The second edition of the "OMT Beirut Sports Festival" has been officially announced, set to take place from May 23 to May 26 at "Forum de Beyrouth." Over these four days, Lebanese audiences and sports enthusiasts will enjoy exciting displays and matches across numerous team and individual sports, alongside numerous booths showcasing various sports-related products. The announcement occurred during a crowded press conference held in the outdoor area of "Forum de Beyrouth."
Attendees included the President of the Olympic Committee, Dr. Pierre Jalakh, Dr. Raji Labaki representing Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. George Kallas, Major Andre Haddad representing the Commander of the Lebanese Army General Joseph Aoun, Major Walid Tanouri representing the Director General of Internal Security Forces Major General Imad Othman, Captain Hicham Al-Ramouz representing the Director General of General Security in lieu of Major General Elias Bechara, and several other military and sports officials.
The national anthem opened the event, followed by a welcoming speech from journalist George Sweidi, who talked about holding the "Beirut Sports Festival" this year despite the deteriorating economic, political, and security conditions in Lebanon and the region. Abu Zeid then discussed OMT’s commitment to supporting Lebanese sports intensively for the past five years across various sports and games, stating, "Sports keep youth away from societal vices, and the festival is a unique event in Lebanon and the region," promising numerous surprises from the company in collaboration with the festival's organizing committee.
Kareem Al-Andari, the originator of the festival and head of the organizing committee, described holding the festival in these difficult circumstances as a challenge. He added, "We have a responsibility towards sports and athletes. Similar to last year, all ticket revenues will support prominent Lebanese athletes, and I expect between 45,000 to 50,000 visitors, which is four times last year's figure of 10,000. We distributed one billion Lebanese pounds to prominent athletes, which stems from the entry fees during last year's edition."
He further noted that the entry fee is $3 but will drop to $1 if the visitor shows the "OMT" application at the entrance of the Forum. Al-Andari continued, "The festival area will cover around 25,000 square meters with many activities including 3x3 basketball, taekwondo, kung fu and wushu, mixed martial arts (MMA), tug of war, padel tennis, fencing, drifting, and various university championships, as universities are a reservoir of young athletes (both male and female), plus exciting displays from the Lebanese Army and the team 'Who Dares Trains,' as well as competitions in electronic sports."
He listed the names of sponsoring companies and those exhibiting their products, including the Olympic museum, mentioning that the festival's opening is scheduled for 8 PM next Thursday, May 23. He thanked media outlets, especially "Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International," for broadcasting the festival live over the four days, adding that the advertising and media campaign began in mid-April, inviting the Lebanese public to attend the festival, which will open its doors from 4 PM to 10 PM. During the press conference, a short video about last year's festival and a promotional video for the 2024 festival were also presented.
