The Ukrainian festival in Douma organized by the Embassy of Ukraine in Lebanon

The Ukrainian festival took place in the mountainous town of Douma, organized by the Embassy of Ukraine in Lebanon under the support of the Ukrainian community.
Guests of the event were able to get acquainted with the multifaceted culture of Ukrainian people and their national traditions. The festival had a tremendous success. The diplomatic corps, city leadership, members of the local council, representatives of the clergy, Ukrainian community, representatives of Lebanese business and cultural circles, guests of the town visited the Festival. Events of the Festival were covered by Ukrainian TV channel “1+1” and Lebanese TV channel “Télé Liban”.
During the three days Douma residents and guests were able to feel rich and interesting content of various events held within the framework of the Festival.
The first day of the Festival started from the opening of exhibitions by Ukrainian craftswomen in painting and iconography (Iryna Kyrylchuk, Tetiana Zhovnir) and ended with the concert of the famous Lebanese singer Oumaima Khalil and Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra.
During the second day, the guests of the event were able to enjoy not only Ukrainian paintings, iconography and embroidery, but also to take part in workshops of petrykivka, embroidery, painting on pebbles held by Ukrainian craftswomen Iryna Kyrylchuk, Tamara Rakhnianska and Svitlana Lahout.
Opening ceremony of Ukrainian House in Douma Municipality (followed be reception)
The same day the opening ceremony of Ukrainian House took place in Douma Municipality, where books and artistic canvases about Ukraine, its history, culture, cities, outstanding figures, national cuisine, etc. translated into English and Arabic, will be kept on a regular basis. The opening ceremony of Ukrainian House was followed by photo exhibition “Duma-1985” by Bassam Lahoud, the well-known Lebanese photographer, describing documentary photos on Douma of that time.
In the evening, the Ukrainian gala concert was held, where everyone was able to enjoy charming Ukrainian songs and dynamic Ukrainian dances. For the guests of the festival, Ukrainian and Arabic songs were performed by Ihor Ostash, Ambassador of Ukraine in Lebanon, “Onuky” folk group, young Ukrainian singers Valeria Khobot and Halyna Pryklonska. The dance part of the gala concert included folk and modern dances performed by Ukrainian Dance Schools of Lebanon “Zirka”, “Ukrainian Cultural Center”, Lebanese dance group “Spring Hills”.
The main event of the evening was the concert of Illaria, the special guest of the Festival, the famous Ukrainian singer, composer, poet, winner and laureate of many single contests. Guests of the event were fascinated by incredible voice timbre of the singer and Ukrainian songs under her performance. The Ukrainian concert was covered on Lebanese television on August 5, by the local TV channel “Télé Liban”.
The third day of the Festival started from the grand parade of embroidery clothes and continued with a delicious Ukrainian dinner. During the Cooking show, I.Ostash, the Ambassador of Ukraine in Lebanon, cooked the traditional Ukrainian dish – borsch, tasted by all the guests of the Festival. Also, the participants of the event were able to taste varenyky (Ukrainian dumplings), holubtsi (cabbage rolls), mlyntsi (pancakes) and other dishes of Ukrainian mistresses.
The Ukrainian festival in the Douma has become the major cultural event in Lebanon, contributed to spreading the positive image of Ukraine, and had a great positive impact on mutual enrichment of Ukrainian and Lebanese cultures.