Lebanon Independence Day
November 22 · Level 10 · #117 of 2238
Lebanon's main national holiday marks the country's independence from the French Mandate. For the Lebanese it is a day of unity and national pride.
How it is celebrated: flags with the cedar fly across the country, officials hold ceremonies and military events, and in the evening streets and squares light up with decorations and fireworks.
In November 1943 the French authorities arrested President Bechara El Khoury and Prime Minister Riad Al Solh. Street protests and international pressure forced their release, which came on 22 November. The cedar on Lebanon's flag sits on a white band between two red stripes.