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In the presence of the tourism minister, Avedis Guidanian, the head of the Tyre and South International Festival Committee, Randa Berri, announced yesterday the launch of the Tyre and South International Festival for 2019 from July 18 until July 20. Despite the dire economic situation in the country, Berri said, the Committee will not cop out this year, but will limit the event to two musical nights performed the Lebanese Arab singers, Rami Ayash and Melhem Zein. She pointed out that one year after the 2018 Festivals which took place at the Beaufort Castle, the Committee has to date not received any allocations from the ministry of tourism due to bureaucratic procedures and other factors. Due to the difficult economic conditions, she bluntly said the Committee is  facing the challenge of either withdrawing or staying steadfast in Tyre, the icon of victory and resurrection. Similarly, Guidanian stressed that the Tyre Festival is a key promoter for tourism, and therefore, holding the festival in a particular location has a prolonged effect. (Al Diyar, June 14, 2019)
 
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Funds earmarked for summer festivals may not be spent this year
 

In its issue of June 7, Al Akhbar newspaper shed light on a recent study by the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission affiliated with the National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS). The survey examined 63 samples of so-called ‘organic’ and non-organic products selected from three types of crops, namely oranges, grapes and cucumbers. The samples, Al Akhbar wrote, were collected during the summer of 2018 from the market or directly from organic farms across Lebanon and were tested for residues of some 73 pesticides certified by the ministry of agriculture. Results have shown that nearly 52.38% of the organic samples contained multi-pesticide residue and that 15% have exceeded the level allowed by the Codex Alimentarius internationally recognized standards (Food Code) and the European Union, Al Akhbar said. Also, some of the ‘organic’ agricultural products were highly contaminated with more than one type of pesticide. On the other hand, the study indicated that, around 73.33% of the non-organic crop samples contained insecticide residues, with 18.18% of these crops beating the level allowed by Codex and EU. According to the said survey, the main hitch facing non organic farming and farmers is their non-compliance with the specifications and conditions of the use of pesticides, in terms of quality, the quantity used and the time between spraying and harvesting. In conclusion, the study recommended endorsing the role of the ministries of agriculture and economy to monitor the sector and the need to spread awareness among farmers on the concept of organic farming. (More on the following link: : https://bit.ly/2I7qgpk). (Al Akhbar, June 7, 2019)
 

The minister of tourism, Avedis Guidanian, inaugurated the first edition of the Greek Festival at the historic Romanian Street in Jbeil, Byblos, June 7-10, in the presence of the Greek Ambassador to Lebanon, Francescos Verros, representing the Greek President, as well as the ambassador of Cyprus and Armenia. The director of the festival, Joseph Eid, underlined the cultural and touristic significance of the event. Likewise, Verros said the festival not only promotes Greek culture, food and wine in Lebanon, but it also strengthens tourism and cultural exchange between the two peoples of the Mediterranean countries. Guidanian, for his part, said the above initiative is a cornerstone for the already existing Lebanese-Greek relations, hoping the event will become an annual tradition. Recalling, the festival included 27 pavilions showcasing traditional Greek goods and folk music and dancing. (Al Diyar, June 9, 2019)