First Greek Festival in Lebanon kicks off in Byblos (VIDEO)

The first ever Greek festival in Lebanon has kicked off in the popular coastal town of Byblos, which is one of the oldest cities in the world and for the next few days, there will be huge celebrations showcasing Greek music, dance, and food.

The idea of bringing Greece to Lebanon was always there for George Eid, a Lebanese broadcast journalist and university lecturer with Greek roots that go back to Smyrna before 1922.

After producing the first documentary about the Greeks of Lebanon “Kalimera Men Beirut”, Eid thought that it was not enough to keep the Greek spirit alive in Lebanon, so he decided to create an event that would bring Greece to Lebanon in an authentic way.

“He knew the deep respect and affection that a lot of Lebanese have for Greece and convinced a team of Broadcast journalists and Web developers to join him in organizing the first Greek Festival in Lebanon. The Greek ambassador to Lebanon Francescos Verros embraced the idea on the spot and vowed to offer his auspices and support to the event,”  said Festival organisers.

Thousands turned up for the opening and enjoyed day one, with organisers expecting thousands more over the weekend, as visitors are able to experience a taste of Greece in Lebanon, all day and night.

The Lebanese Ministry of Tourism is sponsoring the festival in collaboration with the Greek embassy.

*Videos courtesy of Ely Elia