Fadi Asmar ^AKA^ Piax
Cedar trees... in the Arz, North Lebanon
The Lebanon Cedar, Cedrus libani, boasts out of only three species of cedars in the world as a historical and majestic native conifer and the national emblem of the modern post-colonial Lebanese polity. Unlike the British government consultant Simon Anholt’s idea of ‘nation branding’ to manage a country’s image and reputation (mainly through trade, culture, and tourism), one can noticeably observe that the Lebanon Cedar has been overexploited in government and private sector marketing and brand management, a practice evident in the many cedars in logos, signs, and icons.
Until recently, the latest of these brand management projects was what the United States administration coined as the ‘Cedar Revolution’, although this socio-political movement is commonly known as ‘March 14’ or ‘Intifadat al-Istiqlal’ at the local scale and has no indication of a cedar in its logo. Nevertheless, a new ‘cedar-branded project’ -this time by the private sector- seems to dominate the scene and overwhelm all previous cedar brands, and maybe cedars themselves.
The enterprise behind the Cedar Island project is just another smart business entrepreneurship that is playing by the rules of the Lebanese free market economy and probably sectarian politics of ‘piece of the pie’. Despite the many objections to it, one can see that such a project may appeal big-time for many of the well-off Lebanese Diaspora and locals to own a piece of the Lebanon Cedar in actual physical property and in the Mediterranean Sea. In this case, the cedar-brand of the project may overshadow questioning the need or impact of such types of development. (daily star)
>>> My opinion about this project, is that it is really a very uncreative move for an idea that has been exausted in the Arabian Gulf region. The irony of this lame project, is that it is creating a replication of old Lebanese cities, such as Byblos, Tyre, Sidon, which found to be only few miles away from the site itself. It is a ridicules idea to replicate the heritage that its already there, which is unfortunately kept in deteriorating conditions... just don't know what else to say... it is really too lame to be true!
Cedar trees... in the Arz, North Lebanon
The Lebanon Cedar, Cedrus libani, boasts out of only three species of cedars in the world as a historical and majestic native conifer and the national emblem of the modern post-colonial Lebanese polity. Unlike the British government consultant Simon Anholt’s idea of ‘nation branding’ to manage a country’s image and reputation (mainly through trade, culture, and tourism), one can noticeably observe that the Lebanon Cedar has been overexploited in government and private sector marketing and brand management, a practice evident in the many cedars in logos, signs, and icons.
Until recently, the latest of these brand management projects was what the United States administration coined as the ‘Cedar Revolution’, although this socio-political movement is commonly known as ‘March 14’ or ‘Intifadat al-Istiqlal’ at the local scale and has no indication of a cedar in its logo. Nevertheless, a new ‘cedar-branded project’ -this time by the private sector- seems to dominate the scene and overwhelm all previous cedar brands, and maybe cedars themselves.
The enterprise behind the Cedar Island project is just another smart business entrepreneurship that is playing by the rules of the Lebanese free market economy and probably sectarian politics of ‘piece of the pie’. Despite the many objections to it, one can see that such a project may appeal big-time for many of the well-off Lebanese Diaspora and locals to own a piece of the Lebanon Cedar in actual physical property and in the Mediterranean Sea. In this case, the cedar-brand of the project may overshadow questioning the need or impact of such types of development. (daily star)
>>> My opinion about this project, is that it is really a very uncreative move for an idea that has been exausted in the Arabian Gulf region. The irony of this lame project, is that it is creating a replication of old Lebanese cities, such as Byblos, Tyre, Sidon, which found to be only few miles away from the site itself. It is a ridicules idea to replicate the heritage that its already there, which is unfortunately kept in deteriorating conditions... just don't know what else to say... it is really too lame to be true!