Beirutis took the cancellations in stride and were out in full force at the recent “Nehna wel Amar wel Jiran” (“We and the Moon are Neighbors) festival held in Beirut’s trendy neighborhood of Mar Mikhael, from September 6 -8th. The three-day festival, founded by Collectif Kaharaba, featured contemporary dance, theater and musical performances that were interspersed with artistic “interventions”, either photo installations or video projections.

The festival was born in 2010, as a way for Collectif Kaharba, a Lebanese performing arts group that tours all over Lebanon, to connect with their neighbors.  A few of the group’s founding members had been living in the neighborhood of Mar Mikhael since 2007 and wanted to introduce the local community to their craft. [Link]