Exploring Lebanon's Multifaceted Cultural Landscape

Culture is viewed as a way of life for most around the world. Culture is what gives meaning to any country or group of people. Every countriescountry'sarea culture is changing ever so slowly over the years to adapt to the new times however, most countries and cultures keep the same staple values which isareMerriam-Webster based on their morals. Culture is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.

” Lebanon is a country full of culture. There are similarities and differences between the United States and Lebanon but throughout this paper, I will be digging deeper into the culture of Lebanon.

Geographically Lebanon borders both Syria and Israel. Lebanon is a country full of Culture yet has lacked stability as the government is still working hard to fight corruption. Lebanon is a country with a multi-religion populous. In these areas of the world, the geographical borders often rely on religious differences to dictate where those borders are.

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This has always been a source of discord for Lebanon and its people. Most recently they went through a civil war in the 1970s. This particular article stated that “A tired Lebanon emerged in the early 1990s. Under the Ta'if agreement the civil war ended, the Christians lost some of their political power, and a new government of technocrats came into power with reconstruction highest on its agenda.” (Lebanon. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Lebanon.html)

The people of Lebanon predominantly speak Arabic.

Lebanon also has quite the history and it wasn’t always easy for them to be on their own and live the culture that they wanted to set forth and emplace in their people. World War II was rough on Lebanon, they were placed under a French mandate after the war. This caused them to have the only government in the middle east with a strong Christian presence. Ultimately this led to Lebanon’s civil war. The war started in 1975 and lasted 15 years. The war produced a staggering 150,000 lives and injured over 300,000 people. This war still has a lasting effect on Lebanon and will continue to do so. History is powerful and has a lasting effect on countries. (Gaub, F. (n.d.). MURAD SEZER/AP/SIPA Lebanon’s civil war: Seven lessons https://www.iss.europa.eu/sites/default/files/EUISSFiles/Alert_21_Lebanon_civil_war.pdf)

Most of Lebanon’s population lives in these 3 cities Beirut, Tripoli, and Sidon. These cities are densely populated and most of the public lives in apartments. The styles are mixed with Italian, European, and Arabic. The infrastructure hasn’t had much updating in the last decade or so. Lebanon is still trying to focus on repairing some of the damage done in the late 80s. A lot of their interior decorating has a very western feel and influence. Lebanon is about 60% Muslim and 40% Christian. Lebanon is one of the more diverse countries in the middle east when it comes to religion. Having a near split between Muslim and Christian beliefs has been the main issue throughout the country and in their recent history. Arabic is the official language of Lebanon however, most of the population are either fluent in English or French as well. There is a law in place that states when French will be able to be spoken when talking about government business amongst politicians.

Lebanon has had a mixed government for years. In the united states, civil war the w to have a law in place that will always separate religion from the government which sadly just is not the case in most other countries. Lebanese law is based on the French Napoleonic law. A result of this law is that people rarely take the law into their own hands in Lebanon. The crime rate is very low and will continue to have a low crime rate as long as these statutes remain in effect. Their military endured a big divide during the civil war due to religious differences. They are currently rebuilding their military and attempting to modernize it along with their technology. Their culture is evolving with modernization like the rest of the world. They are leaning heavier on technology than ever before.

The Lebanese culture can be different from most countries. The way that they greet one another is very personable and is not meant to be rushed in no way, shape, or form. When greeting one another in the street they are expected to ask about their family, work, and health.

A greeting should often start with a warm and welcoming smile saying the words “Marhaba”. Marhaba means God is love. These are the words spoken in almost every greeting. The one thing about Lebanese communication is that they are very touchy-feely. They prefer to have direct eye contact throughout their time communicating with one another. It is a sign of respect that someone desires arearves your direct attention. Lebanese people also take dinners and social gatherings very seriously. They rarely dress casually during these events. They are well dressed and come to impress when it comes to these events. (Home. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/lebanon-guide).

The biggest conflict in Lebanon has unfortunately been their civil war. The catastrophic number of casualties and to include the economic setback that they have endured. The strength of their government is hard to find as they are still split down the middle when it comes to their religious preferences. They are still stabilizing as a country and are attempting to recover the hearts and minds of their people. It is not easy having a mash of multiple religions in one set form of government as the united states are just now experiencing what this is like. Stability has been hard to come by for Lebanon however they are making advances in their economy and political scene.

Lebanon has been through devastation however, they are making major improvements in every someone's that they need to. Their economic system still needs a drastic amount of work. The war pretty much destroyed the middle class and the line between the poor and rich has widened drastically. The economy is beginning to build and the government is working on rebuilding the middle class. In closing, Lebanon has had a rough history as most countries do however, their history is more recent than most countries. Their civil war just ended 28 years ago. The culture is changing in Lebanon and I am looking forward to seeing what else they have in store.