Beirut Hosts 'Best Party in Middle East' for New Year's Eve
SOURCE: THE DAILY STAR
BEIRUT: Beirut’s New Year’s Eve party kicked off in Downtown’s Nijmeh Square Monday and will continue until after midnight, with the capital’s mayor boasting it will be the “best party in the Middle East.”
“Beirut Celebrates 2019,” organized by the Beirut Municipality, will feature 11 singers and over 150 other performers, Beirut Mayor Jamal Itani told local news channel MTV.
“Entrance is free and it will be the best party in Lebanon and the Middle East,” he said.
According to a municipality statement released Saturday, the party is “the first of its kind in Lebanon, featuring a 360 degree stage that enables everyone to enjoy the performances.” Activities for children started at 4 p.m.
As party goers gear up across Lebanon, the Internal Security Forces has dispatched some 13,000 security personnel throughout the country, erected checkpoints and boosted its patrols near major highways.
Both the ISF and the Lebanese Army have urged citizens to refrain from celebratory gunfire, as stray bullets often result in the deaths of innocent bystanders.
Earlier Monday, MP Nazih Najem, the head of Parliament’s Public Works, Transportation, Energy and Water Committee, visited Beirut’s Traffic Management Center to oversee the New Year’s Eve preparations there.
In a statement released by Najem’s office, the MP commended those working at the center for their efforts and said he hoped “the night passes calmly.”
Najem stressed the importance of adhering to public safety laws, particularly warning against driving under the influence of alcohol and while using cellphones.
