943) Bechara El Khoury · Émile Eddé · Bechara El Khoury · Fuad Chehab* · Camille Chamoun · Fuad Chehab · Charles Helou · Suleiman Frangieh · Elias Sarkis · Bachir Gemayel† · Amine Gemayel · Michel Aoun* · vacant · René Moawad · Elias Hrawi · Émile Lahoud · Fouad Siniora* · Michel Suleiman denotes acting     †assassinated prior to taking office

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Majida El-Roumi (Arabic: ماجدة الرومي‎, was born in Kfarshima, Lebanon, on December 13, 1956. She is a Lebanese singer and a soprano, who started her musical career in the early 1970s when she participated in the talent show, Studio El Fan on Télé Liban and won the gold medal for best female singer. Since her appearance on television at the age of 16, she has become one of the most successful singers of the Arab world as well as a UN Goodwill Ambassador.

Biography[link]

Majida El Roumi Baradhy (Arabic: ماجدة الرومي برادعي), born to musician Halim El Roumi (born Hanna El Roumi Baradhy) and wife Marie Loutfi who were a Melkite Greek Catholic couple from Tyre, a city in South Lebanon. They got married and lived in Kfarshima, they had three girls Maha, Mona, and Majida, and a boy Awad. Halim el Roumi became a musician worked with many great singers with mentioning his discovery to the lebanese singer Fairuz and introduced her to the great musicians the Rahbani brothers. He stayed in Kfarshima, which was home to many Lebanese singers, musicians, poets and writers, among them Philemon Wehbi, Melhem Barakat and Issam Rajji. The residence of Halim el Roumi in Kfarshima was a meeting place for many cultural figures. Growing up in an artistic environment, Majida listened to the works of Fairuz, Umm Kulthoum, Mohammed Abdel Wahab, Wadi AlSafi, and Asmahan. Her vocal abilities attracted the attention of her family and neighbors. One of the early songs she sang was when she was 5 years old with a recording dedicated to her brother which is "Your Birth" or Miladak in reference to the birth of Jesus Christ.

Raymond Safadi, Majida's cousin, thought that she should pursue singing as a profession. The big obstacle was her father who did not want her to participate in Télé Liban's Studio el fan. Nevertheless, Majida entered the talent show, singing songs for Asmahan and Leila Mourad, like Ya Toyour, Ana Albi Dalili, and Layali El Ouns Fi Vienna. She won the gold medal. Halim El Roumi gave Majida his blessings to pursue singing as a profession as long as she continued her higher education. Majida obtained her BA in Arabic Literature from the Lebanese University.

In 1977, Majida married a businessman from Byblos, Lebanon, Antoine Dfouni who was also her manager. They had two daughters: Hala and Nour. They divorced in 2006.

Majida also had to deal with her sister Maha's suffer from cancer who had to be transported to USA for better medical care and her death in 11/7/2001 she produced two religious albums and released a song in her memory in 2003.

Music career[link]

Majida was one of the first modern singers to combine western classical music and Arabic classical music (tarab). Her first hit was Am Behlamak Ya Helm Ya Lebnan, written by poet Said Akl and composed by Elias Rahbani, the song was released in 1975. However, the majority of her early 1970s–1980s song were oriental. In all her albums she includes patriotic songs and works by her father. Her first album was released in 1977 titled "Wadaa" containing wonderful recordings and it was her first hit in her musical career.

Majida's self-titled debut album was typical of 1970s Arabic pop, with traditional percussion, a string section, guitar, and keyboard. Her Lebanese patriotism is evident in songs like Nab' El Mahabbeh, which are sang in Lebanese Arabic dialect. This is also true of her 1980s songs like Layalina Men Layali El Omr and Ya Saken Afkari. Her first work in classical Arabic was La Taghdabi and Salawna which was from the Rahbani brothers' work with her father. In the early 80s, she released her album "Live recordings" which included a song called "Zikrayati" (My memories) with a melody taken from the great Malaguena for Ernesto Lecuona. Majida sang a hit of the Abdel Halim Hafez's El Touba in 1987.

In 1991, Majida released Kalimat, her first pan-Arab hit, under the Music Master label. The title song was written by Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani and composed by Ihsan El-Mounzer. Other songs by Qabbani were Beirut, Set Eddounia and Al Jarida. Majida initiated the movement that re-popularized classical Arabic poetry in music and began to fuse East and West. The album also contained several songs by the signatures of great poets and composers like Abdo Mounzer, Melhem Baraket. 1994's Ibhath Anni followed the template set by Kalimat. Souad Al Sabah's Kon Sadiqi was about empowerment of women, Other patriotic songs were Oum Etthadda and Saqata Al Qina for the freedom of the country. The album knew such success with its music and compositions: it had piano solos, string movements, great orchestra distribution especially in "Al jarida" which was and still her longest song ever recorded.

In 1996, Majida signed with the Saudi label Rotana and released Rasa'el. Elie Choueiri wrote the opening title Samra' El Nile, a song for Egyptian women. Songs like Shou3oubon Men Al Oushaq and Aynaka blurred the line between what classical and Arabic music, while Lawen Ma3i El Iyam employed Majida's operatic skills to hit more than two octaves in the song and other ones and Hobbouka evoked songs from Eastern Europe. "Through "Qana" from Elie Choueiry, released in 1996 as a response on the Israeli massacre in South Lebanon, Majida presented a clear Lebanese message to the whole world, a message that was stronger than any other political or diplomatic letter. Majida affirmed that Lebanon would always be ready to fight for its rights and lands and would never give in and accept any kind of humiliation and disregard. The song was powerful with meanings which led the Israeli Embassies in some Arab capitals to protest and requested seizure of broadcasting. Majida's father composed Mimi, by the Rahbani Brothers, in honor of Majida's daughter.

In 1998, Majida released her ninth official album, Ouhibbouka Wa Ba'd, working with Saudi poet Al Nasser and composer/singer Abdel Rab Idriss, who produced the title song. Tawq Al Yasmin marked Majida's fourth collaboration with Qabbani and her first with Iraqi singer/songwriter Kathem Al Saher and the song showed once again her operatic abilities to the high C6. Jamal Salama composed three songs, Al Qalb Al Maftouh, Inta El Madi, and Sayedi El Ra'is, which was written in the form of a letter to the president reclaiming freedom. He also arranged Al Yawm Aada Habibi, a waltz duet with her father.

In 2003, she released two religious albums titled Cithare Du Ciel and Erhamni Ya Allah. She sang a special rendition of Schubert "Ave Maria" which showed her excellent abilities as a Soprano.

In 2006, she signed for an album with Good News Production that spoke to a younger audience. "E'tazalt El Gharam" (I Quit Love) was released with a video directed by lebanese director Nadine Labaki. Majida worked with many new names, like singer/songwriter Marwan Khoury as well as musicians Jean-Marie Riachi and Claude Chalhoub. The new musicians updated Majida's style while keeping the old-world charm. Melhem Barakat composed the title song. Said Akl contributed "Sawfa Nabqa", an ode to Lebanon. Composers Ihsan El Mounzer, Joseph Khalifa and Kamal Saiqali put Gibran Khalil Gibran's words to music for Majida in "Nashid Lel Hob." "Nashid El Zafaf" is a rendition of Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" with congratulatory lyrics by Majida herself. Majida sang "Ma Rah Ez'al A Shi" (I Won't Feel Sad Over Anything) at the annual 2008 Beiteddine Festival in Lebanon.

She wrote the lyrics of Bokra "Tomorrow", a charity single that was released on 11/11/2011 at 11:11PM, the single will distribute the proceeds of its donations to various organisations, institutions and charities with arts and culture programs. The eight minute song was recorded by several Arab Artists. It was produced by Quincy Jones and RedOne.^[1]

She is currently preparing her new album "Ghazal" which will be released later this year where she worked with great composers and poets and recorded a new version of her old one "Salawna" (from 1987) as a duet with her father.

Performances[link]

In 1976, Majida starred in Youssef Chahine movie Awdat Al Ibn Al Dal (The Return of the Prodigal Son) providing also 3 soundtracks for the movie. And she sang one song for another work of his own called "Al-Akhar" (The Other) as a background song for the film in 1999. Chahine introduced her as 'the Voice of the 20th Century' and received the 'Egyptian Critics Award'.

Majida has performed at festivals in Beiteddine, Jerash, Rabat, Bosra, Carthage, Al Ain, and appeared at the Cairo Opera House several times, in Doha - Qatar, Dubai (UAE) and many other concerts and performances in the Arab World. In addition to The Roman theater of Marina, Alexandria. Majida has also performed as Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Centre, Carnegie Hall and Hunter College in New York City ^[2] as well as the Place des Arts in Montreal, Fox Theatre (Detroit, Michigan), the Paris Olympia, Palais des Congrès de Paris, Athens Concert Hall in Greece and the Royal Albert Hall in London. In December 2006, Majida performed "Light The Way", a duet with the international opera star, José Carreras at the opening ceremony of the 15th Asian Games in Doha.^[3] In 2009, she performed "Nous sommes les amis du monde", a duet with Youssou N'dour, on the inauguration of the "Jeux Olympiques de la Francophonie" in Beirut, Lebanon in 2009.

Public positions[link]

Majida El Roumi was appointed an ambassador for the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on World Food Day, October 16, 2001 in an official ceremony in Rome, Italy.^[4] She has participated in numerous round-table discussion on the role of FAO ambassadors in helping the Organization combat world hunger. As FAO ambassador, Majida inaugurated the First Annual Agricultural Week in Lebanon and dedicated the book prepared by FAO Sanabel El Kheir on November 8, 2005 during an official ceremony to celebrate World Food Day 60th Anniversary at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut.^[5]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Wadaa (1977)
• Live Recordings from George 5 and Picadelly concerts(1982)
• And the Children (1983)
• Dawi Ya Amar (1987) released in Egypt only
• Ya Saken Afkari (1988)
• Kalimat (1991)
• Ibhath Anni (1994)
• Rasa'el (1996)
• Ouhibbouka Wa Baad (1998)
• Cithare Du Ciel (Qitharat Al Sama') (2003) (Christian album)
• Erhamni Ya Allah (2003) (Christian album)
• E'tazalt El Gharam (2005)

Egyptian songs: remakes[link]

• La Mush Ana Elli Abki (Mohammad Abdel Wahab) – originally sung by Abdel Wahab
• Ana koulli magoul al-touba (Lyrics: Abdel Rahman El-Abnoudi / Music: Baligh Hamdi) – originally sung by Abdel Halim Hafez
• Ba7lef bi Samaha (Lyrics: Abdel Rahman El-Abnoudi / Music: Kamal Al-Tawil) – originally sung by Abdel Halim Hafez
• Layali Al-ouns bi Vienna (Music: Farid Al-Atrach) – originally sung by Asmahan
• Ya Touyour (Music: Al-Kassabji) – originally sung by Asmahan
• Emta ha te3raf – originally sung by Asmahan
• Ana Albi Dalili (Music: Al-Kassabji) – originally sung by Leila Mourad
• Ehna el tnen (lyrics: Houssein Al sayed / Music: Riyad Al Sounbati) - Originally sung by Leila Mourad

Awards[link]

• The Golden Cedar, Lebanon, 1988
• National Order of the Cedar (Knight) from the President of the Republic of Lebanon, 1994
• The Médecines Sans Frontières Shield
• Le Bouclier de l'information et de la culture / Algerian Shield of Culture, Algeria, 2005
• The Shield of Honour from the Syrian Ministry of Culture, Syria
• The Shield of Honour from Jordan
• The Shield of Honour from Morocco
• The Shield of Honour from Tunis, 2010
• The National Shield of Honour of the Cedars - of the Order of Commodore from the President of the Republic of Lebanon, 2011

References[link]

External links[link]

• MajidaFans Site
• Online TV RADIO MAGAZINE and Forum
• Romyat Group
• Majida's Admirers WebSite
• Majida El Roumi Fans Site
• Majida El Roumi Fans forum
• Majida El Roumi Fan Site
• Majida El Roumi forum
• Majida El Roumi song lyrics, English translations and music videos on Shawshara.com
• Majida El Roumi in Arabic