Prominent Lebanese figures head to Al-Ula show

A photo taken on March 31, 2018 shows rose-coloured sandstone in Madain Saleh, a UNESCO World Heritage site, near Saudi Arabia's northwestern town of al-Ula. (AFP)

• Celebrities include singers Najwa Karam, Ragheb Alama and Walid Toufic, as well as sportsman and mountaineer Maxime Chaaya, who was the first Lebanese to scale Mount Everest

BEIRUT: As Saudi Araba unveiled its Winter at Tantora festival in the city of Al-Ula, Arab News exclusively acquired a list of prominent Lebanese politicians, media moguls, celebrities and religious figures who have been invited.
Most notable on the list, which was provided by a Lebanese source who requested anonymity, are former presidents Michel Suleiman and Amine Gemayel, as well as former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
Other political figures include Education Minister Marwan Hamadeh, Tourism Minister Avedis Guidanian and Information Minister Melhem Riachi.
The list does not include current President Michel Aoun or any member of Hezbollah and Amal, which are allied to him.
The former ministers of health, public reforms and telecommunications — Wael Abou Faour, Ibrahim Chamseddine and Boutros Harb, respectively — are on the list.
So too are Future Movement Secretary-General Ahmad Hariri, former head of the March 14 coalition Faris Said, and Beirut Gov. Ziad Chebib.
Religious figures include Rayan Al-Hassan, who is Druze, and Hussein Shamas, a member of the Supreme Islamic Shia Council.
Media moguls include LBC news channel’s President Pierre Daher and Roy Hashem, who heads OTV channel.
Journalists include former Al Arabiya anchor Rima Maktabi, AnNahar newspaper’s Editor-in Chief Naya Tueni, and Al-Hayat newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief Walid Choucair.
Celebrities include singers Najwa Karam, Ragheb Alama and Walid Toufic, as well as sportsman and mountaineer Maxime Chaaya, who was the first Lebanese to scale Mount Everest.
Archaeological remains dating back more than 2,000 years, and an abundance of natural attractions, make Al-Ula one of the world’s greatest undiscovered wonders.
The Winter at Tantora festival is hosted by Al-Ula residents and runs from Dec. 20, 2018, to Feb. 9, 2019.
It includes cultural events, a spectacular equine experience, and musical performances by some of the world’s greatest artists.