2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
, also known as VIèmes Jeux de la Francophonie, (French
for 6th Francophone Games) were held from September 27 to October 6 in Beirut
, Lebanon
.
is entrusted by the local authorities of the hosting country to a national committee – the Comité National des Jeux Francophones (CNJF). The CNJF must organize and realize the games in conformity with the regulations and under the supervision of an international committee, the Comité international des Jeux de la Francophonie (CIJF). The CNJF particularly deals with hospitality and accommodation, local transportation, the press center, opening and closing events, medical service, safety issues, insurance, the promotion of its national territory, and finally the accreditation.
, a traditional supporter of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, regularly provides funding for the competition and in September 2009, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
and La Francophonie, Josée Verner
, stated that Canada was contributing $1 million towards the costs of the Games.
was chosen to host the sixth edition of the Jeux de la Francophonie during the 29th Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers (Conférence des ministres de la jeunesse et des sports) which took place in Beirut
in March 2003.
depicted in the colors of the International Organization of the Francophonie. This logo was chosen by the Lebanese organizing committee (CNJF) as the symbol and mascot of the 2009 Games. The phoenix logo
was designed by Lebanese caricaturist Armand Homsi and was dubbed Cédrus following a contest organized by the CNJF in which Lara Akiki, a Lebanese citizen was awarded a prize for proposing the name for the mascot.
campus at Hadath hosted all the delegations and the participants in the campus' dorms. The University's sports facilities were used for training and the theaters hosted cultural events.
The centerpiece of the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie was the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium
. It hosted the opening ceremony, as well as the finals of the athletics and soccer competitions. The boxing
tournament was also held here, taking place in the stadium's Pierre Gemayel
facility, but the other sports competitions were held elsewhere throughout the coastal cities in Lebanon. The Rafic Hariri Stadium in Sidon
and the Beirut Municipal Stadium
hosted soccer tournaments. The table tennis
tournaments were held in the Homenetmen Beirut club facilities, while Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut
's arena hosted the female basketball
competition. The Michel el-Murr Stadium in Bauchrieh held the judo
competitions and, further north, the Byblos
beaches hosted the beach volleyball
matches.
Cultural events were held in the UNESCO Palace and the Abou Khater and Béryte theaters at the Université Saint-Joseph
in Beirut. The UNESCO Palace hosted the dance
, painting
, photography
and sculpture
competitions. The Abou Khater and Béryte theaters hosted the preliminary phases of literature
and song
competitions. The final phase of these competitions took place in the Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center
(BIEL) and at the Casino du Liban
.
, affirmed that the Games would put Lebanon back on the world map and stressed that the country was capable of meeting all its commitments despite its domestic crisis. Security for the event was tight with thousands of soldiers and police deployed around the various venues and at the Lebanese University main campus that hosted the "Francophone Village" at the outskirts of Beirut where participants stayed. Prime minister-designate Saad Hariri
urged all the political parties to exercise restraint, describing the Games as important for the country's image.
and Cyprus
), and Mozambique
was the sole observer nation in attendance. Furthermore, two participating governments (New Brunswick
and Quebec
) also competed.
, also known as VIèmes Jeux de la Francophonie, (French
for 6th Francophone Games) were held from September 27 to October 6 in Beirut
, Lebanon
.
is entrusted by the local authorities of the hosting country to a national committee – the Comité National des Jeux Francophones (CNJF). The CNJF must organize and realize the games in conformity with the regulations and under the supervision of an international committee, the Comité international des Jeux de la Francophonie (CIJF). The CNJF particularly deals with hospitality and accommodation, local transportation, the press center, opening and closing events, medical service, safety issues, insurance, the promotion of its national territory, and finally the accreditation.
, a traditional supporter of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, regularly provides funding for the competition and in September 2009, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
and La Francophonie, Josée Verner
, stated that Canada was contributing $1 million towards the costs of the Games.
was chosen to host the sixth edition of the Jeux de la Francophonie during the 29th Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers (Conférence des ministres de la jeunesse et des sports) which took place in Beirut
in March 2003.
depicted in the colors of the International Organization of the Francophonie. This logo was chosen by the Lebanese organizing committee (CNJF) as the symbol and mascot of the 2009 Games. The phoenix logo
was designed by Lebanese caricaturist Armand Homsi and was dubbed Cédrus following a contest organized by the CNJF in which Lara Akiki, a Lebanese citizen was awarded a prize for proposing the name for the mascot.
campus at Hadath hosted all the delegations and the participants in the campus' dorms. The University's sports facilities were used for training and the theaters hosted cultural events.
The centerpiece of the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie was the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium
. It hosted the opening ceremony, as well as the finals of the athletics and soccer competitions. The boxing
tournament was also held here, taking place in the stadium's Pierre Gemayel
facility, but the other sports competitions were held elsewhere throughout the coastal cities in Lebanon. The Rafic Hariri Stadium in Sidon
and the Beirut Municipal Stadium
hosted soccer tournaments. The table tennis
tournaments were held in the Homenetmen Beirut club facilities, while Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut
's arena hosted the female basketball
competition. The Michel el-Murr Stadium in Bauchrieh held the judo
competitions and, further north, the Byblos
beaches hosted the beach volleyball
matches.
Cultural events were held in the UNESCO Palace and the Abou Khater and Béryte theaters at the Université Saint-Joseph
in Beirut. The UNESCO Palace hosted the dance
, painting
, photography
and sculpture
competitions. The Abou Khater and Béryte theaters hosted the preliminary phases of literature
and song
competitions. The final phase of these competitions took place in the Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center
(BIEL) and at the Casino du Liban
.
, affirmed that the Games would put Lebanon back on the world map and stressed that the country was capable of meeting all its commitments despite its domestic crisis. Security for the event was tight with thousands of soldiers and police deployed around the various venues and at the Lebanese University main campus that hosted the "Francophone Village" at the outskirts of Beirut where participants stayed. Prime minister-designate Saad Hariri
urged all the political parties to exercise restraint, describing the Games as important for the country's image.
and Cyprus
), and Mozambique
was the sole observer nation in attendance. Furthermore, two participating governments (New Brunswick
and Quebec
) also competed.
|- style="font-size:90%"
|bgcolor=#8ac23d| ||Opening Ceremony|| bgcolor=#02ade5| ||Event competitions|| bgcolor=#936baa| ||Event finals||bgcolor=#ee3333| ||Closing ceremony
|-
The 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
, also known as VIèmes Jeux de la Francophonie, (French
for 6th Francophone Games) were held from September 27 to October 6 in Beirut
, Lebanon
.
is entrusted by the local authorities of the hosting country to a national committee – the Comité National des Jeux Francophones (CNJF). The CNJF must organize and realize the games in conformity with the regulations and under the supervision of an international committee, the Comité international des Jeux de la Francophonie (CIJF). The CNJF particularly deals with hospitality and accommodation, local transportation, the press center, opening and closing events, medical service, safety issues, insurance, the promotion of its national territory, and finally the accreditation.
, a traditional supporter of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, regularly provides funding for the competition and in September 2009, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
and La Francophonie, Josée Verner
, stated that Canada was contributing $1 million towards the costs of the Games.
was chosen to host the sixth edition of the Jeux de la Francophonie during the 29th Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers (Conférence des ministres de la jeunesse et des sports) which took place in Beirut
in March 2003.
depicted in the colors of the International Organization of the Francophonie. This logo was chosen by the Lebanese organizing committee (CNJF) as the symbol and mascot of the 2009 Games. The phoenix logo
was designed by Lebanese caricaturist Armand Homsi and was dubbed Cédrus following a contest organized by the CNJF in which Lara Akiki, a Lebanese citizen was awarded a prize for proposing the name for the mascot.
campus at Hadath hosted all the delegations and the participants in the campus' dorms. The University's sports facilities were used for training and the theaters hosted cultural events.
The centerpiece of the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie was the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium
. It hosted the opening ceremony, as well as the finals of the athletics and soccer competitions. The boxing
tournament was also held here, taking place in the stadium's Pierre Gemayel
facility, but the other sports competitions were held elsewhere throughout the coastal cities in Lebanon. The Rafic Hariri Stadium in Sidon
and the Beirut Municipal Stadium
hosted soccer tournaments. The table tennis
tournaments were held in the Homenetmen Beirut club facilities, while Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut
's arena hosted the female basketball
competition. The Michel el-Murr Stadium in Bauchrieh held the judo
competitions and, further north, the Byblos
beaches hosted the beach volleyball
matches.
Cultural events were held in the UNESCO Palace and the Abou Khater and Béryte theaters at the Université Saint-Joseph
in Beirut. The UNESCO Palace hosted the dance
, painting
, photography
and sculpture
competitions. The Abou Khater and Béryte theaters hosted the preliminary phases of literature
and song
competitions. The final phase of these competitions took place in the Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center
(BIEL) and at the Casino du Liban
.
, affirmed that the Games would put Lebanon back on the world map and stressed that the country was capable of meeting all its commitments despite its domestic crisis. Security for the event was tight with thousands of soldiers and police deployed around the various venues and at the Lebanese University main campus that hosted the "Francophone Village" at the outskirts of Beirut where participants stayed. Prime minister-designate Saad Hariri
urged all the political parties to exercise restraint, describing the Games as important for the country's image.
and Cyprus
), and Mozambique
was the sole observer nation in attendance. Furthermore, two participating governments (New Brunswick
and Quebec
) also competed.
|- style="font-size:90%"
|bgcolor=#8ac23d| ||Opening Ceremony|| bgcolor=#02ade5| ||Event competitions|| bgcolor=#936baa| ||Event finals||bgcolor=#ee3333| ||Closing ceremony
|-
|-
!September/October
!width=40px|26th
!width=40px|27th
!width=40px|28th
!width=40px|29th
!width=40px|30th
!width=40px|1st
!width=40px|2nd
!width=40px|3rd
!width=40px|4th
!width=40px|5th
!width=40px|6th
!width=45px|Total
|-style="font-size:90%"
| Ceremonies || ||bgcolor="#8ac23d" align="center" |● || || || || || || || || ||bgcolor=#ee3333 align="center" |● ||
|-style="font-size:90%"
!colspan=13|Sport events
|-style="font-size:90%"
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Athletics
|
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| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| ● ● ●
| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
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Basketball
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|-style="font-size:90%"
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Boxing
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| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
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| align="center"| 11
|-style="font-size:90%"
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Soccer
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Judo
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| align="center"| 14
|-style="font-size:90%"
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Table tennis
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| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
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| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"|● ●
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| align="center"| 4
|-style="font-size:90%"
|_pictogram.svg.png)
Beach volleyball
|
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| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| ● ●
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| align="center"| 2
|-style="font-size:90%"
!colspan=13|Cultural events
|-style="font-size:90%"
| Song
|
|
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| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
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| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| 1
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| align="center"| 1
|-style="font-size:90%"
| Storytelling
|
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| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| 1
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|-style="font-size:90%"
| Dance
|
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| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
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| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| 1
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| align="center"| 1
|-style="font-size:90%"
| Sculpture
|
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| 1
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| align="center"| 1
|-style="font-size:90%"
| Photography
|
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| 1
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| align="center"| 1
|-style="font-size:90%"
| Literature
|
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| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
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| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| 1
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| align="center"| 1
|-style="font-size:90%"
| Painting
|
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#02ade5" |
| bgcolor="#936baa" align="center"| 1
|
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| align="center"| 1
|-
!Total Gold medals || 0 || 0 || 5 || 5 || 4 || 5 || 14 || 15 || 13 || 24 || 1 || 86
|}
marching band
, as well as military formation displays by Lebanese Army soldiers. The ceremony was attended by delegates from 44 nations, including French Prime Minister François Fillon
, Prince Albert of Monaco
and Abdou Diouf
, Secretary General of the International Francophonie Organization (OIF). Lebanese President Michel Sleiman gave a welcoming speech praising Lebanon as a country that exemplifies the International Francophonie Organization's values of "solidarity, diversity and excellence"; and officially inaugurated the games in the presence of top Lebanese officials including caretaker Prime Minister
Fouad Siniora
, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri
and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri
.
The participants in the games paraded in the stadium preceded by their national colors; many teams dressed in traditional national costume
s, and some danced to the background music that was specially composed by Lebanese artist Khaled Mouzannar. The flag bearer
of the OIF was Maxime Chaya
, the first Lebanese mountaineer
to climb the Seven Summits
. Chaya's speech was followed by the formal athlete's and judge's oath.
An Arabic and Phoenician-style sound and light performance
followed; the performance was produced by Daniel Charpentier and featured 1200 musicians, dancers and performers enacting key moments in the cultural history of Lebanon
in the form of plays, songs and poetic recitals. The show revolved around a large 9000 square metres (96,875.2 sq ft) screen displaying Lebanon's six-millennium history from prehistory, the maritime Phoenician city states in Byblos
, Tripoli
, Sidon
and Tyre, to the Roman period Baalbek
relics, the later Arabic arts, and finally the modern and metropolitan Beirut
. Dance routines included a mass rendition of the traditional Lebanese dance, the Dabke
, as well as a troop of whirling dervishes and a contemporary dance performance, specially choreographed for the occasion. Lebanese singer Majida El Roumi
sang her homage to the capital city, "Ya Beirut", before being joined for a duet with Senegalese artist Youssou N’Dour. The music of world renowned Lebanese
composer Gabriel Yared
and Khaled Mouzannar accompanied the ceremony. A fireworks display marked the end of the official opening ceremony, followed by a concert by Youssou N'Dour.
athlete Jared MacLeod broke the game's record in the 110 meters hurdles race, Yahya Berrabah
from Morocco
scored both a game's and a national record in the men's long jump discipline. Ihab Al Sayed Abdelrahman from Egypt
and Lindy Leveau-Agricole
from the Seychelles
scored new games records respectively for men's and women's javelin throw and Manuela Montebrun
from France
also broke the game record for women's hammer throw.
The Cypriot
women's basketball team which had won four matches was disqualified for exceeding the permitted number of naturalized
players.
Harout Fazlian, followed by a folkloric
African music concert specially composed for the occasion. Eliya Francis and Cynthia Samaha interpreted Mozart's opera Bastien und Bastienne
, and the following set by Canzone Napoletana
was also interpreted by Francis. A large Zorba
ring preceded the concert of the Lebanese pop artist Ragheb Alama
accompanied by belly dance
rs. The festivities ended with an electronic music event by the Franco Elektro competition winner DJ Rio Tony-T, who opened for Antoine Clamaran
Jeux de la Francophonie
The Jeux de la Francophonie are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie, mostly French speaking nations, held every four years since 1989, partly as a counterweight to the Commonwealth Games.-Editions:-Sports:There were four sports...
, also known as VIèmes Jeux de la Francophonie, (French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for 6th Francophone Games) were held from September 27 to October 6 in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
Organization
The organization of the Jeux de la FrancophonieJeux de la Francophonie
The Jeux de la Francophonie are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie, mostly French speaking nations, held every four years since 1989, partly as a counterweight to the Commonwealth Games.-Editions:-Sports:There were four sports...
is entrusted by the local authorities of the hosting country to a national committee – the Comité National des Jeux Francophones (CNJF). The CNJF must organize and realize the games in conformity with the regulations and under the supervision of an international committee, the Comité international des Jeux de la Francophonie (CIJF). The CNJF particularly deals with hospitality and accommodation, local transportation, the press center, opening and closing events, medical service, safety issues, insurance, the promotion of its national territory, and finally the accreditation.
Costs
CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, a traditional supporter of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, regularly provides funding for the competition and in September 2009, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the federal government's relations with the governments of the provinces and territories of Canada...
and La Francophonie, Josée Verner
Josée Verner
Josée Verner, PC, is a Canadian politician. She represented the electoral district of Louis-Saint-Laurent in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2011 as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada...
, stated that Canada was contributing $1 million towards the costs of the Games.
Bid
LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
was chosen to host the sixth edition of the Jeux de la Francophonie during the 29th Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers (Conférence des ministres de la jeunesse et des sports) which took place in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
in March 2003.
Logo and mascot
The official logo featured a stylized image of a phoenixPhoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
depicted in the colors of the International Organization of the Francophonie. This logo was chosen by the Lebanese organizing committee (CNJF) as the symbol and mascot of the 2009 Games. The phoenix logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
was designed by Lebanese caricaturist Armand Homsi and was dubbed Cédrus following a contest organized by the CNJF in which Lara Akiki, a Lebanese citizen was awarded a prize for proposing the name for the mascot.
Venues
The Jeux de la Francophonie was held in a variety of venues throughout Lebanon. The Lebanese UniversityLebanese University
The Lebanese University is the only public institution for higher learning in Lebanon. Founded in 1951, it has 17 faculties as of 2006 and serves various cultural, religious, and social groups of students and teachers....
campus at Hadath hosted all the delegations and the participants in the campus' dorms. The University's sports facilities were used for training and the theaters hosted cultural events.
The centerpiece of the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie was the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium
Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium
Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium is a 47,799 capacity multi-purpose stadium in the Bir Hassan area of Beirut, Lebanon. It is Lebanon's largest stadium. The Sports City Stadium is currently used mostly for football matches and it also has athletics facilities. It was built in 1957 by the...
. It hosted the opening ceremony, as well as the finals of the athletics and soccer competitions. The boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
tournament was also held here, taking place in the stadium's Pierre Gemayel
Pierre Gemayel
Sheikh Pierre Gemayel , was a Lebanese political leader...
facility, but the other sports competitions were held elsewhere throughout the coastal cities in Lebanon. The Rafic Hariri Stadium in Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
and the Beirut Municipal Stadium
Beirut Municipal Stadium
Beirut Municipal Stadium is a 18,000 capacity multi-purpose stadium in Beirut, Lebanon. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Al Ahed.-Home Ground of Clubs:The stadium is the home ground of:* Al-Ansar...
hosted soccer tournaments. The table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
tournaments were held in the Homenetmen Beirut club facilities, while Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut
Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut
Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut, also known as Riyadi Club and Sporting Club is a Lebanese Basketball club based in Raouché, Beirut where both men's and women's tournaments are held every year....
's arena hosted the female basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
competition. The Michel el-Murr Stadium in Bauchrieh held the judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
competitions and, further north, the Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
beaches hosted the beach volleyball
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
matches.
Cultural events were held in the UNESCO Palace and the Abou Khater and Béryte theaters at the Université Saint-Joseph
Université Saint-Joseph
Saint Joseph University is a private Catholic higher institute of education founded by the Jesuits in 1875 in Beirut, Lebanon, known for its school of medicine and its hospital, Hôtel-Dieu de France. The Lebanese state officially recognizes the university and the diplomas it grants in accord with...
in Beirut. The UNESCO Palace hosted the dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
and sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
competitions. The Abou Khater and Béryte theaters hosted the preliminary phases of literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
and song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
competitions. The final phase of these competitions took place in the Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center
Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center
The Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center is a large multi-purpose facility, in downtown Beirut. Lebanon's largest such complex, it hosts exhibitions , conferences, concerts and private events. It opened on 28 November 2001.British pop musician Phil Collins in 2005 took a part of a...
(BIEL) and at the Casino du Liban
Casino du Liban
Casino du Liban is a casino located in Maameltein, Jounieh in Lebanon and is 22 km north of Beirut.With an area of about 35,000 square meters, the casino has around 400 slot machines and 60 gaming tables. It has a showroom, night club, theater, banquet facility and five restaurants. The casino was...
.
Security
The Jeux de la Francophonie were held amidst the crisis of formation of the Lebanese government and ever-present fears of internal turmoil. The Interior Minister, Ziad BaroudZiad Baroud
Ziad Baroud is a Lebanese lawyer and prominent civil society activist. On May 26, 2011 he resigned from office as Minister of Interior and Municipalities in Saad Hariri's government. His resignation came after the developing conflict between Internal Security Forces and the Ministry of...
, affirmed that the Games would put Lebanon back on the world map and stressed that the country was capable of meeting all its commitments despite its domestic crisis. Security for the event was tight with thousands of soldiers and police deployed around the various venues and at the Lebanese University main campus that hosted the "Francophone Village" at the outskirts of Beirut where participants stayed. Prime minister-designate Saad Hariri
Saad Hariri
Saad-eddine Rafiq Al-Hariri is a Saudi-Lebanese billionaire who served as the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 2009 until 2011. He is the second son of Rafiq Hariri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister who was assassinated in 2005...
urged all the political parties to exercise restraint, describing the Games as important for the country's image.
Media coverage
The opening ceremony of the Games was transmitted live and was watched by a television audience of around 70 million spectators across the world.Participation
Approximately 3000 participants from 46 countries competed in the Games. Of these countries, 43 are full members of the International Organization of the Francophonie, two are associate members (ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
), and Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
was the sole observer nation in attendance. Furthermore, two participating governments (New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
) also competed.
| French Community of Belgium French Community of Belgium The French Community of Belgium is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. Although its name could suggest that it is a community of French citizens in Belgium, it is not... } } |
(host) |
Calendar
The 2009 Jeux de la FrancophonieJeux de la Francophonie
The Jeux de la Francophonie are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie, mostly French speaking nations, held every four years since 1989, partly as a counterweight to the Commonwealth Games.-Editions:-Sports:There were four sports...
, also known as VIèmes Jeux de la Francophonie, (French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for 6th Francophone Games) were held from September 27 to October 6 in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
Organization
The organization of the Jeux de la FrancophonieJeux de la Francophonie
The Jeux de la Francophonie are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie, mostly French speaking nations, held every four years since 1989, partly as a counterweight to the Commonwealth Games.-Editions:-Sports:There were four sports...
is entrusted by the local authorities of the hosting country to a national committee – the Comité National des Jeux Francophones (CNJF). The CNJF must organize and realize the games in conformity with the regulations and under the supervision of an international committee, the Comité international des Jeux de la Francophonie (CIJF). The CNJF particularly deals with hospitality and accommodation, local transportation, the press center, opening and closing events, medical service, safety issues, insurance, the promotion of its national territory, and finally the accreditation.
Costs
CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, a traditional supporter of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, regularly provides funding for the competition and in September 2009, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the federal government's relations with the governments of the provinces and territories of Canada...
and La Francophonie, Josée Verner
Josée Verner
Josée Verner, PC, is a Canadian politician. She represented the electoral district of Louis-Saint-Laurent in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2011 as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada...
, stated that Canada was contributing $1 million towards the costs of the Games.
Bid
LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
was chosen to host the sixth edition of the Jeux de la Francophonie during the 29th Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers (Conférence des ministres de la jeunesse et des sports) which took place in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
in March 2003.
Logo and mascot
The official logo featured a stylized image of a phoenixPhoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
depicted in the colors of the International Organization of the Francophonie. This logo was chosen by the Lebanese organizing committee (CNJF) as the symbol and mascot of the 2009 Games. The phoenix logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
was designed by Lebanese caricaturist Armand Homsi and was dubbed Cédrus following a contest organized by the CNJF in which Lara Akiki, a Lebanese citizen was awarded a prize for proposing the name for the mascot.
Venues
The Jeux de la Francophonie was held in a variety of venues throughout Lebanon. The Lebanese UniversityLebanese University
The Lebanese University is the only public institution for higher learning in Lebanon. Founded in 1951, it has 17 faculties as of 2006 and serves various cultural, religious, and social groups of students and teachers....
campus at Hadath hosted all the delegations and the participants in the campus' dorms. The University's sports facilities were used for training and the theaters hosted cultural events.
The centerpiece of the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie was the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium
Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium
Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium is a 47,799 capacity multi-purpose stadium in the Bir Hassan area of Beirut, Lebanon. It is Lebanon's largest stadium. The Sports City Stadium is currently used mostly for football matches and it also has athletics facilities. It was built in 1957 by the...
. It hosted the opening ceremony, as well as the finals of the athletics and soccer competitions. The boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
tournament was also held here, taking place in the stadium's Pierre Gemayel
Pierre Gemayel
Sheikh Pierre Gemayel , was a Lebanese political leader...
facility, but the other sports competitions were held elsewhere throughout the coastal cities in Lebanon. The Rafic Hariri Stadium in Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
and the Beirut Municipal Stadium
Beirut Municipal Stadium
Beirut Municipal Stadium is a 18,000 capacity multi-purpose stadium in Beirut, Lebanon. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Al Ahed.-Home Ground of Clubs:The stadium is the home ground of:* Al-Ansar...
hosted soccer tournaments. The table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
tournaments were held in the Homenetmen Beirut club facilities, while Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut
Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut
Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut, also known as Riyadi Club and Sporting Club is a Lebanese Basketball club based in Raouché, Beirut where both men's and women's tournaments are held every year....
's arena hosted the female basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
competition. The Michel el-Murr Stadium in Bauchrieh held the judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
competitions and, further north, the Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
beaches hosted the beach volleyball
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
matches.
Cultural events were held in the UNESCO Palace and the Abou Khater and Béryte theaters at the Université Saint-Joseph
Université Saint-Joseph
Saint Joseph University is a private Catholic higher institute of education founded by the Jesuits in 1875 in Beirut, Lebanon, known for its school of medicine and its hospital, Hôtel-Dieu de France. The Lebanese state officially recognizes the university and the diplomas it grants in accord with...
in Beirut. The UNESCO Palace hosted the dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
and sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
competitions. The Abou Khater and Béryte theaters hosted the preliminary phases of literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
and song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
competitions. The final phase of these competitions took place in the Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center
Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center
The Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center is a large multi-purpose facility, in downtown Beirut. Lebanon's largest such complex, it hosts exhibitions , conferences, concerts and private events. It opened on 28 November 2001.British pop musician Phil Collins in 2005 took a part of a...
(BIEL) and at the Casino du Liban
Casino du Liban
Casino du Liban is a casino located in Maameltein, Jounieh in Lebanon and is 22 km north of Beirut.With an area of about 35,000 square meters, the casino has around 400 slot machines and 60 gaming tables. It has a showroom, night club, theater, banquet facility and five restaurants. The casino was...
.
Security
The Jeux de la Francophonie were held amidst the crisis of formation of the Lebanese government and ever-present fears of internal turmoil. The Interior Minister, Ziad BaroudZiad Baroud
Ziad Baroud is a Lebanese lawyer and prominent civil society activist. On May 26, 2011 he resigned from office as Minister of Interior and Municipalities in Saad Hariri's government. His resignation came after the developing conflict between Internal Security Forces and the Ministry of...
, affirmed that the Games would put Lebanon back on the world map and stressed that the country was capable of meeting all its commitments despite its domestic crisis. Security for the event was tight with thousands of soldiers and police deployed around the various venues and at the Lebanese University main campus that hosted the "Francophone Village" at the outskirts of Beirut where participants stayed. Prime minister-designate Saad Hariri
Saad Hariri
Saad-eddine Rafiq Al-Hariri is a Saudi-Lebanese billionaire who served as the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 2009 until 2011. He is the second son of Rafiq Hariri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister who was assassinated in 2005...
urged all the political parties to exercise restraint, describing the Games as important for the country's image.
Media coverage
The opening ceremony of the Games was transmitted live and was watched by a television audience of around 70 million spectators across the world.Participation
Approximately 3000 participants from 46 countries competed in the Games. Of these countries, 43 are full members of the International Organization of the Francophonie, two are associate members (ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
), and Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
was the sole observer nation in attendance. Furthermore, two participating governments (New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
) also competed.
| French Community of Belgium French Community of Belgium The French Community of Belgium is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. Although its name could suggest that it is a community of French citizens in Belgium, it is not... } } |
(host) |
Calendar
|+Games calendar|- style="font-size:90%"
|bgcolor=#8ac23d| ||Opening Ceremony|| bgcolor=#02ade5| ||Event competitions|| bgcolor=#936baa| ||Event finals||bgcolor=#ee3333| ||Closing ceremony
|-
The 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
Jeux de la Francophonie
The Jeux de la Francophonie are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie, mostly French speaking nations, held every four years since 1989, partly as a counterweight to the Commonwealth Games.-Editions:-Sports:There were four sports...
, also known as VIèmes Jeux de la Francophonie, (French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for 6th Francophone Games) were held from September 27 to October 6 in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
Organization
The organization of the Jeux de la FrancophonieJeux de la Francophonie
The Jeux de la Francophonie are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie, mostly French speaking nations, held every four years since 1989, partly as a counterweight to the Commonwealth Games.-Editions:-Sports:There were four sports...
is entrusted by the local authorities of the hosting country to a national committee – the Comité National des Jeux Francophones (CNJF). The CNJF must organize and realize the games in conformity with the regulations and under the supervision of an international committee, the Comité international des Jeux de la Francophonie (CIJF). The CNJF particularly deals with hospitality and accommodation, local transportation, the press center, opening and closing events, medical service, safety issues, insurance, the promotion of its national territory, and finally the accreditation.
Costs
CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, a traditional supporter of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, regularly provides funding for the competition and in September 2009, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the federal government's relations with the governments of the provinces and territories of Canada...
and La Francophonie, Josée Verner
Josée Verner
Josée Verner, PC, is a Canadian politician. She represented the electoral district of Louis-Saint-Laurent in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2011 as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada...
, stated that Canada was contributing $1 million towards the costs of the Games.
Bid
LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
was chosen to host the sixth edition of the Jeux de la Francophonie during the 29th Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers (Conférence des ministres de la jeunesse et des sports) which took place in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
in March 2003.
Logo and mascot
The official logo featured a stylized image of a phoenixPhoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
depicted in the colors of the International Organization of the Francophonie. This logo was chosen by the Lebanese organizing committee (CNJF) as the symbol and mascot of the 2009 Games. The phoenix logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
was designed by Lebanese caricaturist Armand Homsi and was dubbed Cédrus following a contest organized by the CNJF in which Lara Akiki, a Lebanese citizen was awarded a prize for proposing the name for the mascot.
Venues
The Jeux de la Francophonie was held in a variety of venues throughout Lebanon. The Lebanese UniversityLebanese University
The Lebanese University is the only public institution for higher learning in Lebanon. Founded in 1951, it has 17 faculties as of 2006 and serves various cultural, religious, and social groups of students and teachers....
campus at Hadath hosted all the delegations and the participants in the campus' dorms. The University's sports facilities were used for training and the theaters hosted cultural events.
The centerpiece of the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie was the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium
Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium
Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium is a 47,799 capacity multi-purpose stadium in the Bir Hassan area of Beirut, Lebanon. It is Lebanon's largest stadium. The Sports City Stadium is currently used mostly for football matches and it also has athletics facilities. It was built in 1957 by the...
. It hosted the opening ceremony, as well as the finals of the athletics and soccer competitions. The boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
tournament was also held here, taking place in the stadium's Pierre Gemayel
Pierre Gemayel
Sheikh Pierre Gemayel , was a Lebanese political leader...
facility, but the other sports competitions were held elsewhere throughout the coastal cities in Lebanon. The Rafic Hariri Stadium in Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
and the Beirut Municipal Stadium
Beirut Municipal Stadium
Beirut Municipal Stadium is a 18,000 capacity multi-purpose stadium in Beirut, Lebanon. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Al Ahed.-Home Ground of Clubs:The stadium is the home ground of:* Al-Ansar...
hosted soccer tournaments. The table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
tournaments were held in the Homenetmen Beirut club facilities, while Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut
Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut
Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut, also known as Riyadi Club and Sporting Club is a Lebanese Basketball club based in Raouché, Beirut where both men's and women's tournaments are held every year....
's arena hosted the female basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
competition. The Michel el-Murr Stadium in Bauchrieh held the judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
competitions and, further north, the Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
beaches hosted the beach volleyball
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
matches.
Cultural events were held in the UNESCO Palace and the Abou Khater and Béryte theaters at the Université Saint-Joseph
Université Saint-Joseph
Saint Joseph University is a private Catholic higher institute of education founded by the Jesuits in 1875 in Beirut, Lebanon, known for its school of medicine and its hospital, Hôtel-Dieu de France. The Lebanese state officially recognizes the university and the diplomas it grants in accord with...
in Beirut. The UNESCO Palace hosted the dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
and sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
competitions. The Abou Khater and Béryte theaters hosted the preliminary phases of literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
and song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
competitions. The final phase of these competitions took place in the Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center
Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center
The Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center is a large multi-purpose facility, in downtown Beirut. Lebanon's largest such complex, it hosts exhibitions , conferences, concerts and private events. It opened on 28 November 2001.British pop musician Phil Collins in 2005 took a part of a...
(BIEL) and at the Casino du Liban
Casino du Liban
Casino du Liban is a casino located in Maameltein, Jounieh in Lebanon and is 22 km north of Beirut.With an area of about 35,000 square meters, the casino has around 400 slot machines and 60 gaming tables. It has a showroom, night club, theater, banquet facility and five restaurants. The casino was...
.
Security
The Jeux de la Francophonie were held amidst the crisis of formation of the Lebanese government and ever-present fears of internal turmoil. The Interior Minister, Ziad BaroudZiad Baroud
Ziad Baroud is a Lebanese lawyer and prominent civil society activist. On May 26, 2011 he resigned from office as Minister of Interior and Municipalities in Saad Hariri's government. His resignation came after the developing conflict between Internal Security Forces and the Ministry of...
, affirmed that the Games would put Lebanon back on the world map and stressed that the country was capable of meeting all its commitments despite its domestic crisis. Security for the event was tight with thousands of soldiers and police deployed around the various venues and at the Lebanese University main campus that hosted the "Francophone Village" at the outskirts of Beirut where participants stayed. Prime minister-designate Saad Hariri
Saad Hariri
Saad-eddine Rafiq Al-Hariri is a Saudi-Lebanese billionaire who served as the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 2009 until 2011. He is the second son of Rafiq Hariri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister who was assassinated in 2005...
urged all the political parties to exercise restraint, describing the Games as important for the country's image.
Media coverage
The opening ceremony of the Games was transmitted live and was watched by a television audience of around 70 million spectators across the world.Participation
Approximately 3000 participants from 46 countries competed in the Games. Of these countries, 43 are full members of the International Organization of the Francophonie, two are associate members (ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
), and Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
was the sole observer nation in attendance. Furthermore, two participating governments (New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
) also competed.
| French Community of Belgium French Community of Belgium The French Community of Belgium is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. Although its name could suggest that it is a community of French citizens in Belgium, it is not... } } |
(host) |
Calendar
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|bgcolor=#8ac23d| ||Opening Ceremony|| bgcolor=#02ade5| ||Event competitions|| bgcolor=#936baa| ||Event finals||bgcolor=#ee3333| ||Closing ceremony
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!September/October
!width=40px|26th
!width=40px|27th
!width=40px|28th
!width=40px|29th
!width=40px|30th
!width=40px|1st
!width=40px|2nd
!width=40px|3rd
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AthleticsAthletics at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
At the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie, the athletics events were held at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium from October 1 to October 6...
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BasketballBasketball at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
The basketball competition at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie was held between 28 September and 5 October. The events took place at the courts of Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut, in Lebanon. Romania won the competition overall, beating runners up Senegal in the final...
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BoxingBoxing at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
The men's boxing competition at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie took place between 29 September and 5 October. There were a total of 106 entrants competing in eleven different weight classes, following the classes that are contested in the Olympic boxing programme.-Medallists:-Medal...
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SoccerFootball at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
-Semi-finals:---------3rd Place:-----Final:-External links:*...
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Table tennisTable tennis at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
At the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie, the table tennis events were hosted at the club facilities of Homenetmen Beirut from 28 September to 4 October...
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Beach volleyballBeach volleyball at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
The men's and women's beach volleyball contests at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie were held between 28 September and 4 October. The venue for the competition was Byblos beach in northern Beirut. Canada and France were the men's and women's tournament winners respectively. The host, Lebanon,...
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!colspan=13|Cultural events
Cultural events at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie
Cultural events were held at the 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie between 27 September and 4 October. There were seven cultural competitions: song, storytelling, traditional inspiration dance, poetry, painting, photography and sculpture.-Calendar:...
|-style="font-size:90%"
| Song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
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| Storytelling
Storytelling
Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
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| Dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
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| Sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
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| Photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
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| Literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
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| Painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
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!Total Gold medals || 0 || 0 || 5 || 5 || 4 || 5 || 14 || 15 || 13 || 24 || 1 || 86
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Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony began with performances from the Internal Security ForcesInternal Security Forces
The Internal Security Forces – ISF or Forces de Sécurité Intérieure in French, are the national police and security force of Lebanon. Modern police were established in Lebanon in 1861, with creation of the Gendarmerie...
marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
, as well as military formation displays by Lebanese Army soldiers. The ceremony was attended by delegates from 44 nations, including French Prime Minister François Fillon
François Fillon
François Charles Armand Fillon is the Prime Minister of France. He was appointed to that office by President Nicolas Sarkozy on 17 May 2007. He served initially until 13 November 2010 when he resigned from being prime minister before a planned cabinet reshuffle.On 14 November 2010, Sarkozy...
, Prince Albert of Monaco
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
and Abdou Diouf
Abdou Diouf
Abdou Diouf was the second President of Senegal, serving from 1981 to 2000. Diouf is notable both for coming to power by peaceful succession, and leaving willingly after losing the 2000 presidential election to Abdoulaye Wade...
, Secretary General of the International Francophonie Organization (OIF). Lebanese President Michel Sleiman gave a welcoming speech praising Lebanon as a country that exemplifies the International Francophonie Organization's values of "solidarity, diversity and excellence"; and officially inaugurated the games in the presence of top Lebanese officials including caretaker Prime Minister
Caretaker government
Caretaker government is a type of government that rules temporarily. A caretaker government is often set up following a war until stable democratic rule can be restored, or installed, in which case it is often referred to as a provisional government...
Fouad Siniora
Fouad Siniora
Fuad Siniora is a Lebanese politician, a former Prime Minister of Lebanon, a position he held from 19 July 2005 to May 25, 2008 the date of the election of the new President of Lebanon; he was renominated to the post on 28 May 2008 and held the post as Acting President between those...
, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri
Saad Hariri
Saad-eddine Rafiq Al-Hariri is a Saudi-Lebanese billionaire who served as the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 2009 until 2011. He is the second son of Rafiq Hariri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister who was assassinated in 2005...
and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri
Nabih Berri
Nabih Berri is the Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon. He heads the mostly Shi'a Amal Movement.-Biography:He was born in Bo, Sierra Leone to Lebanese parents. He went to school in Tebnine and Ain Ebel in southern Lebanon and later studied at the Makassed and the Ecole de la Sagesse in Beirut...
.
The participants in the games paraded in the stadium preceded by their national colors; many teams dressed in traditional national costume
National costume
Folk costume expresses an identity through costume which usually to a geographic area or a period of time in history, but can also indicate social, marital and/or religious status...
s, and some danced to the background music that was specially composed by Lebanese artist Khaled Mouzannar. The flag bearer
Standard-bearer
A standard-bearer is a person who bears an emblem called an ensign or standard, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used as a formal, visual symbol of a state, prince, military unit, etc.This can either be an occasional duty, often seen as an honour , or a...
of the OIF was Maxime Chaya
Maxime Chaya
Maxime Edgard Chaya is a sportsman, mountaineer and explorer from Lebanon. On May 15, 2006, he was the first Lebanese to climb Mount Everest, completing the Seven Summits challenge...
, the first Lebanese mountaineer
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
to climb the Seven Summits
Seven Summits
The Seven Summits are the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. Summiting all of them is regarded as a mountaineering challenge, first postulated as such and achieved on April 30, 1985 by Richard Bass .-Definition:...
. Chaya's speech was followed by the formal athlete's and judge's oath.
An Arabic and Phoenician-style sound and light performance
Son et lumière (show)
Son et lumière , or a sound and light show, is a form of nighttime entertainment that is usually presented in an outdoor venue of historic significance....
followed; the performance was produced by Daniel Charpentier and featured 1200 musicians, dancers and performers enacting key moments in the cultural history of Lebanon
Culture of Lebanon
The Culture of Lebanon is the product of various civilizations and cultures that have passed through the country over thousands of years. Starting with the first inhabitants of Lebanon, the Phoenicians, the country was then subsequently conquered and occupied by the Assyrians, the Persians, the...
in the form of plays, songs and poetic recitals. The show revolved around a large 9000 square metres (96,875.2 sq ft) screen displaying Lebanon's six-millennium history from prehistory, the maritime Phoenician city states in Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
, Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
, Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
and Tyre, to the Roman period Baalbek
Baalbek
Baalbek is a town in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon, altitude , situated east of the Litani River. It is famous for its exquisitely detailed yet monumentally scaled temple ruins of the Roman period, when Baalbek, then known as Heliopolis, was one of the largest sanctuaries in the Empire...
relics, the later Arabic arts, and finally the modern and metropolitan Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
. Dance routines included a mass rendition of the traditional Lebanese dance, the Dabke
Dabke
Dabke is an Arab folk dance. It is popular in several Arab countries such as Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria,and Iraq. A line dance, it is widely performed at weddings and joyous occasions...
, as well as a troop of whirling dervishes and a contemporary dance performance, specially choreographed for the occasion. Lebanese singer Majida El Roumi
Majida El Roumi
Magida El-Roumi was born in Kfarshima, Lebanon, on December 13, 1956. She is a Lebanese singer and a soprano, who started her musical career in the early 1970s when she participated in the talent show, Studio El Fan on Télé Liban and won the gold medal for best female singer...
sang her homage to the capital city, "Ya Beirut", before being joined for a duet with Senegalese artist Youssou N’Dour. The music of world renowned Lebanese
Lebanese people
The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
composer Gabriel Yared
Gabriel Yared
Gabriel Yared is a Lebanese composer, best known for his work in French and American cinema.Born in Beirut, Lebanon, his work in France included the scores for Betty Blue and Camille Claudel. He later began working on English language films, particularly those directed by Anthony Minghella...
and Khaled Mouzannar accompanied the ceremony. A fireworks display marked the end of the official opening ceremony, followed by a concert by Youssou N'Dour.
Events
The 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie featured 13 competitions, 7 sport events and 6 cultural contests. CanadianCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
athlete Jared MacLeod broke the game's record in the 110 meters hurdles race, Yahya Berrabah
Yahya Berrabah
Yahya Berrabah is a Moroccan long jumper.He finished seventh at the 2002 African Championships. At the 2006 African Championships he finished eighth in the long jump and seventh in the triple jump. He won the gold medal at the 2008 African Championships...
from Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
scored both a game's and a national record in the men's long jump discipline. Ihab Al Sayed Abdelrahman from Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Lindy Leveau-Agricole
Lindy Leveau-Agricole
Lindy Brigitte Leveau-Agricole is a Seychellois javelin thrower. Her personal best throw is 57.86 metres, achieved in June 2005 in Victoria. This is the national record. She also holds national records in the shot put and discus throw.-Achievements:-References:*...
from the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
scored new games records respectively for men's and women's javelin throw and Manuela Montebrun
Manuela Montebrun
Manuela Montebrun is a female hammer thrower from France. Her personal best throw is 74.66 metres, achieved in July 2005 in Zagreb.-Achievements:-References:*...
from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
also broke the game record for women's hammer throw.
The Cypriot
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
women's basketball team which had won four matches was disqualified for exceeding the permitted number of naturalized
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
players.
Sports
- Athletics
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Beach volleyballBeach volleyballBeach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
- BoxingBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
- Football (soccer)Football (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
- JudoJudois a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
- Table tennisTable tennisTable tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
Cultural
- SongSongIn music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
- StorytellingStorytellingStorytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
- Traditional inspiration danceFolk danceThe term folk dance describes dances that share some or all of the following attributes:*They are dances performed at social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music or music based on traditional music....
- PoetryPoetryPoetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
- PaintingPaintingPainting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
- PhotographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- SculptureSculptureSculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
Medal count
| 1 | 23 | 9 | 17 | 49 | |
| 2 | 12 | 20 | 15 | 47 | |
| 3 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 24 | |
| 4 | 9 | 10 | 18 | 37 | |
| 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 14 | |
| 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | |
| 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | |
| 8 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 14 | |
| 9 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 12 | |
| 10 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | |
| 11 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | |
| 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 13 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 14 | |
| 14 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |
| 15 |  French Community of BelgiumFrench Community of Belgium The French Community of Belgium is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. Although its name could suggest that it is a community of French citizens in Belgium, it is not... |
1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 16 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |
| 17 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | |
| 18 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |
| 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | |
| 23 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 26 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 26 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 28 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 28 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 83 | 83 | 109 | 275 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Closing ceremony
The 2009 Jeux de la Francophonie games closing ceremony took place in BIEL, downtown Beirut, on 7 September. The festivities were opened with a classical concert led by conductorConducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
Harout Fazlian, followed by a folkloric
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
African music concert specially composed for the occasion. Eliya Francis and Cynthia Samaha interpreted Mozart's opera Bastien und Bastienne
Bastien und Bastienne
Bastien und Bastienne , K. 50 is a one-act singspiel, a comic opera, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart....
, and the following set by Canzone Napoletana
Canzone Napoletana
Canzone Napoletana, sometimes referred to as Neapolitan song, is a generic term for a traditional form of music sung in the Neapolitan language, ordinarily for the male voice singing solo, although well-represented by female soloists as well, and expressed in familiar genres such as the lover's...
was also interpreted by Francis. A large Zorba
Zorba
Zorba may refer to:*Zorba the Greek, a 1946 novel by the Greek author Nikos Kazantzakis**Zorba the Greek , a 1964 movie based on the novel**Zorba , a musical based on the novel and film...
ring preceded the concert of the Lebanese pop artist Ragheb Alama
Ragheb Alama
Ragheb Subhi Alama is a Lebanese singer, composer, television personality, and philanthropist. Alama began his career in the 1980s when he appeared as a contestant on the talent show broadcast Studio El Fan, on which he received the Platinum Award...
accompanied by belly dance
Belly dance
Belly dance or Bellydance is a "Western"-coined name for a traditional "Middle Eastern" dance, especially raqs sharqi . It is sometimes also called Middle Eastern dance or Arabic dance in the West, or by the Greco-Turkish term çiftetelli...
rs. The festivities ended with an electronic music event by the Franco Elektro competition winner DJ Rio Tony-T, who opened for Antoine Clamaran
Antoine Clamaran
Antoine Clamaran is a French house music artist and music remixer. Clamaran was born in Villeurbanne. In the early 90's, his local fame interested Maximum FM, the leading parisian dance radio station at that time. Impressed by his mixing gift, Clamaran gained a huge audience and started to be...