31 October 2011

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s prime minister and ministers teamed up Sunday with entertainers, including singers and artists to urge the Lebanese at home and abroad to vote heavily for the inclusion of Jeita Grotto on the list of the “New 7 Wonders of Nature,” stressing that voting is a national duty.

To highlight the significance the government attaches to this event, the Information Ministry launched Sunday a telethon aimed at encouraging the Lebanese to vote for the Jeita Grotto in the run-up to the Nov. 11 final voting day.

The legendary cave was visited Sunday by the country’s top politicians and renowned artists and singers of various sects who participated in the telethon.

Jeita Grotto, some 20 kilometers north of Beirut in the qada of Kesrouan, is one of 28 finalists in a global competition to name the “New 7 Wonders of Nature,” chosen by the public from 261 natural landmarks across the globe.

The ranking of the grotto remains unclear as no official count has been released by the organizers.

“We have an important international opportunity to show the world that our country has something unique. I call on all the Lebanese to vote heavily. This is a real national duty,” Prime Minister Najib Mikati told state-run Tele Liban television.

Mikati assured the Lebanese that the rate of the Lebanese voting for the Jeita Grotto is very high. “We are not far from winning,” he said. Mikati also said that the Cabinet will hold a special session soon to take major decisions aimed at promoting tourism.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel also appealed to the Lebanese to vote for Jeita Grotto when he visited the touristic site with his wife. “We have asked all the municipalities and security forces to vote for Jeita Grotto. I think all have responded to the appeal,” Charbel said. Calling Jeita Grotto “a miracle,” Charbel added: “I hope a second miracle will happen in this time of miracles by bringing the Lebanese together and uniting them.”

Information Minister Walid Daouk also urged the Lebanese to set aside their political differences and vote for Jeita Grotto to help Lebanon win the coveted listing.

“We are all for Lebanon today, for Jeita and the nation. We are full of hope because Jeita is truly one of the world’s wonders and everyone who has visited it knows this,” Daouk said in a statement from the grotto. He urged each citizen to vote more than once, saying the cost is very cheap.

Referring to the political divisions between the March 8 and March 14 parties, Daouk said: “Let’s forget today March 8 and March 14. Let’s be 11/11/2011” – a reference to the final voting day on Nov. 11.

“Let’s forget our differences and put them aside. We have to think only of Jeita which is above any other consideration. With determination and courage and the number of votes, we can win,” Daouk said.

He said the impact of Jeita Grotto’s win is very important for the country’s economy and politics. “It will put Lebanon on the political and international map,” Daouk said. “We are trying to mobilize all the people to vote. The army has cooperated and so did the Internal Security Forces and all [security] apparatuses and embassies,” Daouk added.

Lebanon’s singing icon Wadih Safi also visited Jeita Grotto along with a big number of Lebanese singers and artists, including singer Ragheb Alama and former Miss Lebanon Rahaf Abdallah.

Flanked by Daouk and other singers, Safi said: “The grotto is a symbol of beloved Lebanon. It is one of Lebanon’s several wonders. It is the country’s honor and pride and God willing, it will win against the entire world.”

Alama called for heavy voting for the grotto, saying this was “a national unity for each Lebanese to support his country’s touristic and civilized march.”

Last week, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah also appealed to the Lebanese to vote for Jeita Grotto.

Also, President Michel Sleiman, Mikati and Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud last week visited the grotto to urge Lebanese at home and abroad to cast their votes. During the visit, Sleiman stressed the need for road repair and promised to help the Jeita municipality boost its revenues in order to improve the road to the grotto.

Copyright The Daily Star 2011.