“How can a people who thrive abroad fail to accept diversity at home?”
Lebanese people have made a name for themselves around the world. They have built empires in Africa, dominated business in the Gulf, excelled in finance and tech in the U.S., and left their mark on every corner of the planet. They live, work, and succeed alongside people of all races, religions, and backgrounds. Yet, the moment they return home, many of them embrace one of the ugliest realities of Lebanon: deep-seated racism.
Lebanon prides itself on being the land of coexistence, a melting pot of Christians, Muslims, Druze, and various sects living together. But when it comes to race and social hierarchy, the mask of tolerance falls, revealing a disturbing truth.
Everyday Racism in Lebanon: A Deep-Rooted Issue
Racism in Lebanon is not hidden. It is institutionalized, normalized, and often even socially accepted.
- Discriminatory Pool & Beach Policies: Many of the country’s top hotels, beach clubs, and private pools openly forbid people of color, especially migrant workers, from using their facilities. You will find signs at private compounds stating that “helpers are not allowed in the pool”, as if their very presence contaminates the water.
- Employment Racism: Many domestic workers have their passports confiscated upon arrival, a practice illegal in many countries but still standard in Lebanon. The infamous Kafala system reduces thousands of Ethiopian, Filipino, and Sri Lankan workers to modern-day servitude.
- Shopping While Brown: A Lebanese man married to a Filipina woman shared his wife’s experiences: She cannot shop in luxury malls without being followed by suspicious salespeople. She is often ignored at high-end restaurants. Even my own family refuses to acknowledge her as a full member of our household.
Stereotyping and Cultural Superiority: Lebanese people have an unsettling habit of grouping nationalities into offensive clichés:
- Russians? They must be dancers.
- Arabs? Rich but ignorant.
- Europeans? Dirty.
- Americans? Stupid.
A nation that complains about being stereotyped in the West seems to have no problem doing the same, and worse, to others.
The Impact of Racism on Lebanon’s Future
Lebanon dreams of being a tourism powerhouse, but how can a country thrive in tourism when it is openly unwelcoming to people who are different?
– Tourists notice the racism: Stories of racism in Lebanon make it to international forums, travel blogs, and online reviews. This discourages travelers from visiting.
– Foreign investments are affected: Lebanon wants to attract global businesses and expats, yet investors and workers from diverse backgrounds are often mistreated.
– Lebanese people abroad suffer from hypocrisy: While Lebanese immigrants expect full rights and equality in their host countries, they refuse to extend the same courtesy to foreigners at home.
– Tourism is more than just beaches and mountains: Lebanon wants to attract millions of visitors. But hospitality is not just about good food and a beautiful view, it’s about making people feel welcome and safe.
A Call to Action: It’s Time for Change
Lebanon’s racism problem is not just a moral issue, it is an economic, social, and national crisis.
The Government Must Act
- Implement strict anti-discrimination laws, ensuring that no beach, restaurant, or business can deny access based on nationality or skin color.
- Abolish the Kafala system, replacing it with modern labor laws that protect foreign workers.
- Launch a nationwide campaign against racism, educating schools, businesses, and the public.
NGOs and Human Rights Organizations Must Intervene
- Expose racist practices in Lebanon through reports, campaigns, and legal pressure.
- Partner with global human rights organizations to highlight Lebanon’s racial inequalities on an international stage.
Every Lebanese Citizen Must Reflect
- The next time you see a person of color at a mall, restaurant, or hotel, don’t judge them by your prejudices.
- If you’re Lebanese and have succeeded abroad, ask yourself: Would I accept being treated this way in another country?
- Speak up when you witness racism, silence is complicity.
The Hard Truth: Racism is Killing Lebanon’s Image
If Lebanon wants to truly thrive as a modern, competitive country, it must face this ugly truth. Being Lebanese should not mean being tolerant only when it is convenient.
Lebanon loves to call itself the Switzerland of the Middle East, but Switzerland is a country that respects human rights, embraces diversity, and has strong anti-discrimination laws.
Lebanon can either continue down the path of exclusion and discrimination or choose to be a truly welcoming, modern nation.
Because a country that excludes people will eventually exclude itself from progress.
Brand Lebanon 
Leave a comment