In a visit to the National Library, delegates from the Cultural Council of North Bekaa asked Minister Ghassan Salameh for support. The goal: more cultural activity, stronger identity, and a region that feels seen by Beirut.
In Beirut’s National Library at Sanayeh, Minister of Culture Ghassan Salameh received a delegation from the Cultural Council of North Bekaa. The group included Council president Dr. Abdel Nasser Sukkarieh and founding members Dr. Nizar Dandash, Bassam Moussa, Abdullah Sukkarieh, social activist Rima Karambi and Youssef Roufail.
Their agenda was simple but ambitious: talk honestly about the social and cultural situation in North Bekaa — and explore how to activate more cultural initiatives that reinforce both local pride and Lebanese national identity.
Why North Bekaa’s Cultural Scene Matters
North Bekaa is often associated with agriculture, border tensions and neglect from the central state. But beneath the headlines, it is also a region of storytellers, musicians, poets and teachers trying to keep local culture alive with limited resources.
The delegation used the meeting to underline:
- the lack of sustained funding for cultural events and spaces outside Beirut;
- the importance of cultural activity in keeping young people engaged and hopeful;
- the role of the Cultural Council as a bridge between local communities and national institutions.
Salameh’s Promise: “Do Everything Possible To Support You”
According to the National News Agency, Salameh expressed “his interest in enhancing the cultural landscape of the region” and pledged to do everything possible to back initiatives that promote culture and its developmental, progressive role in the area.
Practically, that could mean:
- supporting festivals, book fairs and exhibitions in North Bekaa;
- helping local groups access national and international funding;
- building stronger links between the National Library, schools and cultural centers in the region.
For the delegation, just being heard in Beirut — at the heart of the cultural administration — is itself a step toward breaking the sense of distance many regional communities feel.
Cultural Policy As Regional Development
Behind the formal language of the meeting is a larger idea: culture is not a luxury reserved for capitals. For regions like North Bekaa, cultural projects can:
- create jobs and opportunities around events and tourism;
- offer young people alternatives to migration or disengagement;
- protect local stories and traditions from being swallowed by crisis and centralisation.
When the Minister talks about strengthening “cultural and national identity,” he is pointing to this broader vision: a Lebanon where identity is built from the ground up, not just from TV studios and central institutions.
Will Promises In Beirut Reach North Bekaa?
Meetings like this one are important, but they are only the first step. What will matter in the coming months is whether Salameh’s promise to “do everything possible” translates into funded projects, regular support and visible presence on the ground.
For now, the Cultural Council of North Bekaa has sent a clear message: the region is ready to work, create and build — as long as the country’s cultural policy remembers that Lebanon is bigger than its capital.
Leave a Reply