n lmn, n none, n xeine ot a thousand a worth experience an encounter, an element, an T to keepanamazingopennessandstrength for life. managed has situation, geopolitical its of spite in clashes, and tradition. Islam-Christianity Hyphen with theuntold andfraternity. stories offriendship left by many civilizations that passed by this land and imprinted way of finding the way back home following a the magical stones nor eyes. the with one… heard whisper a confidence, an academic book, a testimony, or political scientific a a nor one, religious not is Islam-Christianity Hyphen Druze*… we met, person each became With do. to thing hard a was behind them Leaving families. their to belonged we like felt we that everyone by received generously and warmly so been have people. exceptional T hint ofdepthwithmanyextra researches. itan sacredgive and journey myths, our flavor to landscapes, encounters; and spaces, people, images, of thousands throughout met we and in the by told stories many the share F F T F H F words… I traveled millennia of history, took a flood of pictures and met and pictures of flood a took history, of millennia traveled ace to face withtheothers, for we ourselves. keeplooking ace. or the time it takes to flip these pages, we wanted to we wanted pages, these flip to takes it time the or igure, element, forehead, part, angle… his is not a preface; it’s a face, an aspect, a figure, a forefront, a figure, a aspect, an face, it’sa preface; a not is his ruh h eight the hrough his bookisamultifaceted mirror. idden face, face, preserved two-faced… I t isaface that we chooseto show orhideinsociety. C t is the face of a country which, in spite of all the wars atholic, o rgos f eao, we Lebanon, of regions or mohafazats* I Sunni*, n each village, neighborhood, home, we home, neighborhood, village, each n reflects an oral and photographic and oral an reflects Diaspora of ; to capture rthodox*, Orthodox*, ia, Maronite*, Shiia*, I i a is t I t is a is t

the same debate is a heated one; in one; heated a is debate same the in issue; an still are kirpan the of carrying and headscarf the of wearing accommodations”, the “reasonable else: everywhere exist can example. an but is Lebanon to show, stories to illustrate andimagesto live. a pictures with again, journey the smile,weand feel starting like with events, some relive and live we told; stories the with identify but cannot We reality. a is coexistence criticism, and I know, to recognize, to learn… understand,to ability alwaystheir and was is beings human nature.togetherbyhuman knit T A link... A A bridge… A relation… A hyphen that creates areflection… thatA reflection becomes a hyphen. R When we come face to face, we look for a reflection of reflection a for look we face, ourselves… to face come we When We prefer shared memories, life stories, encounters and hopes. dialogues. these explain to inter-community or inter-personal multiculturalism isatrendy one… barrier between two worlds that are totally opposed but closely paradoxicala barrier”; the durablehyphenis humans between n spite of wars and conflicts, suspicions and mistrust, words mistrust, and suspicions conflicts, and wars of spite n he saces ol ue h wrs inter-religious, words the use would esearchers n invitation… F ec pe Pierre poet rench R vry ad te ot oi and solid most “the said everdy I n I f the hyphen is possible here, it here, possible is hyphen the f Q T ee, hr te eae of debates the where uebec, he hyphendifferenthe between C anada where the word the where anada translated by Sfeir Joëlle Nada Raphaël F ac where rance

7 Caza Batroun Batroun 50 km de Beyrouth | 50 km from 263 Many will wonder about the message of this book: book: this of message the about wonder will Many common. A taken precedent over past. dwelling onthehurtful has times happy for nostalgia and friends remained still have friends I with different politicaland religious backgrounds. A Hassan, and Mohammad, personalities Joëlle, as such faces, names familiar rediscovered we our experiences, environments; our through scanned we answer, an for Looking written by C A effects. their Orthodox of traces bares still and C identity the or religion money,involving of name the in massacres mention to F destination to beavoided. and national media. of news international headlines the made Lebanon war, 2006 the With curiosity, ofracism, andsoon. victims of objects exotic, terrorists, became suddenly we immigrants, Once S York looklikeBeirut!” How many timeswe wanted to scream, “No!” Many described chaos. journalists of depictions in heard we fear. F of ElR singer Majida voice vibrant the through hearts their in carried have One N towhile presenting theworld? ourcountry a having without Lebanon about bias? political talk to even possible it is How political and sectarian views are expressed in it, in spite of its title? its of spite in it, in expressed are views sectarian and political this israrely demonstrated andpoliticallife. inLebanese history if even it, mean really they well, along get they say people Lebanese intercommunityinterpersonalrelationships Muslim and have in little (see other each (ert Msrs o teWrd e ofs bfr the before confess We World! the of Mistress wahed (Beirut, naatarifou…”al Allah amam Naatarifou Beirut! ya dounia el sit ya Beirut ya n spite of all the hatred, wars, conflicts, encounters on battlefields, on encounters conflicts, wars, hatred, the all of spite n or many centuries, wars, destruction, separations and killings, not killings, and separations destruction, wars, centuries, many or and war only has Beirut and Beirut, to limited is Lebanon many, or pebr 1 2001. 11, eptember uaes and rusaders faf, te anthropologist the s alawites* and others -they have all been, at some point, at war with warpoint,at some athave been, -they all alawites*others and izar S G C abbani, a Qabbani, ylvie, utes “ ountless d)- pe ta tosns f epe rud h world the around people of thousands that poem od…)--a Grégoire, Greeks,* T u, t s ey motn t udrtn ta we the when that understand to important very is it hus, A arla E arla nne, and many others -friends from all walks of life and life of walks all from -friends others many and nne, w a w pt sd or mtos n prejudice and emotions our aside put we can How O R my Oh eao ad t cmuiis a itrcl overview historical a communities: its and Lebanon S dde at theendofbook). oumi. mn, Byzantines, omans, tmn* Lbnn a wtesd l o these of all witnessed has Lebanon ttomans*… Natasha, yrian, Muslim and Muslim yrian, unnis,* Maronites,* Sunnis,* S T eptember 11 by saying, “ saying, by 11 eptember i dt cagd h cus o or history. our of course the changed date his G A d i los ie ert” omns have comments Beirut!” like looks it od, T d Knfn-aa pt it, puts Kanafani-Zahar ida T he country was, yet again, a dangerous a again, yet was, country he arek, arek, ussein, Leyla, Philippe, Leyla, Hussein, salh Pamela, Nasrallah, F eminist poet wrote: “ poet eminist A A Greek rabs, rmenians,* C nda and anadian F C T ac, Mameluks,* rancs, atholics,* e tet of streets he hiias,* Latins,* Shiias,* w oe no come How A abdo, Christian- A Christine, Ya Beirut, hristian Christian Druzes,* merican merican New Elsa,

national identity often ignored often national identity by historians andthemedia. a express and cohere to order in landscapes stunning and worship of places history, country’s the of discovery our share to wanted We andChristians.Muslims between dialogue of forms the informationabout provides scholarly and Badine Chrabieh O O Enjoy thetrip! E D D T T keep, these “Lil ‘assaf ” that theyallshared. along”get or village”the “left to chose we these or myfamily”; “killed with ‘assaf“Lil began that comments many heard Wemarriages. interreligious and fraternity,of experiences transformedintofriendship weremagically they shared, were feelings these once yet views; extremist and and fear distrust of feelings expressed people them), of all mention to I no te ok ad e oe o wl nt lo yu scain or sectarian your political biasedbeliefswhat you twist seeorread. allow not still will you you hope we hope and we book, the views, enjoy personal your to contrary or disturbing in theworld. a of promise the carry friendship, oreven love. to lead can hatred where hotels; star five brand-new to next stand destroyedbuildings clashes,wherewarby daily to lead antagonisms researches two (see academical research academic and here, illustrated are legends and pilgrimages* votive narratives, popular testimonies, Many Lebanon. in life of side gentler the show to intended are but wry, nor sarcastic we stories the be to of meant not are that some strips -comic smile us made that told strips, were of comic form the in you, hearts. our offer We captured that landscapes magnificent we the churches and and visited, mosques temples, villages, the met, we people religiousviews.many the of facesWe you,photos,throughthe bring Islam-Christianity Hyphen as impartial as be to possible best our did we least at -or aside prejudices discover and share what they heard and saw in order to religious backgrounds who have done their best to discuss,create examine, this book. n more than 1050 villages (unfortunately, the pages were not enough ven if you might find some images or testimonies shocking, or testimonies images some find might you if ven his is a trip throughhis isatrip ignored orforgotten hyphens. where contradictions, of full country a through trip a is his ear reader, encounter we relationships the scars, the and bruises the espite ur only purpose was to gather and unite people, putting our own our putting people, unite and gather to was purpose only ur and political different from people of composed is team ur (unfortunately), (unfortunately), Ziyârât “visits of saints” of “visits Ziyârât * in Lebanon and elsewhere Lebanonand mouchtarakaaychin * is a book stripped of all overt political or political overt all of stripped book a is y Pamela by Dialogues Islamic-Christian hristians, Muslims and Muslims Christians, by Nour F ruzes* don’tDruzes* arra Haddad)

11

l’écouter… plus savent ne qui générations nouvelles aux passé du l’écho rapporte et écoute l’est à montagne La fertile. et verte plaine du l’histoire murmure vent le et raconte pierre La plusieurs raisons. Si nousavons choisidenous arrêter icietnon pas là,c’est pour affables. et chaleureux accueillants, rester su ont entier, pays du ceux comme région, la de habitants les malheurs, leurs soient que » morceau… un manger Venez! café un prendrePassez rencontres. magnifiques eux-mêmes. Libanais les par ignorés souvent trop sites C nous allionsdansleA économique. pauvreté C du villages Les questions et ceux qui nous en ont posé : « Vous venez d’où ? d’où venez Vous « : posé ont en nous qui ceux et questions nos à répondu ont qui ceux chemin, le indiqué ont nous qui ceux ; habitants ses avec ; l’urbanisation par encore intouchés paysages en paysages, de collines en collines, nous avons fait de que fièrement annoncions nous lorsque grande sa apeurés de cause ou à Libanais vestiges des bien chrétienne, par mamelouks*… dédaignée l’ère croisés, avant byzantins, ans romains, 2000 phéniciens*, de datant nur à rvr le travers à onduire et n rgo mlerueet éone et méconnue malheureusement région une ’est A ka sn rce e hsor : tombeaux : histoire en riches sont akkar akkar ! akkar nu a ems e éovi des découvrir de permis a nous caza* Q e e omnars sarcastiques commentaires de ue A e ds éos pittoresques, décors des vec A akkar à la à akkar Q uels D e

warm andfriendly. as those of the entire country, knew how to remain welcoming, Whatever their misfortunes, inhabitants of the region, as much from?you themselves. Lebanese the by ignored the through Driving were goingthere! poverty. economic great S its of because Lebanese many by past. A R T hownew generations to whonolongerknow listen… wind. the and stones T nones pcueqe adcps utuhd by untouched are us: “Where asked who those and questions, our answered landscapes, magnificent experienced urbanization; picturesque its inhabitants; those who showed we us the way and hill, to encounters: hill from landscape, ombs dating back to 2000 years B.yearsC.E 2000 to back dating ombs he story of arcastic comments rained on us as soon as we announced we and Byzantine empires, the empires, Byzantine and oman ll are scattered in the region, making it rich of a long forgotten S adly, C ome and have a coffee with us! coffee with havea and ome A A akkar is poorly known and negatively perceived negatively and known poorly is akkar akkar’s green and fertile plain is whispered by the T Maqam AabedEl Srar NabiBarri, *, we discovered sites too often often too sites discovered we caza*, he mountains in the in mountains he C rusades, the Mamluks*… Mamluks*… the rusades, , remains of Phoenician, of remains , F o lnsae to landscape rom hare our lunch…”our Share ast passes on to on passes East

15 CHEIKH TABA 111 km de Beyrouth, 220 m d’altitude | 111 km from Beirut, 220 m in altitude 33 BAALBECK-HERMEL

« Le temps n’a pas changé les choses. Chaque fois que je ”Time has not changed things. Every time I return to the retourne au village, tout le monde vient me rendre visite. Les village, everyone comes to visit me. The Muslims ask me for musulmans me demandent des conseils sur leur vie. L’été advice about their lives. Last summer, a Muslim from the village dernier, par exemple, un musulman du village est décédé. En died. As a Christian, I respected the fact of not being able to tant que chrétien, je respectais le fait de ne pas pouvoir être be too close to the burial place. Still, the sheikh* insisted I stay près du caveau. Le cheikh* a insisté pour que je reste parmi eux among them and invited me to pray by his side, right in the et m’a invité à prier à ses côtés au sein même de la mosquée. » heart of the mosque.”

Devant l’église : Diwane, Monseigneur Simon, Père Hanna et Père Johnny In front of the church: Diwane, Monseigneur Simon, father Hanna and Father Johnny 94 Caza Baalbeck BAALBECK 85 km de Beyrouth, 1170 m d’altitude | 85 km from Beirut, 1170 m in altitude 73 Caza Baalbeck RAS BAALBECK 114 km de Beyrouth, 925 m d’altitude | 114 km from Beirut, 925 m in altitude

Ancien puits au couvent de Saydet Ras Baalbeck vénéré par les chiites*. D’après le Frère Asfar, ces derniers croient que la tête de l’Imam Hussein* y est enterrée. Old well in Saydet Ras Baalbeck convent worshiped by the Shiias*. According to Brother Asfar, they believe that the head of the Imam Hussein* lies inside the well.

Dans le monastère de Ras Baalbeck, construit au XVIe siècle sur l’emplacement d’un sanctuaire byzantin lui-même élevé sur le site d’un temple romain, il reste une chapelle qui conserve encore une icône miraculeuse de la Saydé*. « En 1917, un incendie s’est déclenché dans la chapelle. Tout a brûlé sauf la photo de la Vierge dont seulement un coin aurait noirci. Lorsque les prêtres ont retiré l’icône pour en mettre une autre, In the Saydet Ras Baalbeck monastery built in the 16th century plus récente, l’originale a retrouvé sa place le lendemain, par on the site of a Byzantine sanctuary, which is itself built on a miracle. » Roman temple site, a chapel of the byzantine period remains and holds an icon of the miraculous Sayde*. “In 1917, a fire broke out in the chapel. Everything burned down except the icon of the Virgin, of which only a corner was blackened. When the priests withdrew the icon to put in another more recent one, the original was found at its place in the morning.” 105 Caza Koura KEFRAYA 69 km de Beyrouth, 240 m d’altitude | 69 km from Beirut, 240 m in altitude

Aziz El Khoury et Wajih Chalak Wajih Chalak et Aziz El Khoury sont amis depuis plus de 50 ans. « Au décès de ma femme, Aziz recevait les condoléances avec moi et ma famille. Nos grands-pères, l’un maronite* et l’autre Wajih Chalak and Aziz El Khoury have been friends for more sunnite*, sont morts ensemble, frappés par la foudre. » than 50 years. “At my wife’s death, Aziz received condolences with my family and me. Our grandfathers, one Maronite,* and Kefraya, c’est la passion de la dabké* et des femmes pour Wajih the other Sunni,* died together, struck by lightning.” qui a plus de 75 ans. Il se qualifie de « Hajj* sport et moderne » qui n’aime pas que les femmes se voilent. D’ailleurs, « lorsque Wajih, more than 75 years old, is all about passion for Dabké* mes petites-filles, adolescentes et jeunes femmes, ne sont pas and women. He calls himself a “sporty and modern Hajj*” assez à la mode, je leur somme de faire un peu plus d’efforts… who does not like women to be veiled. Moreover, “when J’ai rencontré une femme voilée un jour qui était choquée my granddaughters, teenagers and young women, are not de voir mes petites filles s’habiller à la mode d’occidentale. fashionable enough, I implore them to make a little more Elle m’a demandé comment, un Hajj* comme moi, ayant fait effort. I met a veiled woman one day who was shocked to son pèlerinage à la Mecque, acceptait que ses petites-filles see my grand-daughters dressed in what she saw as Western s’habillent à la mode. Je me suis énervé et je l’ai tout de suite fashion. She asked how, as a Hajj* having done a pilgrimage remise à sa place. Je ne l’ai plus jamais revue », dit-il en éclatant to Mecca, I could accept this. I got irritated and put her back in de rire. Malgré son bras cassé, Wajih se lève et met de la musique her rightful place. I never saw her again,” he says, bursting into traditionnelle pour honorer notre présence. Il danse quelques laughter. Despite his broken arm, Wajih decides to get up and pas de dabké en riant aux éclats et, mi-figue mi-raisin, nous put on a bit of traditional music to better welcome us. He does demande si on est mariées ou si on a envie de boire un peu a few Dabké* steps and enigmatically asks us if we are married, d’alcool. Pour lui, l’alcool est important dans la vie à condition or if we feel like drinking some alcohol. For him, alcohol is an de ne pas trop en abuser. important part of life, as long as it is not consumed in excess. 313