Abadiyeh's foremost produce — followed by the pine tree and its manifold uses.
The Cooperative Section: the message of cooperation in pictures, figures, and models.
The Women's Pavilion: His Excellency the President and the public admired the handwork of the women of Abadiyeh, its variety, and the taste evident throughout its collection; and we asked, is there a market for these beautiful works? The truth, as Mrs. Anissa Najjar, who supervises this pavilion, told us, is that in our villages there is exquisite handwork that rivals that of any foreign villages, but it needs technical guidance, and a place in the city where it can be displayed and orders received.
The Livestock Pavilion: a display of the most beautiful — and 'most blessed' — kinds of cows and bulls.
On the roof of the fair's spacious building was a crowd of more than three thousand souls, and the neighboring balconies and rooftops were packed with spectators. The society's president, Mr. Fouad Najjar, opened the ceremony with a valuable speech on the benefits of cooperation and what he hopes it will bring, through its means, to Lebanon: unity in its ranks and a rise in its economy. Then the president of the Abadiyeh municipality, Mr. Jean Abou Jaoude, welcomed His Excellency the President on his first visit to Abadiyeh. Afterward the Nay troupe, under the direction of Mr. Sami Slaibi, presented for the first time the unified Lebanese dabkeh dance, over which the people of the villages grew greatly enthusiastic, applauding in admiration; it also won the approval of His Excellency the President and of Sheikh Abdullah al-Jaber, who stayed on watching its various steps for close to half an hour after the ceremony.
Then rang out the voice of the artist Wadih el-Safi, awakening in every soul a longing for the village
and its people.
His Excellency the President wrote a gracious word in the society's booklet, which was read out to the crowd. And the open-handed generosity of Sheikh Abdullah al-Jaber al-Sabah was stirred: he presented the society with the sum of ten thousand Lebanese lira, as he did last year, in his capacity as honorary citizen of the village of Abadiyeh.
Everyone was invited to a traditional refreshment stand where
Abadiyeh's delicious fruit was set out for the enjoyment of the public. Abadiyeh remained in festival for three days: the opening ceremony, then on the following day a zajal evening by the choir of Chahrour al-Wadi, and on the last day a cinema show and the distribution of prizes to those who had distinguished themselves at the fair. Fairs such as these bring cheer to the villages and restore their vitality — nor are they without material benefits.
The bride cuts the wedding cake, made by 'Arlequin'
Among the joyous occasions of last August, which we wish to touch upon in 'The Woman's Voice,' is the wedding of Miss Nadia Fouad Nassif to the young merchant Pierre Youssef Boueiz.
The crowning ceremony took place in Jounieh, and afterward the guests — 300 in number — moved on to the bridegroom's house, where they gathered around a sumptuous table laden with all kinds of sweets, with the wedding cake at its center.
After the congratulations, the two
young newlyweds vanished through a back door, and a car flew off with them to the mountains of Kesrouan, to enjoy, in lawful bliss, the honeymoon! On the fourth of September they returned to their home in Baghdad, to establish their new married household.
The Woman's Voice congratulates the bride and groom and their honorable families, with the sincerest wishes for happiness, prosperity, and sons.