It can be so easy to make fun of Lebanon and Lebanese people. The country practically begs for it, with its illusions of false grandeur complemented by a complete lack of stability and structure.
The people also beg for it, with their obsession with aesthetics, social status and a staggering number of undiagnosed mental and personality disorders. Oh, here I am making fun again – here are five things Lebanese people can be very proud of.
A team of researchers at the AUB Medical Center have found a drug cocktail called DCQ that successfully treats aggressive breast cancers when tested on mice. Though the drug won’t be tested on humans for a while, it is a great stepping stone for cancer research. The reaction that synthesizes the treatment drug has been named the “Beirut Reaction,” patented by one of the researchers involved. This new drug, if proven safe, would offer new possibilities for cancer therapy.
Lebanon’s first female candidate for the presidency is Nadine Moussa, a lawyer who has worked for decades on promoting women’s rights. However, her platform extends beyond women’s issues as she is an outspoken critic of corruption and the sectarian system. She admits her chances of winning are slim, but claims her running is still an important message stating that her goal is to “put forth a new vision.”
Each and every time a list of top tourist destinations is released, Beirut seems to make the cut. This helps cement what we already know: Beirut is an incredible city that has something for everyone.
Riad Salameh at the New York Stock Exchange (Image via NY Times)
One of the most brilliant financiers in the Middle East, Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh managed to steer the Lebanese banks and markets through the global credit crisis. He was even named world’s best central bank governor by Euromoney Magazine in 2007, a title he earned through what he calls a “conservative approach to banking.” Of course, the cherry on top was watching him be the first Arab Central Bank Governor to ring the New York Stock Exchange opening bell in March of 2009.
Although she’s only Lebanese by blood and not by identity, we feel as though we have some sort of claim over Alamuddin and now, by proxy, the Clooney family and anyone who has ever co-starred in a movie with him. The King of Norway could have a bowel movement and we would find a way to associate ourselves with the event. The world does, after all revolve around Lebanon.
