BEIRUT - The Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA) inaugurated its cultural gatherings’ program “LESARTS En Liberté”, which will take place from Thursday 9 till Saturday 25 October 2008, with a photography exhibition by the Lebanese Artist Saër Karam, entitled “Paris-Beirut/Beirut-Paris”. The opening of the exhibition took place in the gardens of the ESA, Clemenceau Street, on Thursday 9 October at 6.00 p.m., in the presence of eminent personalities from the political, diplomatic, economic, cultural, artistic and business fields.

After playing both the Lebanese and French national anthems, Mr. Ourset, General Director of the ESA, delivered an opening speech in which he stressed the important role that the ESA plays in the artistic field. Since its beginning, the ESA has been highly involved in the promotion of the Lebanese art and culture, as revealed by Mr. Ourset. This commitment conveys, according to Mr. Ourset, an institutional philosophy and an enterprise culture. In fact, the ESA aims, through its various initiatives in the artistic field, to work on the individual perception and to make the people think about the importance of both the intellectual and cultural aspects in the community life.

Then, Mr. Ourset gave the word to the artist Saër Karam, who explained the vision behind the theme “Paris-Beirut/Beirut-Paris”. Saër Karam wished, through his photographic pieces, to be the architect of an exhibition that displays in parallel, through images, Paris, the city of lights, and Beirut, the eternal city and its paradoxes. According to him, the kinetics of the photos exhibition revolves around three themes, on three different geographical axes, highlighting the specificities of Paris, then those of Beirut, to end up by revealing their similarities. Through this exhibition, Saër Karam, reveals, his own way, a vision of two cities he loved, through emotions resulting from an existence he shared in two different places and two different cultures.

Following the two speeches, the exhibition was officially opened to the public, queen to take part in the first event of the series of gatherings entitled “LESARTS En Liberté”. The event was followed by a cocktail reception.

The “Paris-Beirut/Beirut-Paris” exhibition is the first event in a series of cultural gatherings due to take place under the umbrella of “LESARTS En Liberté” as follows:

Opera Film Festival, on Tuesday 14, Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 October 2008: This event will witness the screening of three classical masterpieces in the exceptional park ambiance of the ESA campus: “Don Giovanni” of Mozart, on Tuesday 14 October 2008 at 8.00 p.m., “Carmen” of Georges Bizet, on Wednesday 15 October at 8.00 p.m.; and “Otello” of Verdi, on Friday 16 October 2008 at 8.00 p.m.

A paintings exhibition for BankMed From Monday 20 till Saturday 25 October 2008: BankMed will publicly display for the first time, paintings of Mr. Charles Belle and Mr. Paul Guirgarossian, part of the bank’s rich patrimony of master pieces.

A poetry evening with musical accompaniment on Tuesday 21 October 2008 at 7.00 p.m.: The Lebanese poet Abbas Beydoun will recite during this evening some of his best poetries, accompanied by musical pieces played by the duo, Mr. Han Schaaper on the clarinet and Sybille Schaaper on the flute. The French poet Serge Pey will present as well a piece of poetry accompanied by Chiara Mulas, outstanding video director and performer.

Piano concert by the pianist Pierre Doueihy on Saturday 25 October 2008 at 8.00 p.m.