The Lebanon Water Festival Underwater Photography Contest 2018 will be held in Sarafand on the 15 and 16 September 2018. This year’s edition is organized in collaboration with many diving center stretching from north to south of Lebanon. Lebwf is the main organiser in collaboration with Dr Ibrahim Fawaz, marine life biologist from Sarafand, Antoine Abou Jaoude – Narcosis, Mohamad Sargi – Sidon Diving Academy, Antoine G Dayekh – C-Club Scuba Diving Academy, and Ali Samir El Mokdad – Aliens International Diving Academy. LebWF is pinning Sarafand on the map for tourism and water sports by introducing this exciting new location in the South of Lebanon as the official host for the Underwater Photography Contest 2018.
After meeting with the municipality and other key players, Lebanon Water Festival and Sarafand agree to a promising collaboration. “The Mayor of Sarafand Municipality, Ali Haidar Khal is very interested in the Lebanon Water Festival and its program” reports Mohamad Khalifeh, Deputy Mayor of Sarafand. Given that tourism in the region is currently slim and mostly local, the Lebanon Water Festival gives the opportunity to grow awareness around Sarafand depicting it as a beautiful coastal city with white sand beaches and rich underwater life. The LebWF has already grown cities like Tire, Enfeh and Rabbit Island in the past and is exited to start in a new beautiful location in the South.
Sarafand has a rich history that we can witness above and underwater. Many caves and phoenician ruins are buried in the sand, although a great part have been stolen or destroyed during the war. The municipality’s main objective, for the last few years has been in restoring the basic needs for its people, consequently the city’s budget was allocated to water, electricity, roads, sewers, schools, and medical needs. With the Lebanon Water Festival, Sarafand can start exploring new ways to grow and develop its tourism structures along the coast.
In the heart of Sarafand is the only remaining traditional hand blown glass factory in the country. The city also has a strong community of scuba divers and fisherman that dive deep to dig up the oceans hidden riches. This year for the first time, the Underwater Photography Contest is welcoming a great number of freedivers. However, the contest remains technically accessible allowing the use of all type of camera. International participants coming from Jordan and Turkey will be in attendance, bringing the contest to an international level.
This will be a first time in the history of Sarafand that photos will be taken underwater in their region. The Municipality, organizers and participants are extremely excited to discover new waters and bringing unveil images to the public eye. Mohamad Khalifeh explains “Sarafand stretches up to 150m above sea level, however we know we have a great deal of richness that remain underwater. We hope that with the Lebanon Water Festival we will have more information to help us progress”.
The Underwater Photography Contest is divided into three categories for both men and women combined: best ruins, macro, and wide angle. It will run over the course of two days: Saturday 15th September 2018 and Sunday 16th September 2018. Lebanon Water Festival is faithful to its mission to portray the treasures of our country, our coast, and our people. LebWF will unravel to the world the beauty of Sarafand, it’s unexplored and yet to be discovered virtues.