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a day ago
- Business
- Web Release
Spinneys and Rebirth Beirut Light Up Hamra Street
As part of the ongoing 'Let's Light Up Our Community' initiative, Spinneys, in collaboration with Rebirth Beirut, the Beirut Development Committee, and the Hamra Traders Association, lit up the main Hamra Street in the heart of Beirut on the evening of Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 7:30 PM, in front of the Spinneys – Hamra branch. The event opened with a speech by the Founder and President of Rebirth Beirut, Mr. Gaby Fernaine, who welcomed the attendees and praised the resilience of Beirut's residents and their determination to hold on to hope despite all circumstances. He emphasized that this spirit is what drives the association to continue its work. In his speech, he said: 'Every Light we turn on is a new point of hope for this city, and every street we illuminate is one step closer to the beautiful Beirut we love and dream of.' He added that this initiative, which began in May 2022 in collaboration with Medco, has so far succeeded in lighting 152 streets, 11 main avenues, 4 squares, 2 gardens, 2 staircases, and a tunnel in the capital—stressing that the work will continue and will not stop. On this occasion, Mr. Hassan Ezzeddine, Chairman of Spinneys Lebanon, delivered a speech in which he emphasized the importance of partnership between the private sector and civil society. He praised the 'Let's Light Up Our Community' initiative for helping revive the life pulse of the capital's streets and reaffirmed the company's commitment to supporting such developmental and humanitarian projects. Beirut Governor Judge Marwan Abboud also spoke, highlighting the vital role of civil society, especially Rebirth Beirut. He noted that such initiatives genuinely contribute to helping Beirut recover. He stated: 'Today we witness how determination and belief in the city can truly bring about real change.' The event saw remarkable attendance, including official, municipal, and civil figures, most notably Governor Judge Marwan Abboud, newly elected Municipal Council President Mr. Ibrahim Zeidan and council members, along with members of the association's board of trustees, representatives from the Hamra Traders Association, the Beirut Development Committee, civil society organizations, friends and supporters of the street, and representatives from Lebanese media outlets who covered the event and helped convey its message. The association extended special thanks to Mr. Malek Hejazi for his initiative and on-ground support of the project since day one, and to Ms. Michèle Chammas Gharzouzi, Chief Innovation Officer at Medco, who has been a key partner in this initiative. At the conclusion of the event, Rebirth Beirut announced that its next stop will be lighting up the airport road—from the ESCWA building to the Middle East Airlines (MEA) headquarters—as part of a comprehensive project approved by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, in coordination with the Governor of Beirut and relevant municipalities, and under the patronage of MEA. The project is expected to be completed within approximately one month. Rebirth Beirut continues its mission of lighting the streets of the capital, one by one—reviving hope and restoring life to a city that never loses its spark.
L'Orient-Le Jour
02-05-2025
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Interior Ministry bans motorcycles, enforces electoral silence ahead of municipal elections
The Interior and Municipalities Minister in Lebanon issued a decision on Thursday to ban the movement of motorcycles across all Lebanese regions in conjunction with the municipal elections taking place in the relevant governorates. Additionally, the Ministry released a circular regarding the enforcement of the electoral silence period. The state-run National News Agency reported the decisions on Thursday. The Interior Ministry also issued a circular regarding the electoral silence period. The circular states that "an electoral silence period is enforced starting midnight on the day preceding the elections and continuing until the closure of the ballot boxes. During this period, all media outlets are prohibited from broadcasting any direct electoral advertisements or campaigns, except for unavoidable sound or images that may appear during live coverage of the electoral process. On election day, media coverage is limited to reporting on the conduct of the electoral process only." The last municipal elections in Lebanon were held in 2016, and councils were elected for six years. The election has since been postponed three times, in 2022, 2023 and 2024. As a result, a significant number of municipal councils have resigned or are unable to effectively perform their duties due to a lack of financial and human resources. In February, Beirut's governor, Marwan Abboud, decided to ban motorcycles from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. within Beirut's administrative area. The governor's decision followed an increase in robberies and pickpockets in Lebanon, often carried out using motorcycles.
