When patriotism transcends all frontiers

BEIRUT:  The mass revolts instigated by public dissent in Lebanon have also found their way overseas, with thousands of Lebanese nationals abroad demanding the demise of the corrupt coalition government. The vigorous demonstrations organized by expatriates proved that devotion to one’s nation knows no geographical boundaries.

“Please do not give up; do not let anything distract you from the gravity of this revolution,” urged Carol Abdul Khalek, a Lebanese activist who is currently pursuing her master’s degree in London.

She was among the hundreds of Lebanese expatriates who rallied next to the Lebanese embassy on Saturday to voice their disdain for their country’s unscrupulous politicians.

A myriad of Lebanese flags held by zealous protesters waved in the air as the people sang the national anthem and chanted in solidarity with everyone back home.

Melissa Akiki who also joined the protest in London said that “even though we were all strangers, we held each other’s hands because we were all championing the same cause- that for a better Lebanon.” She also urged everyone to protest, the young and the old, because only through unity can the people expect a better future to emerge.

Photo shows the Lebanese diaspora protesting in London

Likewise, several protests were organized in the German cities of Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart, and Munich over the weekend. The word spread through Facebook groups and Instagram posts urging the Lebanese living in Germany to join and uphold the demands of the protesters in Lebanon. “It is within our nature to protest for our rights, and our unity will prove that the needs of many will result in the downfall of the ruling few,” expressed Ali Dakhlallah, a Lebanese engineering student living in Munich.

Photo shows the Lebanese diaspora protesting in Munich 

Italy was no exception, as Lebanese nationals in Milan and Rome took their pleas to the streets as they waved the Lebanese flags and expressed their pressing desire for the eradication of corruption and the resignation of the current Lebanese government. On Sunday at 1 pm, hundreds of Lebanese demonstrators convened in front of the Lebanese consulate in Milan to express their growing disdain towards Lebanon’s ruling elite.

Abdallah Hamdar who arrived in Milan a few months ago to pursue his master’s degree explained that nothing would deter the Lebanese diaspora from protesting.

“I want everyone back home to know we will make their national demands turn into international concerns,” he added.

Mohamad A. Hamdan, another Lebanese student in Milan firmly conveyed that “our demands are no different from those of protesters in Lebanon; we all have the same concerns.”

In Canada, the cities of Ottawa, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, and others also witnessed wide momentum as Lebanese expatriates assembled in a gesture of solidarity for those back home.

"We all have the same message to deliver, and we want to show our fellow Lebanese protesters that we are with them,” Israa Noureddine, a master’s student at the University of British Columbia who was also one of the organizers of the protest in Vancouver, told Annahar.

The protest in Vancouver occurred in front of The Vancouver Art Gallery on Saturday where Lebanese nationals chanted, sang the national anthem, and gave Canadian bystanders a glimpse of what authentic Lebanese Dabke is.

The Lebanese diaspora in the United States of America also joined with intense and fervent protests in Los Angeles, Dearborn, Houston, Washington D.C., New York, San Francisco, and Illinois, among others.

The Lebanese diaspora in Dearborn was informed of the protest through social media outlets, where protesters were asked to gather on Sunday at Ford Field Park. Dana Moussa, a child development major at Henry Ford College, explained that expatriates should also fight for their rights because only unity can help eliminate adversity.

“Lebanon is the most beautiful country in the world and the only thing keeping us from returning is the country’s instability; however, our unanimous pleas will be heard and the corrupt elite will collapse,” added Moussa.

Photo shows the Lebanese diaspora protesting in Dearborn's   

Ghadeer Khalaf, another activist present at Dearborn’s protest told Annahar that she was ecstatic to see so many people chanting and enthusiastically supporting those in Lebanon.

“Lebanon is sinking in an ocean of nepotism, bribery, corruption, inflation, poverty, and pollution, and if the people remain silent, it will be the death of a beautiful nation,” she explained.

In New York, hundreds rallied in Washington Square Park with their Lebanese flags. Noura Dakka told Annahar that while living in Lebanon, she was a first-hand victim of injustice and corruption.

“My people in Lebanon have been stripped of their basic human rights. We have no jobs, no electricity, no security, and no future. I want my country back; we want our country back,” she heartwarmingly expressed.

Photo shows the Lebanese diaspora protesting in New York  

Moreover, the protest in Paris attracted a legion of approximately 4,000 men and women on Sunday. They gathered at Place du Trocadero to voice their concern over their beloved Lebanon’s feeble situation despite the rain. Zakaria Karout, one of the demonstrators, said the rally in Paris mirrored those in all Lebanese regions through jovial music and crucial demands.

“Wherever we go, we will never forget our origins. The protests erupting around the world are the vivid proof that a Lebanese expatriate’s support for Lebanon is indisputable,” noted Karout.

Brazil, which is home to the largest Lebanese diaspora in the world with an estimate of over 7 million Lebanese-Brazilians, also welcomed ardent protests in the cities of São Paulo and Foz do Iguaçu.

Christina Kadri, a Lebanese-Brazilian student from São Paulo who has only been to Lebanon 3 times in her life said she was proud of her Lebanese counterparts in her country of descent.

“My heart beats for Lebanon and I long for my country’s cedars; hopefully one day I’ll be able to live there and start a family,” she explained.

Photo shows the Lebanese diaspora protesting in Foz do Iguaçu