withstanding the devastation of war, Lebanon has reemerged as a cultural capitol in the Arab world. Known by many as “The Paris of the Middle East,” Day headed to Beirut, Lebanon after her semester in Cairo. With plans to fulfill her dreams of becoming a foreign correspondent, Da

y arrived in Beirut just a week after Lebanon’s elections in search of post-election violence. Working as a broadcast intern, Day got a taste of what it would be like to work in the foreign bureau of an international television news agency.

“Fortunately, there was very little violence in comparison to most Lebanese elections throughout history,” Day explained. “But Beirut is crazy: you could hear sirens and see tanks stabilizing one side of town, while the Lebanese went out and partied on the other side. It’s a crazy culture!”

Wealthy Arabs from the Gulf often escape the heat by summering in this gorgeous Eastern Mediterranean paradise. “The first night we arrived, we stayed out all night people-watching until the sun rose. It is undoubtedly the most beautiful place to which I’ve ever traveled.”

By May, Day was anxious to escape the oppressive summer heat of Egypt. Arriving in Beirut, Day said it exceeded all expectations she had for the city. “There were men and women dancing on tables, the clubs were all incredible with some of the biggest DJs, even walking down the street, everyone was dressed to the nine and driving luxury sports cars,” she laughed. “I was so impressed to see the country’s resilience after its brutal history and recent instability.”

Lebanon was the scene of some of the world’s bloodiest and most gruesome Cold War battles. A relatively new country, carved out of Syria by colonial powers, Lebanon’s national identity was weak with Cold War and regional powers dividing its sectarian population of Sunni and Shia Muslims, Christians, and a small minority of Jews against one another.

Resulting from this turmoil, Beirut is home to the Arab world’s 9/11, Day explained. Known as the Sabra and Shatila Massacres, this tragedy resulted in the death of over 2,000 civilians in just two day. During the Lebanese Civil War, the Phalangists, the Christian militia group of Lebanon, avenged the assassination of their leader, Bashir Gemayel, by attacking these two civilian Palestinian refugee camps. Israeli forces, occup

ying Beirut at the time, were implicated in the massacre, surrounding the camps with their tanks, securing access for the Phalangists.

“When I came to the Middle East a year prior, I had barely heard of these massacres,” reflected Day. “My Arabic teacher in Jordan, a Palestinian woman, burst into tears when I told her I was unfamiliar with the story.”

“This woman had wept after 9/11 happened to the United States, and it breaks my heart to know that so few Americans have any awareness of the Arab equivalent.”

Day intends to work with Christian and Jewish campus groups to host a screening of the film, Waltz With Bashir, an award-winning documentary, written and produced by Israeli filmmakers who had served in Beirut during this time. Lastly, Day would like to include that she recommends Beirut as her “#1 place to travel if you want to check out the Middle East, especially as a woman.” For more information about Sabra or Shatila or to hear more about Day’s experience in Beirut, email atday@wisc.edu.

BY RACHEL COHEN