Beirut – September 2025
L’Orient-Le Jour successfully concluded its first-ever open-air festival, “Un vent de liberté”, which took place on September 12, 13, and 14 at the Beirut Hippodrome. Over three vibrant days, the event drew thousands of visitors and captivated the city with lively debates, inspiring talks, cultural exhibitions, and festive celebrations — firmly positioning Beirut once again as a hub of cultural exchange and free expression.
The festival brought together leading voices from across the world to reflect on pressing questions about politics, art, freedom of expression, artificial intelligence, and the future of our societies. Highlights included two major debates with former French President François Hollande, and Nawaf Salam, Prime Minister of Lebanon, as well as roundtables on activism, censorship, and AI; a debate competition with students from Saint Joseph University presented by Lebanese actor John Achkar; and an exhibition of 100 historic front pages of the newspaper.
“What we experienced over these three days went far beyond our expectations,” said Nayla de Freige, CEO of L’Orient-Le Jour. “The public showed up in great numbers and engaged with passion and optimism. This festival proved that Lebanon remains alive with culture, creativity, and the will to build a hopeful future.”
The festival site also featured family-friendly spaces, a children’s area with creative activities, and a lively dining village that added to the festive atmosphere and encouraged social interaction among visitors.
The emotional high point of the event was the much-anticipated concert by world-renowned trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf & The Trumpets of Michel-Ange — performing for the first time in Lebanon. Maalouf’s electrifying performance captivated the crowd and filled the air with joy and energy.
With its resounding success, the “Un vent de liberté” festival reaffirmed L’Orient-Le Jour’s commitment to the values that have guided it for a century: independence, free spirit, and creativity — showing that culture can bring people together even in challenging times.