The Avenues brings Lebanon to Kuwait with 'Lubnanyat'

The event, first of its kind to be held in Kuwait, was inaugurated by Mr. Elie Marouni, the Lebanese Minister of Tourism, in a glittering ceremony attended by senior members from The Mabanee and The Avenues management. A large number of Kuwaiti citizens and residents were also present at the ceremony.

The opening gala also saw the resident Lebanese community in Kuwait enthusiastically turning up to witness the flavours, fragrances and feel of their home country being recreated in their favourite shopping mall.

Held under the patronage of the Lebanese Minister of Tourism, 'Lubnanyat' will feature a variety of cultural and entertainment programmes aimed to promote cross cultural understanding and co-operation between the communities in Kuwait and Lebanon.

"We are delighted to host 'Lubnanyat' as it provides us with an opportunity to familiarise the Kuwaiti public with the different aspects of Lebanese culture and its heritage. As a destination Lebanon is immensely popular in the GCC and Lebanese products are among the most sought after in Kuwait. 'Lubnanyat' will lead to greater cultural and commercial engagement between Kuwait and Lebanon,"

commented Steve Bunce, Mall Director of The Avenues.

"We are privileged to have Mr Elie Marouni amidst us to inaugurate 'Lubnanyat'. I want to specially thank our key sponsors including LG, Lexus, Al Watan Publishing, Holiday Inn Hotel, Mix FM, Idea Outdoor, Jazeera Airways and our partners Layla, Kababji, Café Blanc, Nazaer, LIK (Lebanese In Kuwait) and D1 Show for making this event a reality. Finally I would also like to thank Simone Fakhoury and Marwan Atallah from Middle East Airlines for their support on the discounted tickets,"concluded Steve

Visitors to the mall can experience Lebanese culture as reflected in its haute couture, culinary delights, music and art during the event. Famous Lebanese artists are flying in from Lebanon for live performances as part of the event and 10 prestigious haute couture creations from fashion designer Abed Mahfouz are on display in the mall.

'Lubnanyat' also has dedicated stands offering a taste of authentic Lebanese cuisine. Other attractions of the festival include cedar wood engraving, sand art, soap making and free photo opportunities for visitors who like to try out traditional Lebanese outfits.

Visitors to the mall can also enter a variety of competitions as part of the event. The prizes include return air tickets to Beirut and hotel stays for two couples.

The Avenues has earlier hosted a range of cross-cultural events including the 'Francofolly', which was Kuwait's first major French cultural and commercial event, and the 'Made in Italy' week held to promote Italian culture and products.