Samar Yahya Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Lebanese children living in Jeddah celebrated their country's 70th Independence Day at a function hosted by Consul General Ziad Atallah at his residence last Thursday. Lebanese children studying in various international schools in the city were invited to the special celebrations. The consul general and his wife Zina Atallah received the students and their parents. The ceremony began with students from Dar Jana School singing the Lebanese national anthem. “The consulate of Lebanon is always proud to be a hub for all ceremonies of the Lebanese community. This year, we decided to boost the spirit of nationalism in the minds and hearts of the young generation living abroad. The ceremony will be remembered as a great evening of Lebanese art, heritage and culture in Jeddah," the consul general said in his welcome address. The celebrations featured folklore performances, including traditional Lebanese dances such as Dabkeh and short plays. Children from different grades presented patriotic songs. Zina Atallah took the occasion to honor principals of the three main participating schools — Dar Al-Jana, Zahrat Al-Sahraa and French International — and presented trophies to them. “The main goal of this celebration is to connect the Lebanese students abroad to their home country, history, language and culture and have them always keep their country in their hearts. What I admired most about the celebration is that the three participating schools were so cooperative with each other,” she said. “I would like to also thank the Saudi authorities for their support, which always encourages us to continue our cultural events and ceremonies.” Guests waving the Lebanese flag and background songs of the famous Lebanese singer Fayrouz filled the atmosphere with an overwhelming feeling of joy. The ceremony hosted a number of prominent Lebanese personalities. “To boost the spirit of solidarity with their home country, we are pleased that students of grades 7 to 10 from Zahrat Al-Sahraa International School are participating today. I believe this experience should be shared with all other students from different nationalities and communities to always revitalize the home spirit while living abroad,” said the school's director, Najah Kheirlallah. Nawal Hemssy, the mother of a participant, expressed excitement and happiness that her daughter was part of this great celebration. “I'm really pleased that my daughter Nermine is here today participating with her colleagues in this ceremony. We wish to have more events that link our children to their country,” she said.
